That’s what the sign said until Ann pointed out the little error. It was Adam and Cindy’s (from Bravo) 24th anniversary and the whole village put together a party to celebrate (complete with the sign which was corrected). Actually a bunch of folks from the other two villages showed up as well. Fijians love a party.

Adam and Cindy wearing the ceremonial tapa cloth (and corrected sign in the background).

First the kava. Lots of kava. Then there was lots of food. No party is complete without a feast and this one had the requisite mounds of great food. There was also singing. We never tire of the beautiful Fijian songs. Ann and I stayed until after dark enjoying the food, drink, singing and great camaraderie with our fellow cruisers and the village. Ann knows every single person here by name as well as their birthdays and who they are all related to. (I know most of their names, which for me is pretty good). We stayed until after dark and fortunately Cindy brought an extra headlamp and loaned it to us as it was pitch dark going back the trail. It’s still cloudy today and the moon wasn’t up yet as we headed back across the cove back to Charisma.

We went into the village earlier in the day so I could finish the bowl I’ve been making. I put about five hours the last couple days into sanding it smooth and shiny and when I got to the carving area (where the men were waiting for me) and pulled it out there was quite a reaction. Probably best summed up by Tai who said; “Bob, you sand better than we do!” That was the compliment I was hoping for. I didn’t want to disappoint them with a shoddy job. I pointed out in return that I wasn’t making this bowl to sell and could afford to spend lots of time sanding it whereas they of course make their bowls for commerce and have to balance time and money. Anyway, Joe (my mentor and host) was impressed. Then Tai said the next step is to burnish the wood. They use a boar’s tusk with which to do this. Tai took the bowl from me, someone handed him a boar’s tusk and he then spent the next 15 or so minutes gently and intently rubbing the wood with the boar’s tusk to give it an incredible polish. That’s also part of how they work. Everyone just naturally does their part and by working on my bowl Tai was actually complimenting me by wanting to be part of it. It is so shiny it doesn’t need any oil.

Burnishing my bowl with a boar's tooth.

Once suitably rubbed down and shining like a finished bowl, Joe took out a pencil and free-handed a couple lines that served as the basis for the design that we were to spend the next hour or two carving onto the inch and a half lip of the bowl. When I saw him free-hand it and then take a “v” shaped carving tool and start in on it I almost fainted. After all the work, I was initially worried that one little slip and it would be gouged beyond repair. Then I remembered where we were and who was working on this. They know what they are doing and sure enough, he expertly outlined the carving area. He would do a line around the outside of the lip and then say, “Your turn”. I would then do a parallel line around the piece and on it would go. Joe would do a part and then say, “Change”, and I would do a bit. In that way I can lay claim to having done a significant part of the bowl, but also learned how to do it along the way. Really fun! And one of the fun parts is that it’s getting a lot of attention from the other carvers in the village. I am getting “nods” of approval. Makes me proud.

Here's the almost completed bowl showing the carving on the lip.

The bowl carving team with "their" bowl.

So between Ann’s quilting and weaving and now my carving we really feel a part of live here. It’s really fun learning another culture from the inside out.

Oh, one bit of sadness. We are now officially out of wine. Yes, we’re not sure how we’re going to survive, but we’re hoping to “suck it up” and tough it out. Don’t know how we’re going to make it unless one of our friends comes through with reinforcements.

Here’s hoping.