39b. A Surprise in Rurutu, Austral Islands

After our great morning tour of Papeete, we made a fast dash to the airport for me to catch the plane to Rurutu, the northernmost island in the Austral archipelage of French Polynesia. There are about 2,100 people living on the island. I had made no plans for what I was going to do when I got there. 

I looked around the small airport and saw there was a little shop with local items, but nobody was there. So I went outside and used Google translate to find someone to take me to "town," wherever that was. There was a local lady in a big hurry to leave the airport and she agreed to take me where she was going. I understood that she was not coming back and I would have to find my own way back to the airport.

After about a 10 minute drive, we were in the town Moerai in a small residential area where in a large tent were several hundred people dancing and singing to native music. Nearby was a group of men and women cooking over gas burners. The lady who brought me disappeared into the crowd, and I found a chair to watch the festivities. It took me awhile to understand what was going on. This seemed to be a celebration of several weddings which were to take place. Each family group lined up outside and then danced into the tent and onto the stage where many gifts had been placed. After each group danced, there was a speech with listing of names (I think). I moved around to take photos and watch. For the most part nobody paid any attention to me, even though it was obvious I was not a local. I was using my cane due to the dog bite, so one of the ladies motioned me to sit beside her. The whole thing was a glorious event that I had happened upon.

I stayed for over an hour and then decided I needed to find a way back to the airport. I began walking down the main street toward the airport, hoping someone would come by. Everybody must have been at the celebration. Finally a young woman pushing a baby stroller came down the street at the same time a truck with 2 young ladies stopped to talk to her. I used Google translate to talk to each of them to ask for a ride to the airport. The ladies in the truck agreed and away we went. I offered to pay them, but they declined. What a nice place to be in the middle of nowhere for my TCC #300 place!!

Airport shop

Kitchen

Gifts

Setting the tables

Family dancing

I sat by this friendly lady

 

Moerai

The return flight was already filled with passengers wearing leis and carrying arms full of flowers. Many of the flowers were put in the overhead lockers and petals were landing all over the plane. Quite a beautiful sight. I never was able to figure out the reason for so many flowers, but I enjoyed the color and fragrance of the flowers.