Australasia V

Location: -43° 49’ 8.0" +169° 4’ 49.1"

This sunset was captured on the dramatic west coast of Aotearoa (New Zealand for Pākehā). While driftwood’s role in Māori culture is mostly practical, used for carving totems and structures, its significance extends further into Norse mythology.

According to legend, after the gods Odin, Vili, and Ve shaped the world from the body of the giant Ymir, they discovered two driftwood logs washed ashore. From an Ash log, they carved the first man, Ask, and from an Elm log, the first woman, Embla, giving life to humanity.

Beyond myths, driftwood plays a quiet but vital role in nature. Washed up on beaches, it decomposes or provides shelter for birds and small animals. In some cases, it even helps create new landscapes. When driftwood piles up, it can trap sand, which is then stabilised by plants like marram grass, gradually forming dunes from these simple beginnings.

A striking example of this process is the Indiana Dunes, believed to have started as driftwood before evolving into the dunes we see today. It’s a reminder of how even the smallest natural elements can shape the world over time.