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© Roger Steffens

photos

The Island of the Coconut Monk with Roger Steffens

by Roger Steffens
April 29, 2018

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1969, An introduction to the Island of Coconut Monk

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It was in January of 1969, and there were about 6,000 people living on the island. About 2,000 deserters from the North Vietnamese Communist Army, about 2,000 deserters from the South Vietnamese Army, and a couple thousand Taoists.

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The island drew a lot of very interesting people, spiritual people from many different faiths came to share the philosophy and peace that the coconut monk represented.

This man, kind of floated through the crowds, and he had a third eye that bulged out of his forehead. It was so impressive, everyone treated him with such respect. I never got to speak to him, but I admired him from a distance.

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May 1969