American infused Christmas on Ambae

Christmas on Ambae was not even close to a traditional Vermont Christmas but it was filled with family, singing, and feasts!  My Mama and I spent Christmas Eve baking cakes and other sweets for Christmas Day.  That night the community joined together at the church and put the Nativity front and center to celebrate the real meaning of Christmas.

On Christmas day we enjoyed a big feast with laplap made by me!

But, the best part of the day, in my opinion, was adding a little American custom into Vanuatu's celebrations.  Over the past year I have slowly perfected how to make sugar cookies only using a big metal pot and fire!  This holiday season we took it a step further and used cookie cutters to make shaped ones then decorated them.  They came out beautifully!

Our group was mostly my sisters, cousins, Mamas, Papas, and Bubus (grandparents).  We used fake butter and icing sugar whipped together for frosting.  I used my awesome art class skills from elementary school and only bought the primary colors of food coloring.  Our "paintbrushes" were cotton swabs.  This was the first time, but hopefully not the last time, in their lives to decorate cookies!  They loved it!

 The final products were colorful and delicious.  Each person got to decorate two for themselves then any others they decorated they needed to say who they wanted to make it for.  Overall we decorated about 100 cookies!!

Whitni came up to our village to join in and with the extra frosting we decorated one of the cakes my Mama and I had baked.  Maybe we should start our own island bakery!

Happy 100th Birthday Bubu David!!

We celebrated the 100th birthday of my Great Grandfather (Bubu) David with style!  Not only did we celebrate his life and accomplishments but his contribution to Vanuatu with his children and grandchildren.

Here are the men of honor!!  My Bubu David is in the middle and his two only living brothers on the right and left.

 A family tree was created to help count the number of grandchildren and great grandchildren he has.  My Bubu (Grandpa Fred) has the most grandchildren to contribute to the count!  I think all together we are over 20!  Bubu David had 13 children and now has over 115 grand or great grandchildren!

Here is Bubu Fred with his father

Gifts in the form of laplap and custom mats were given to family members that continue to go above and beyond in taking care of these elderly gentlemen.  A cow was killed and cooked for a big feast along with lots of cake!   People brought small gifts for each of the men such as soap or clothes.

Some custom dancers from my village, Tavala, came to entertain.  When you like their singing the custom is to "round" them by running and dancing in a circle.  Some ladies from my village grabbed my hand and we joined in the fun!

After the day of celebration, and a big feast, we walked about an hour back to our village around sunset.  These are the moments that I simply love Vanautu's beauty!

Who wants flying fox for dinner?

In December my Mama and Papa rented the village's "market stall" as a way to earn income.  Each day they baked bread, served hot tea, sold raw food from their gardens, and occasionally cooked meals to sell to the villagers.  On their last night they had a final fundraiser we call "closing of the stall."  Excessive amounts of lap lap and rice were cooked and sold in single serving sizes. 

My uncle went out hunting "flying fox" (BIG bats) to be served with the laplap.  The night before the fundraiser he went with a flashlight, slingshot, and small stones to find us some meat.  First, their hair is burned off by passing them through a fire.  Special leaves, called "leaf laplap" are used to cook things in stones so Bubu Madeline prepared the leaves and put some island cabbage inside them. 

 The flying fox were then added on top and a hot stone was added to the middle.  Next, Mama sqeezed coconut milk over the food making lots of steam.

The parcel  of cabbage, flying fox, and coconut milk is bundled and put between hot stones to bake along with the lap laps.

After about 2 hours cooking in these stones the laplap and flying fox are done!  They are cut and portioned into individual servings to sell.  Each flying fox is cut in half and joined with either laplap banana or manioc (aka cassava) and cabbage.  Each is sold for 100 vatu which is about $1.00 to us in the U.S.

Flying fox meat has a very VERY strong smell and leaves you burping up that smell for the rest of the day.  Some of the locals don't even like eating it.  I have tried it twice, cooked in two different ways.  Both times swallowing my single bite was almost impossible.  Luckily at Mama and Papa's closing of stall we also had pig and fish to choose from.  Yay!

Kindy and Year 8 Graduation

In Vanuatu the end of each school year is a big time to celebrate.  We come together to promote students from 8th grade into secondary school.  To award students at the top of their class.  To thank teachers for their hard work.  To welcome new members of the community into the school committee.  This year was the first time in West Ambae's history to also include promotion of Kindy to the big day of events! 

With my crafty skills, and some construction paper from America, we made graduation caps!  Calico was sewn to make sashes as well.  Here we are busily getting the Kindergarteners and 8th graders ready to enter the church.

Volovuhu Center School's Kindy Class of 2010

The 8th graders and Kindy students were the honored guests today so they were the lasts to walk inside.

Charlotte helped lead each of them to their seats.  She was the usher because she was the first in her class!

The Headmaster of the school, Mr. Jason gave a wonderful welcome speech!

 I helped the Headmaster make graduation certificates for each student and we covered them with contact paper so they can last through Vanuatu's extreme elements.  Here are 2 of my cousins with their certificates. 

 Charlotte                                     Joy       

    

Here is Jordy recieving his 8th grade certificate!

In Vanuatu, each teacher ranks their students for each academic subject and then overall.  First, second, and third overall get a small present from the school of stationary.

 The 8th grade teacher also gets showered with gifts from the students parents.

After the gifts are presented, all students, staff, and community members enjoy a big feast of cow and rice.  A cow is killed for the occasion and people come from all corners of the community to make sure they get to enjoy some fresh meat!  Then the students play games while the parents meet 1:1 with their children's teachers to hear their grades.  By the end of the day everyone goes home full and tired!

Merry Christmas Tavala!

During Mom and Dad's visit they fell in love with my community.  For Christmas they sent along a beautiful gift for everyone to enjoy!  It is a nativity scene to display in the Church to help the story of Christmas come alive.

I read Mom and Dad's letter in English and also translated it into Bislama for them to really understand the message.  I wrote the translation and posted it for the members of the village to also re-read if they wished.

The unveiling of the Nativity!  The Pastor and leader of the Youth, my counterpart Chris, touched the gift as a sign of acceptance and gratefulness. 

They were busy checking it out up close after service!

The community was so excited to have such a beautiful way to learn about the value of Christmas!  Thanks Mom, Dad, and Grandma!!