Easter Sunday
Wayward Adventure
Mon 13 Apr 2009 20:11
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The "Bay of
Virgins" at Fatu Hiva (pronounced Fatu Iva) has been described in
France as the "most beautiful cove in the world" due to the sheer volcanic
cliffs meeting the waters edge with intermittent waterfalls cascading down to
the rocks below; for the record, I would like to add that St. Michel's Catholic
Church located here in the village of Hanavave is perhaps the "most
memorable place in the world to attend Easter mass" which Aaron and I did
yesterday morning at 8:00am with Richard and his friend Dobby.
After deciding
what would be appropriate attire for Mass on a very humid Polynesian
island, we set off in hopes of arriving early to catch the ukelele and guitar
group practicing before the service began. Needless to say, we were not
disappointed and to our surprise Dobby even strummed a few chords on the uke
when it was offered to him ;- ) Mass began as we filed into the church with
its lei covered statues and flower adorned alter and to my amazement, the
people kept coming.....it seemed as though almost EVERY soul in the
village had shown up for mass, about 100 or so people packed the small
church or stood outside in the courtyard looking in through the open windows.
The mass was said in
Marquesan with the occasional hymn or responsorial in French, so we did not
understand a thing; however, it was the music that spoke volumes and no
language was necessary to feel or understand the rhythm and soul of the
Marquesan music. With no "formal" choir of any sort, the people filled the
church with their melodic voices, the men and women chanting together and then
separately both in rhythm with the loud beating of the drums which seemed to
reach inside of you and grab your heart as if you were not already paying
attention.....it was truly a spiritual experience and one we will not soon
forget!
Happy Belated Easter to all and lots of
love! ~LH
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