Ok, now just after you load the mesh, but before you create a node with it, use the meshManipulator from the smgr to flip the surfaces of your model and that might fix it.
hybrid: I did assume this was a problem with the model itself, not the code used to load it. Any insight into what the problem with the model could be? I know next-to-nothing about modelling and am only trying to understand it as it applies to game programming so that I can make basic testing meshes.
I know nothing about modeling myself, but is it looking like no matter where you view your model from it is "inside-out"? If this is the case, then see if you have an option in your modeling program about "flipping normals." In 3DS Max you can do this by applying a normal modifier and check/uncheck "flip normals." I'm assuming it would be done a similar way in any other modeling program. Hope this helps.
then EMT_TRANSPARENT_VERTEX_ALPHA was set, this is now fixed in the latest revision.
if you're exporting non-transparent objects from Maya, either delete the line out of your MTL file, or use svn revision 335 or later