I start writing about my Sunday and I quickly get to several pages... No one wants to sweat though a blog entry that long, so here is the abbreviated version of my last Sunday in Ta'Anea Vava'u.
Up at 6 - Breakfast on my private table of eggs fried in oil, papaya, and fried bread. I bath with a water glass, shave my face and head amongst the banana trees out back, and put on my best tupenu (skirt) and tauvala (mat that men wear over their skirt when they want to be formal.) Tufui provides a red-feather adorned tauvala and a huge necklace covered in red plastic jewels. I feel like a fakaleti (Tongan transvestite - common and accepted here).
My host dad marches out at 07:20. We arrive at the church hall at 07:30 and join the Kava party already in progress. The FieFekau (minister) shows up pretty late... after 09:00 and I give my formal Kava speech in Tongan. (Speech 1 for today.)
We drink Kava until 9:45, then I run to the back of the church. I join a couple of other brave volunteers. We sit in the front of the church by the alter. Everyone in the village stares at us proudly.
During the service we each stand to read our part. I read two hymn verses - in Tongan. My verses have the phrase "Sesu pe, Sesu pe" many times. This means "Jesus does, Jesus does". As I come to these key lines I look up from the book and speak directly to the crowd. They go wild. they really love it. Little kids come up to me every day unitl I leave. They smile and say "Sesu pe, Sesu pe". Speech 2 for today.
We finish the service after 11 without making fools of ourselves or having heart attacks. Home for a quick lunch of fried fish, fried chicken (unbreaded), raw fish and a bunch of Tongan roots. We killed the baby pig last night - this time I helps rip off clumps of it's hair with my bare hands - but I digress.
A quick mohe (nap) and its back to Kava. We drink until 16:00 when the next service starts. This is communion and takes 90 minutes. Back for more Kava. Many of the men are totally wasted. Then back for ANOTHER service at 19:00. This one is in our honor. Everyone from the village is here. Even the members of the competing churches.
We each climb to the microphone and give a speech. I start in Tongan giving respect to the important attendees, then give a ten minute speech in English thanking everyone. Speech 3 for today.
After a few of our speeches the church Kava group sings. I am instructed by the minister to join them. Then more speeches.
Another Kava group song (in addition to a bunch of hymns throughout the service). Again I run over to join them, then return to my pew. The other trainees are a bit baffled by all the attention I am getting. They have no idea how much time I put in with the village elders during my 6 weeks here.
Then the Tongans begin their speeches. My Tongan is weak. I am one of the weakest in the group, but I keep hearing my name. Most try to do some of their speech in English for us. They all start with Sione (John) and remember most of the other names. Every speaker refers to the Peace Corps as Sione's Peace Corps group. I am not expecting this, but I really appreciate the emotional feelings of the villagers.
We finish after 90 minutes. Many of the guys don't speak so we can end. They apologize to me after.
Whew... Can I go home? No way...
Back to the Kava hall! More Kava. More singing. No other volunteer comes. I give another speech - #4 for the day.
The local IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare) rep come by to thank me for all the time I have spent with him while in Va'vau. He is the most amazing guy (perhaps I'll do an entry about him someday.) He is the biggest Humpback Whale advocate here.
He gives me a great IFAW shirt. All the volunteers will ask me about it when they see me wear it on Tonga'tapu.
I get home after 11. Tufui stays at Kava. We are both pretty toasted. I will have language class at 08:00 in the morning.
I really miss those guys. As an older volunteer they are the best friends I have in Tonga. The younger volunteers spend their time together, so they have a more resilient support structure as we move back to Tonga'Tapu. I am pretty much back to being on my own.
Up at 6 - Breakfast on my private table of eggs fried in oil, papaya, and fried bread. I bath with a water glass, shave my face and head amongst the banana trees out back, and put on my best tupenu (skirt) and tauvala (mat that men wear over their skirt when they want to be formal.) Tufui provides a red-feather adorned tauvala and a huge necklace covered in red plastic jewels. I feel like a fakaleti (Tongan transvestite - common and accepted here).
My host dad marches out at 07:20. We arrive at the church hall at 07:30 and join the Kava party already in progress. The FieFekau (minister) shows up pretty late... after 09:00 and I give my formal Kava speech in Tongan. (Speech 1 for today.)
We drink Kava until 9:45, then I run to the back of the church. I join a couple of other brave volunteers. We sit in the front of the church by the alter. Everyone in the village stares at us proudly.
During the service we each stand to read our part. I read two hymn verses - in Tongan. My verses have the phrase "Sesu pe, Sesu pe" many times. This means "Jesus does, Jesus does". As I come to these key lines I look up from the book and speak directly to the crowd. They go wild. they really love it. Little kids come up to me every day unitl I leave. They smile and say "Sesu pe, Sesu pe". Speech 2 for today.
We finish the service after 11 without making fools of ourselves or having heart attacks. Home for a quick lunch of fried fish, fried chicken (unbreaded), raw fish and a bunch of Tongan roots. We killed the baby pig last night - this time I helps rip off clumps of it's hair with my bare hands - but I digress.
A quick mohe (nap) and its back to Kava. We drink until 16:00 when the next service starts. This is communion and takes 90 minutes. Back for more Kava. Many of the men are totally wasted. Then back for ANOTHER service at 19:00. This one is in our honor. Everyone from the village is here. Even the members of the competing churches.
We each climb to the microphone and give a speech. I start in Tongan giving respect to the important attendees, then give a ten minute speech in English thanking everyone. Speech 3 for today.
After a few of our speeches the church Kava group sings. I am instructed by the minister to join them. Then more speeches.
Another Kava group song (in addition to a bunch of hymns throughout the service). Again I run over to join them, then return to my pew. The other trainees are a bit baffled by all the attention I am getting. They have no idea how much time I put in with the village elders during my 6 weeks here.
Then the Tongans begin their speeches. My Tongan is weak. I am one of the weakest in the group, but I keep hearing my name. Most try to do some of their speech in English for us. They all start with Sione (John) and remember most of the other names. Every speaker refers to the Peace Corps as Sione's Peace Corps group. I am not expecting this, but I really appreciate the emotional feelings of the villagers.
We finish after 90 minutes. Many of the guys don't speak so we can end. They apologize to me after.
Whew... Can I go home? No way...
Back to the Kava hall! More Kava. More singing. No other volunteer comes. I give another speech - #4 for the day.
The local IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare) rep come by to thank me for all the time I have spent with him while in Va'vau. He is the most amazing guy (perhaps I'll do an entry about him someday.) He is the biggest Humpback Whale advocate here.
He gives me a great IFAW shirt. All the volunteers will ask me about it when they see me wear it on Tonga'tapu.
I get home after 11. Tufui stays at Kava. We are both pretty toasted. I will have language class at 08:00 in the morning.
I really miss those guys. As an older volunteer they are the best friends I have in Tonga. The younger volunteers spend their time together, so they have a more resilient support structure as we move back to Tonga'Tapu. I am pretty much back to being on my own.
2 comments:
fakaleiti! That's something I remember from my speech on Tonga
So many speeches! My goodness I can't believe you spent 6 weeks there, it feels like just yesterday. And Sione is a way cool name. That's really cute that the locals like you so much.
Is the IFAW guy the one who is doing the research thing on the whales this summer?
Even though you're on your own, I'm sure you'll make more friends fast. =)
Hi, as you can see this is my first post here.
I will be happy to get any help at the beginning.
Thanks in advance and good luck! :)
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