Dec 16…breakdown #2
Tough day…feeling sad and homesick. I can’t understand what others are saying, it’s hot, I’m ferociously itching mosquito bites and I find cow skin on the path from my house with flies swarming. Break down #2…I hit a point and just broke down when I got to my host families house. My host papa felt bad I was crying…he was sweet about it. I walked with my host mama and sister up to a hill so I could use his cell phone. Eventually I reached my mom and Carly. My mom was comforting and Carly told me there’s nothing great going on at home with the economy in the tanker…no reason to come back now. I felt better hearing familiar voices and knowing that I can get through this.
Dec 18…brideprice
Today was a busy day…walked a lot back and forth from Tahi to Tevali, a village just inland from Tahi. We delivered yam, laplap leaves, mats...
Women dressed the bride in island dresses and doused her with baby powder and perfume spray (good luck). Then she wailed because her mother had passed and she was mourning her then she passed out. No joke. It was pretty intense. She came to and then her groom later is wasted drunk. More cows were killed, food is passed out and the bride price is paid with mats, calico, yams, pig, chicken, beef, coconuts and money. Again, all the “sisters” of the groom are given food and I am even included…and instead of beef they give me a chicken! I am now a proud owner of a chicken. Not sure how I’ll be able to eat it though. Eggs…hopefully she will lay eggs for me.
Tomorrow is the wedding for Ana and Willie who I have spent some time with and there is an actual ceremony at the church then food and dancing. Most if not all of these bride prices and weddings are done well after the couple had been together and even have kids. Ana and Willie just had their 3rd son. This has more to do with how expensive these events are so cart before the horse.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment