Raivavae Festival
Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Tue 23 Jul 2013 22:47
|
First Night of the Raivavae
Festival
We had a wet journey in on Baby Beez
on a chilly evening, but we were so looking forward to the festival. The ‘mall’
we had seen the first time ashore had been transformed into a spectacular show
ground, much work had been put in. A stage had been
built and decorated, a formal area had been cordoned off with bamboo posts
filled with sand and finished with a plant. The fencing planted and softened
with leaves.
At six the first
village paraded in.
Then the other
three. Red is the team from this village. Blue is near the airport, green
where we went for our bimble and yellow just beyond.
When all four teams had paraded once
around and lined up, we listened to many speeches in Polynesian, Bear was
wetting himself as the only word we could make out was “tattoo” and there were
many of them. At the end we understood Amen, the festival had officially
begun. The judges were introduced and their first
duty was to make an official pass through the teams. We have been told we will
not know the winners until the very last minute of day three.
During this time we had a good
look at the beautiful skirts.
The amazing headdresses.
Then performed a traditional dance.
Peggy Spencer of Penge eat your heart out, this was wonderful.
Such energy.
The men featured in equal part to the ladies.
The ladies, very elegant.
Our favourites of the evening, by a short whisker.
ALL IN ALL SUCH A WONDERFUL
SPECTACLE
VERY COLD BUT SO
JOYFUL |