Tuesday 20 September Uri island and kastom dancing

kastom dancers prepare

Eric and David dancing

Chief and warriors dance

It's all go go go for the culture vultures aboard Oso and Jackster. With a 'free' morning we zapped up the channel intending to visit Chief John on Uripiv island (he's the one we gave our fish to yesterday) but the incoming swell was too big for the tender and we had to turn around. Instead we landed by some holiday bungalows on Uri island where we were greeted by Lenes, a most genial lady who runs the small resort with her husband. There were no guests so she was able to guide us on a walk inland to see fruit bats in a tree. Her husband gave us coconuts and we learned they had been given our tuna by her uncle, chief John. David is now known as a master fisherman.
Although Lenes was brought up here she's never seen a traditional dance so we invited her to come with us. Our motives weren't entirely altruistic, Lenes speaks excellent English, the national Bislama language (pidgen) and the local dialect. She'd be our interpreter.
It was Lenes cousin , everyone has many, many cousins, who picked us up in his taxi. The word taxi describes a Toyota pick up truck with seat for driver plus one other and all other passengers travel en plein air et sans chaises. OK when it's not raining and you're on the main road. Less appealing when it's raining and you're bumping along a rutted track as it was on our return trip. My bruised derrière hurt for days afterwards.
Chief Jean-Marc and his family were waiting for us dressed in their traditional wear of natural plants and presented six dances with singing and musical accompaniment on the drum and bamboo sticks. Lenes was able to explain the stories and meaning of each dance. At first our performers seemed bored and looked anywhere except at us but after they took a break and we shared the food and chatted it was all smiles and happiness. I think it is because they are naturally shy and we were another bunch of strangers in their village. They perform three or four times a week so there probably is an element of boredom too.