Coral Kids

Marine Conservation Photography by Raquel Trejo
Analog film and digital, underwater and topside series

About the Project

Coral Kids is a multidisciplinary collaboration with the community of Aitutaki, Cook Islands, documenting local coral restoration through the eyes of its youngest participants. Filmed alongside children, teachers, and a self-taught coral gardener, the project explores how early encounters with the ocean shape our sense of belonging, responsibility, and care.

Blending environmental and cultural narratives, it traces how knowledge is passed down through generations, from traditional legends and dances to ecological stewardship. By centring local voices and shared authorship, Coral Kids reimagines documentary practice as an act of reciprocity rather than observation, foregrounding joy, resilience, and collective agency in the face of environmental fragility.

The project expands beyond still photography into a feature documentary. View the feature documentary project here

The Story

Aitutaki’s lagoon is one of the most biodiverse marine environments in the Pacific, yet its coral reefs are severely damaged. With no institutional support, local coral gardener Mike Lee began salvaging fragments from the lagoon floor, experimenting with various methods,  to keep fragile species alive.

Soon, schoolchildren led by their teachers at Grow Aitutaki joined him. Many had to learn to swim before they could begin. Together, they collect coral fragments, tie them to ropes, and tend the reef as part of their environmental education,  a process that revives ancestral connections to the sea while shaping a new generation of caretakers.

Photography Approach

Shot with natural light and minimal interference, Coral Kids reflects my practice as an environmental documentary photographer. These images were captured during community sessions in Aitutaki and celebrate resilience, adaptation, and the fragile beauty of coral, while documenting a profound act of hope led by children.

Support the Project

Coral Kids & the Coral Gardener is an ongoing documentary photography and film initiative.

Supporting this project helps sustain continued fieldwork in Aitutaki, film development, and the creation of exhibitions and public outcomes. Contributions directly fund the documentation of community-led coral restoration and help ensure Aitutaki’s children's voices reach wider audiences.

If you have visited Aitutaki and wondered how to give back, or if this story resonates with you, this is one way to support the work. Donations, via Documentary Australia, are tax-deductible. Updates about the documentary project on Substack

Contact: hola@rosaaureliaproductions.com.au
Raquel Trejo, Adelaide-based photographer and environmental storyteller