Wan Yia Ded lng Papa Blong James

After hanging out in Lenakel for a bit I decided it was time to try and catch a truck back on top to middle bush. The truck dropped me off at the bush market about 45 minutes from my house. As I walked up the bush trail I ran into some locals who told me that my village had something going on. It turns out it was the one year dead for my brother James father.


I walked into the Nakamal at about 2 pm and was immediately handed a shell of kava. We drank kava all afternoon and storied about life, until it was time to drink our custom shell when we would all go wan wan. I kept seeing one man who I had no idea who he was, but he never came to shake my hand so I assumed we had met before. Finally after about 40 minutes of him making busy work in the Nakamal he came over to shake my hand and when he said “oh yes brata blo mi.” I realized it was my brother James.


One custom here is that when your father dies you can not shave for one year. I have only known James to have a very full beard. He always looked liked some shady character that you would not want to mess with. That day being the one year mark of his fathers death he could finally shave. What a difference, I never would of known it was him if he hadn’t spoke to me.


My village was very interested in my journey to Futuna and Aniwa. I told them all about the adventures and everything that had happened there. I then told them that Peace Corps was going to change my site and man that did not go over well at all. Some people were pissed off. Some people were sad. It was very hard. I mean I have broken up with girlfriends before and that is hard, but to break up with an entire village. Ouch.


Yesterday, Relvie from Peace Corps came and gave a toktok to my community about me leaving. It was very hard. Some of the men cried while trying to explain their thoughts. In the end they decided that it was custom to pull out my custom name and that because Peace Corps had broken the contract that they would be responsible to buy a bullock for us to eat at my last kakae. Peace Corps has no intention of buying us a bullock but it was nice try.


It is a strange feeling to know that I am almost out of here. How will I get my stuff to Vila? When does the ship come again? What will it be like to say goodbye to these people that I call brother, sister, mama, dada, tawi, and uncle too? It is going to be hard I am sure. Well it is finally a suny day so I think I am going to walk down and see Noa and if he is not there just go swim at the waterfall.