Relief Society Birthday Party

The floral head wreath fits where it touches
and no that is not a coconut tree growing out of the top of my head

On March 17th they held a bi-stake Relief Society Birthday celebration at Moroni High School.  The Stake Presidency, Bishops, and Senior Missionary Couples were invited as special guests for the dancing and dining.  Each ward drew out an island nation to perform a dance from that island nation.  Our ward did a Tahitian dance, other wards did dances from the Cook Islands, Kiribati, Fiji, Tonga, Hawaii, and etc.  After the first dance the dancers took the floral wreaths from their heads and placed them on the heads on each of the honored guests. The sister who gave me hers must have had a very small head.

Sister Thorne looks bright and cheerful in her  new floral head wreath

Unfortunately for me the honored guests were also asked to dance.
 I did nothing to dispel the stereotype that a Pallone (white man) can't dance.

This is known as my stationary dance, Sister Thorne especially enjoyed the fact that only the men were asked to dance and she could sit back and laugh at my ineptness.  However, the ladies that asked me to dance were patient and didn't laugh at me (at least where I could see them).  After the dance they would graciously bow with both arms extended toward their partner.

The costumes were all very colorful and the native dances were very impressive as they swayed their hips and performed arm and hand motions to the island music

The ladies in their white t-shirts and lava lavas really enjoyed themselves.  However, the lady (lady second from the left)  had writing on her shirt that said: "24 hours in a day - 24 beers in a case - Coincidence".
Probably, not what you would see in the Provo 63rd Ward.

Participants came in all ages, shapes, and sizes but all seemed to have a very good time

As it grew darker the photo were not as sharp and clear

Some wards had many dancers and beautiful hand sewn outfits

 As the ladies danced people from the audience would go up and down each row of dancers and spray perfume under their arms, on their neck, and others would sprinkle foot powder on their feet as a sign up approval.  Many of the perfume sprayers would sway and dance to the music as they went up and down the rows of participants.

Each ward brought a relief society birthday cake

The ward and branch relief society presidents were assigned to cut the cake.
 Only one president brought a knife, the rest had to use plastic spoons to cut their cake.

After the party officially ended at 10 p.m., many ladies stayed and continued to sing and dance until the wee hours of the morning.  One groups ride did not return to get them so finally at 1:30 am the guard got a van and drove them home.