From the pile of sand, it was a quick excursion to The Mana Lagoon, so we headed that way. The pass wasn’t a straight one, and from our vantage point outside it was difficult to tell from the markers just where the turns were. And of course, our chart was worthless. Visibility was good, so we knew that once we were upon it, we’d be able to see well enough, but it would have been nice to have at least a rough idea going in. Well, luck smiled on us, and just as we were making an approach a ferry started on its way out, so we stood off and watched its path. After it was clear we made our move, and it was a narrow, crooked pass that got quite shallow near the end, but we didn’t have any trouble.
Almost immediately after we dropped anchor a boy in a kayak stopped by and asked us for fishing hooks and food, I remember that we obliged regarding the food and gave him a package of breakfast crackers, but I don’t recall about the fishhooks. Although we arrived on a Saturday, we didn’t go immediately to shore to do sevusevu. I think we were wavering as to whether it was really needed, given that the island had resorts on it. So, the next day being Sunday, we basically just spent the whole day on board Exodus doing projects.
By Monday morning we had resigned to go ahead and do sevusevu in the village. That’s what we had learned was the tradition, and we couldn’t convince ourselves that the presence of resorts *really* negated the need to follow the tradition.
Chillin after our sevusevu at Mana
Before we went to the village the boy in the kayak came back, and we learned that his name is Male and he’s 12 years old, although he was a very big boy for 12. He wanted to take Tim spearfishing, but we explained that we needed to go do our sevusevu first, so he said he would wait for us at the beach. He asked for some paper and a pencil so he could write us letters, and he wrote a letter to each one of us while we were gone. Here is what he wrote to Brenden: “The name of my best friend is Brenden every day we go to the school and listen to the teacher and after we go home back. Brenden is a very very good boy is the whole island take care my friend you a very very good boy. Have a nice day Brenden is 12 years old”
When we got back Tim, Brenden, and Male all went spearfishing, however it wasn’t a totally positive experience for Brenden because he was stuck in the dinghy most of the time. Tim had handed Male a mask to borrow while they were all still on Exodus but then Male forgot it when they piled in the dinghy. So, he shared with Brenden, but that mostly meant that Male used the mask while Brenden waited in the dinghy. Brenden could have been more assertive, but he decided not to be. He gets to spearfish with a good mask all the time, so he let Male use it this time. Later that evening Male came back on the kayak and asked Tim for a fishing hook to use, he even eyed the one he wanted, and at first Tim told him no, because it was a hook he needed for trolling behind Exodus, but Male insisted and Tim relented, telling Male he could borrow it, but he would need to bring it back. We never saw Male again.
One afternoon the boys and I went to the village to find some kids to play with after school. We went to the school and found out that the bigger kids were all in a study session because exams were coming up and the younger kids were doing chores, but soon the younger kids came around and they played some catch while I walked around the village.
We visited the school at Mana
We will be back to Mana.
Gresham Family Exodus 