Today’s highlight was the village circumcision. Well, not really a highlight, but that was today’s big event.
The tough part is that it’s boys 8-12 years old. Yipes! If I were them I think I would have run away and hidden in a cave if I knew what was coming. These kids did pretty well though. There were a lot of stoic little boys in the village when we came in around 1300. The doctor had arrived on a longboat from the next island chain north of here and he lost no time setting up shop at the nurse’s hut. Ann and I (mostly me) couldn’t bear to watch or listen so we went for a long walk down the beach. When we came back a couple of hours later they were just finishing up. We saw a couple of very sad looking boys being taken away by their fathers in…wheelbarrows. Yup, that’s the equivalent to a stretcher in this part of the world. I should add that one young boy really toughed it out. He refused the wheelbarrow – said he would walk and then veerrry gingerly walked toward his house holding the gown they gave him (his mother’s sulu rapped around him and tied behind his neck), between two fingers out in front of him. Oh well, a local rite of passage.
The other thing we discovered today is the dreaded cassava root actually fries up in coconut oil (and salted) into a great potato chip like thingy. They eat a fair amount of cassava here and give it freely to “friends”. We of course have been gifted with the thing and don’t want to waste it but…it’s a little tough to love. If you take a potato, make it denser, starchier and blander you come close to the cassava. The villagers typically boil it into submission, which really doesn’t bring out any gastronomic value, and serve it at every meal. But, we now have a way to love it. Fried as above it tastes like something between potato chips and popcorn. Great with Charismas at sunset.
(Comments from Ann) Batai, the nurse, repeatedly offered to let me come watch the circumcisions. Really? He said I could photograph it if I wanted. On behalf of my two boys, I respectfully passed. And thanked the US medical system for circumcising my boys in the hospital before I got them home!
Ouch……some customs are tougher than others it seems.
You guys have been having quite the adventures, not to mention kava parties. 🙂 Ann, I’m very glad to hear you have come to realize how noble and intelligent Mr. turtle is. They may move slow but they are wizened, old souls I think.
So the circumcision tradition; did it arrive with missionaries? I wouldn’t think it was a native cultural practice.
Glad your grocery delivery arrived. You know Bob, maybe there is a way to use drones as island delivery vehicles. More useful than blasting things with them.
And another new biz idea – Cassava Pops! Great snacks for kids!!
So Happy that your delivery arrived! And I love turtles too! Have gotten a couple of decent rides in with Lucy…early six AM Hard to get up but just great to be out! Jacksons chipmunk face is almost gone! Kate had a great time at surf camp! School orientation for J and E is Tuesday. I sent you an email , but dont know if you got it . Paul Hutchinson who was 66 passed away. I sent all of them a note but just wanted you to know. I dont know what happened. Stephanie was going up to Tahoe for her 10th tough mudder! I love you! xo J