Tribewanted: Vorovoro

Bula everyone!! My return to Vorovoro has been as joyous as expected. I was so absolutely happy to be on the boat to the island, watching cuttlefish bounce across the surface of the ocean, I barely noticed I was completely drenched by a tropical downpour.

Chief Ciaran walked smiling out to the boat under a lovely (if superfluous) tartan umbrella – a beautiful gesture – to greet me. I wanted to leap out of the boat and do a massive foolish happy dance, but I maintained composure, said hello to friends new and renewed, and tried to keep myself from exploding.

I was in a bit of a state – exhausted from being mostly awake for two days, overflowing with happiness and completely freaked out by the imminent Chief Handover Ceremony – a level of emotional intensity that can only be described as “internal overwhelm”. I think I kept it pretty well hidden though, and managed to move through the afternoon with relative grace.

Most of you won’t know this, but I have a massive fear of public speaking and/or being the center of attention. I don’t mind making a fool of myself in the least, but when it my gaffs will impact others, I am super conscious of how the collective will be viewed. There is no more supportive and safe place to make an arse of oneself than here on Vorovoro – all anyone will do is laugh with you, and I’m quite content to laugh at myself – but I really really really really really really didn’t want to muck up two small parts in the ceremony.

After conferring with Ciaran, I donned my sulu (which I must add, I safety pinned in several places as this was well and truly not the time for me to be flashing my “Canadian Girls Kick A**” knickers) and sat in my designated spot on the mat to wait for Tui Mali to begin the ceremony.

The tiredness and fear must have temporarily destroyed my short-term memory, and I kept having to ask Ciaran and Kimbo what I was supposed to do and when I was supposed to do it. Kindly and with much patience, they just kept telling me. Vinaka and namaste for that lads. Really. I’d have been so lost that afternoon without your gentle support.

It all went well enough, my sulu stayed on, I think I said appropriate things, my voice didn’t waver too much and the heat disguised my blushing. The boys and girls and group mekes were fabulous, the singing fantastic and the atmosphere in the bure was happy, easy, celebratory and joyful. I have never had so much kava, mostly medium to high tides. It was good, I slept like a baby and woke in time to see the sky go from star filled blackness to brilliant orange. Heavenly.

Getting back to the school was a highlight for me, these kids really make my world. I highly recommend a visit in the littlest classroom with the weeist kids as nothing shakes the adult out of us as well as a little hokey pokey or a round of taki taki..

Onward to now, a week into my time as Chief and projects I aim to complete during the month. As I type, Marau is hammering away on Chief Whatnot’s (Chris, September) fun house extension. The fun house is chill out/soiree space, safe from the elements hopefully to be furnished with either groovy floor cushions or humidity and rain withstanding furniture. It has been suggested we cover the walls in an ever evolving photo collage of tribe members who have visited the island. Everyone can either bring a picture with them and embellish it is as they please or we can print them off at this end and add them to the collage.

Maintainance is a large part of how we will spend this month’s Chief’s budget. It may be bland, but it will keep us all cozy and dry as the wet season approaches. The other night after James and Leanne’s sevu sevu in the Great Bure, the air was very heavy, the wind equally gusty and it felt distinctly stormy. As a precaution, we covered the sea facing walls with plywood and protected the library with a tarp. A storm did not materialize, but it was a keen reminder of the approaching season. Weatherproofing canvas for the front of the Great Bure, the Vale and create doorway coverings for the other accommodation bures has been purchased and Marau has begun hanging the canvas in the Great Bure.

Last night was a special off island night. Sham, who owns Govinda’s Internet Café in Labasa invited the tribe over to his home to celebrate Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Light. We loaded ourselves into the boats for gorgeous starlit night ride into town. After being presented with plates of incredible Indian sweets, we headed out onto the cement awning above Govinda’s and proceeded to behave like overgrown 6 year olds given access to things that go BANG! FLASH!. It was absolutely fantastic, so much fun. I had a terrible case of the giggles through our delectable post-delinquint dinner in Sham’s living room.

It was a brilliant end to my first full week as Chief and I’m looking forward to much progress this coming Monday.

Vinaka and be well,

Carol