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Daniel Rolph

@daniel_au1

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Melbourne 🇦🇺
Founder: @melbs_insider
Author | Hidden Paths Out Now 📖
👇Order Here👇

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“Children of Indonesia”

When travelling indonesia I got the opportunity to meet so many amazing children across islands that I have never even heard of! Some of them had never even seen a picture of themselves. That day I took pictures of there happiness and curiosity which totally fills me with joy #Travel #indonesia taken in Flores, Indonesia by @daniel_au1

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4 years ago

Day 9 - Everest Base Camp Trek (5,364m- 17, 585ft

Today we finally reached Everest Base Camp (5,364M - 17,585ft)

The views were out of this world the pictures speak for themselves.

It’s been a dream for me for many years to get this ticked off as a life goal and now in have!

Reaching Base camp was an emotion experience after but totally worth the pain and cold!

Next we have 4 days hike back down to Lukla them to Kathmandu for a well deserved shower and shave!

Thankyou for everyone for your kind words and support 😊

#Everest #Hiking #EverestBaseCamp #Nepal taken in Mt. Everest Base Camp (5.365m) by @daniel_au1

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4 years ago

🎧 HIDDEN PATHS IS NOW AVAILABLE ON AUDIBLE

Following Jack’s story in Shattered Paths, the second book in The Paths of Destiny Trilogy turns the focus to Emma.

A survivor of neglect and abuse, Emma is growing older while carrying the scars of a childhood she did not choose.

She is searching for stability, trying to understand her identity and longing for somewhere she can finally feel that she belongs.

Emma cannot always find the words to express what she is feeling, so she turns to art.

Her creativity becomes her lifeline. It gives her a way to express the emotions she has kept inside and offers moments of comfort amid the chaos surrounding her.
But healing is never simple.

As Emma begins confronting her past, she must learn how to trust, form meaningful connections and discover who she is beyond what happened to her.

Her path also becomes more closely connected with Jack and Oliver. Three young lives, each carrying different wounds, are drawn together by shared pain, resilience and hope.

Three lives. Three paths. One shared destiny.

Hidden Paths is a raw and heartfelt story about foster care, trauma, identity and the courage it takes to rebuild your life.

Although the novel is fiction, its emotional foundations are grounded in lived experience, including my own childhood within the UK foster care system and conversations with more than 100 people who experienced life in care.

Now, Emma’s story can be heard through the voices of narrators Jane Charles and Peter J Matthews.

🔗 LISTEN NOW: https://www.amazon.com.au/Hidden-Paths-Journey-Resilience-Healing-ebook/dp/B0DSVNT26S

If you are new to the trilogy, begin with Shattered Paths.
If you already know Jack’s story, it is time to discover Emma’s.

#HiddenPaths #PathsOfDestinyTrilogy #Audible #Audiobook #FosterCareAwareness taken in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia by @daniel_au1

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2 months ago

by @daniel_au1

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3 months ago

When you strip everything back, the role of Mentawai men is simple on the surface but relentless in reality. Provide, protect, and preserve. There is no version of life where they sit on the sidelines. Every day is tied to the survival of the family and the strength of the community.

Hunting is one of the clearest examples of this. It is not sport, it is responsibility. Men move through dense rainforest with handmade bows, reading tracks, sounds, and movement in a way that feels almost instinctive. Success is never guaranteed, which is exactly why the skill matters. When they return with food, it feeds more than just themselves, it supports the wider group.

They also take on the physically demanding work that keeps the community functioning. Building an uma, the traditional longhouse, is not a quick job. It requires coordination, knowledge of the forest, and an understanding of materials that have been used for generations. These structures become the centre of family life, and men are responsible for ensuring they stand strong.

What often gets overlooked is their adaptability. Whether it is fishing in deeper waters, crafting tools, or navigating the land, there is a constant need to adjust based on seasons, conditions, and availability of resources. Nothing is fixed, everything requires awareness.

There is also a cultural weight to their role. Men carry stories, rituals, and traditions that define Mentawai identity. It is not written down or stored anywhere. It is remembered, practised, and passed on through action.

There is no separation between identity and responsibility. Who they are is directly tied to what they contribute. No noise, no performance, just consistent action that keeps everything moving forward. taken in Mentawai Islands by @daniel_au1

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6 months ago

Last year, I spent time living with the Mentawai people, one of the most traditional and untouched tribal communities in the world.

It changed how I see simplicity, identity, and connection to nature.

Loincloths (Kabit)
The men wear a traditional loincloth called a kabit. It is not just clothing. It represents practicality, freedom of movement, and a life lived in direct connection with the jungle. No excess, no waste, just function and tradition.

Tattoos (Identity, Not Decoration)
Every tattoo tells a story. Status, skills, family, and spiritual beliefs are all marked on the body.
Unlike modern tattoos, these are not trends. They are identity.

Shamans (Sikerei)
The spiritual leaders, known as Sikerei, play a central role in daily life.
They act as healers, guides, and protectors between the physical and spiritual worlds.

Their belief system is built around balance.
Humans, nature, and spirits all coexist. Nothing is taken without respect.

A Different Perspective
There is no rush. No noise. No distractions.
Just survival, community, and purpose.

Spending time with them makes you question what “modern life” actually means. taken in Mentawai Islands by @daniel_au1

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7 months ago

Living with the Mentawai Tribe 🍃

#Tribe #indonesia #travel #jungle taken in Mentawai Islands by @daniel_au1

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8 months ago

Deep in Indonesia’s Mentawai Islands, clothing comes straight from the forest.

Mentawai men traditionally wear loincloths made from tree bark. The bark is carefully stripped, soaked, beaten, and softened until it becomes flexible and fabric-like. No looms, no stitching. Just skill passed down through generations.

This bark cloth is practical and symbolic. It suits the humid rainforest climate, allows freedom of movement, and reflects a close relationship with nature. Nothing is wasted, and the trees are not destroyed in the process.

It is a reminder that innovation did not start with factories. For the Mentawai, sustainability has always been a way of life 🌿 taken in Mentawai Islands by @daniel_au1

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9 months ago

When the brits takeover Australia 🇬🇧 taken in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia by @daniel_au1

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10 months ago

Deep in the rainforest of Siberut Island, the men of the Mentawai tribe live in rhythm with nature. Masters of balance, strength, and survival, they move through the jungle with quiet precision, hunting wild boar with handcrafted bows, fishing with spears, and tracking animals through whispers of broken leaves and bird calls.

Their knowledge of the forest runs generations deep, every tree, every sound, every trail holds meaning. It’s not brute strength that defines them, but harmony; they take only what’s needed and give back through ritual, respect, and connection.

This isn’t wilderness to them, it’s home, teacher, and sacred ground. taken in Mentawai Islands by @daniel_au1

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a year ago

✨ Next week… ✨

Hidden Paths will finally be here.

After the incredible journey of Shattered Paths (15,000+ copies sold in just six months!), I’m beyond proud to share the next chapter.

This time, we step into Emma’s world — raw, emotional, and filled with resilience. Her voice has stayed with me through every page, and I can’t wait for you to experience her story.

Deeply personal. Unforgettable. Coming soon.

#HiddenPaths #BookRelease #NewBook #AuthorLife #readersofinstagram ✨ Next week… ✨ Hidden Paths will finally be here. After the incredible journey of Shattered Paths (15,000+ copies sold in just six months!), I’m beyond proud to share the next chapter. This time, we step into Emma’s world — raw, emotional, and filled with resilience. Her voice has stayed with me through every page, and I can’t wait for you to experience her story. Deeply personal. Unforgettable. Coming soon. #HiddenPaths #BookRelease #NewBook #AuthorLife #ReadersOfInstagram taken in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia by @daniel_au1

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a year ago

Among the Mentawai of Indonesia, daily life is built on connection , to family, to nature, and to spirit. Meals aren’t just food, they’re rituals of sharing. Sago palm, the staple of their diet, is pounded into flour and cooked into a dough-like meal, often served with fish or wild boar. Nothing is wasted, and every bite is tied to respect for the forest that provides it. 🌿

Relationships are equally rooted in balance. Marriages aren’t only between two people, but between families and the wider community. Decisions are made collectively, and harmony is valued above individual gain.

Their belief system, Arat Sabulungan, teaches that everything has a soul. This shapes how they farm, hunt, celebrate, and mourn, always mindful of the spirits around them.

What I learnt from them is simple yet powerful: life doesn’t need to be complicated to be meaningful. When food, family, and faith are aligned with respect for the world around you, everything else falls into place. taken in Mentawai Islands by @daniel_au1

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a year ago