When I worked in the arts I used to talk about working long hours, sometimes for really crappy clients and at times for much frustration and little sleep, plenty of reports being written and note enough hours in the day – and then I would always say that the industry has these moments of pure magic – the laughter from an awesome team you work with, the occasional golden clients, the times when you win the battle, a smile or a congrats from a boss or a person who you have a huge amount of respect for.... Its that moment when it all seems worth it – and if the moments of magic don’t occur anymore then its seriously time to move on.
I was sitting outside the main house today in the golden late afternoon sun doing a Sudoko waiting for our client as I needed to loan her my phone to call the police to follow up on her case. I was having a moment of peace when I heard small whispers – I turned to see Eunice and young Kiabe playing in the bushes – now I know you are not supposed to have favourites but I just think that Eunice has a streak of brilliance. This young 7 year old girl is an absolute survivor and it never ceases to amaze me that all they have been through she always has a wide white smile on her face (and yes it is sometimes a smile of – “what who me? I didn’t just push my brother over!”). The young girls in our village are heavily called upon to help with the cooking, looking after the younger kids and cleaning. So Eunice was helping look after Kiabe who would be all of 3. So there I was, it didn’t take long for Eunice to realise that I was watching them play in the plants, with a huge grin she came over with Kiabe. I spent the next little while teaching her the hand clapping pattern games we used to play in primary school while chatting away in Pidgin – a new language for both of us. It was truly a moment of magic! When ever I am not sure what I am doing here I have the luxury of being able to step outside to a mob of young people who are just fascinated in me – I will always be greeted with a hello, but they still even after 2 and a half months – keep their distance as they are not too sure about me. The contrast of their blackest of black skin with my white white skin is too much for their curiosity. It was Eunice who corrected her younger cousins when they were absolutely fascinated in my straight hair that they class as blonde and asked whether I used hair makeup to straighten it “No stupid, shes from Australia – this is her natural hair”. Remarkable for a 7 year old who has never MET an Australian.... I was at home the other day – I also seem to have become the local nurse for all wounds that need dressing (at the moment a job I am more then happy to do – it gives me a chance to chat with the villagers, and gives me a chance to give something back!) – anyway I was upstairs when I hear a very very soft “Rebecca – Rebecca – mi likum you lookim long soar bilong me” – Eunice who cut her knee very very badly a couple of weeks ago wanted me to take a look at the wound. A wound that has been healing very nicely but by the time I got to it, it was open, nasty but too late for my first aid kit to do much other then clean it up, she should have had a couple of stiches – never once has she complained or grimaced as I cleaned the wound with Dettol, salt water and anticeptic powder. These people don’t complain – its quite extra ordinary. So since opening up the village clinic (Hahaha) I have seen the general wounds that kids get from playing in the bush or by the beach with coral, and the wounds that the adults get usually from accidently dropping a very sharp bush, stubbing a toe (MUCH worse then any stubbing I ever did at Wilsons Prom when camping as a kid) or just running into something... Most of them nasty – why bother with the scratches!
If there is one observation I have and continue to make in Bougainville is that these people are interesting. They all have stories, those who I seem to meet are curious about others and cultures. And as this culture is based on talking and story telling to keep the stories alive – its something the people of Bougainville do well – that’s talk, that’s tell a story and that’s also listen.
I have been privileged in the past two weeks to spend some time with Father John Bosco who is originally from the atolls north of Bougainville. He is someone who I have met in town plenty but actually have had a chance to spend some time chatting with him as I drove him home after his service 2 Sundays ago, since then we have had lunch to continue the conversations. What a great sense of humour! And what an interesting man.... Another father who gives great sermons that are worthy of a good think about . In my uneducated mind I never quite know how to approach or talk with a father of the church – let me tell you the fathers I have met here are intelligent, well learned and read, have a real compassion for people and Bougainville and have some horror stories. Father Bosco was in Arawa during the crisis and talks about the fact that his name was the peace bullet... Moves at great speed and hits the target! He doesn’t really talk openly about his experience which I totally respect and you can understand why when you realise he was in the centre of the hot spot and you just wonder what stories he has.... This doesn’t quell his humour, his compassion, his interest in life and meeting new people and his playing of practical jokes! He is a genuinely funny man.... Who owns a new toy – a portable GPS which is what he uses when he takes a banana boat for a 4 hour journey in the ocean to get to his atoll he calls home... Its a dangerous trip that if bad weather is met things can really get hairy but on a good day – he talks about swimming with the whales and fish, and going diving.... He is a man who speaks my language! He leaves for Siwai in the south of Bougainville next week and found out today wether from there he heads to Rome for 3 years of further study! Thats the one thing here – people they certainly come and go.... So when I drove him back last Sunday to his accommodation I mentioned that if he is to go to Rome that I probably wouldn’t see him in church anytime soon – he looked at me and said “But hang on I am sure that you will renew your contract at the end of the 2 years – aren’t you staying for another 5 years? He was serious enough that I laughed and said that he could be the one to call my mother and tell her!
Hope you are all well –
Bec
I was sitting outside the main house today in the golden late afternoon sun doing a Sudoko waiting for our client as I needed to loan her my phone to call the police to follow up on her case. I was having a moment of peace when I heard small whispers – I turned to see Eunice and young Kiabe playing in the bushes – now I know you are not supposed to have favourites but I just think that Eunice has a streak of brilliance. This young 7 year old girl is an absolute survivor and it never ceases to amaze me that all they have been through she always has a wide white smile on her face (and yes it is sometimes a smile of – “what who me? I didn’t just push my brother over!”). The young girls in our village are heavily called upon to help with the cooking, looking after the younger kids and cleaning. So Eunice was helping look after Kiabe who would be all of 3. So there I was, it didn’t take long for Eunice to realise that I was watching them play in the plants, with a huge grin she came over with Kiabe. I spent the next little while teaching her the hand clapping pattern games we used to play in primary school while chatting away in Pidgin – a new language for both of us. It was truly a moment of magic! When ever I am not sure what I am doing here I have the luxury of being able to step outside to a mob of young people who are just fascinated in me – I will always be greeted with a hello, but they still even after 2 and a half months – keep their distance as they are not too sure about me. The contrast of their blackest of black skin with my white white skin is too much for their curiosity. It was Eunice who corrected her younger cousins when they were absolutely fascinated in my straight hair that they class as blonde and asked whether I used hair makeup to straighten it “No stupid, shes from Australia – this is her natural hair”. Remarkable for a 7 year old who has never MET an Australian.... I was at home the other day – I also seem to have become the local nurse for all wounds that need dressing (at the moment a job I am more then happy to do – it gives me a chance to chat with the villagers, and gives me a chance to give something back!) – anyway I was upstairs when I hear a very very soft “Rebecca – Rebecca – mi likum you lookim long soar bilong me” – Eunice who cut her knee very very badly a couple of weeks ago wanted me to take a look at the wound. A wound that has been healing very nicely but by the time I got to it, it was open, nasty but too late for my first aid kit to do much other then clean it up, she should have had a couple of stiches – never once has she complained or grimaced as I cleaned the wound with Dettol, salt water and anticeptic powder. These people don’t complain – its quite extra ordinary. So since opening up the village clinic (Hahaha) I have seen the general wounds that kids get from playing in the bush or by the beach with coral, and the wounds that the adults get usually from accidently dropping a very sharp bush, stubbing a toe (MUCH worse then any stubbing I ever did at Wilsons Prom when camping as a kid) or just running into something... Most of them nasty – why bother with the scratches!
If there is one observation I have and continue to make in Bougainville is that these people are interesting. They all have stories, those who I seem to meet are curious about others and cultures. And as this culture is based on talking and story telling to keep the stories alive – its something the people of Bougainville do well – that’s talk, that’s tell a story and that’s also listen.
I have been privileged in the past two weeks to spend some time with Father John Bosco who is originally from the atolls north of Bougainville. He is someone who I have met in town plenty but actually have had a chance to spend some time chatting with him as I drove him home after his service 2 Sundays ago, since then we have had lunch to continue the conversations. What a great sense of humour! And what an interesting man.... Another father who gives great sermons that are worthy of a good think about . In my uneducated mind I never quite know how to approach or talk with a father of the church – let me tell you the fathers I have met here are intelligent, well learned and read, have a real compassion for people and Bougainville and have some horror stories. Father Bosco was in Arawa during the crisis and talks about the fact that his name was the peace bullet... Moves at great speed and hits the target! He doesn’t really talk openly about his experience which I totally respect and you can understand why when you realise he was in the centre of the hot spot and you just wonder what stories he has.... This doesn’t quell his humour, his compassion, his interest in life and meeting new people and his playing of practical jokes! He is a genuinely funny man.... Who owns a new toy – a portable GPS which is what he uses when he takes a banana boat for a 4 hour journey in the ocean to get to his atoll he calls home... Its a dangerous trip that if bad weather is met things can really get hairy but on a good day – he talks about swimming with the whales and fish, and going diving.... He is a man who speaks my language! He leaves for Siwai in the south of Bougainville next week and found out today wether from there he heads to Rome for 3 years of further study! Thats the one thing here – people they certainly come and go.... So when I drove him back last Sunday to his accommodation I mentioned that if he is to go to Rome that I probably wouldn’t see him in church anytime soon – he looked at me and said “But hang on I am sure that you will renew your contract at the end of the 2 years – aren’t you staying for another 5 years? He was serious enough that I laughed and said that he could be the one to call my mother and tell her!
Hope you are all well –
Bec
