An Early Farewell Party

Sister Thorne visits with the Bro. & Sister Tune prior to the celebration honoring our selves and others who were visiting or soon leaving Kiribati

In this post you will see many photos and video clips of traditional Kiribati songs and dances at a celebration which was held November 2, 2012 in the cultural hall on the Moroni High School campus.   Moroni High School faculty and staff along with the Kiribati Service Center employees planned and participated in this wonderful activity.  The video clips may not work on some portable devices, so you may want to view them from your computer.  We hope it gives you a small indication of some of the traditions, you and happiness so readily expressed by the I-Kiribati people.

The Moroni High School Faculty and Church employees had a farewell party for Elder and Sister Ogborn and for ourselves (the Thorne's) on November 2nd.  Even though we are not leaving until December 10th, the committee felt it best to thank us and the Ogborns while all the faculty and employees were still on campus.  School graduation is November 24th and many of the faculty, staff, and Church employees will be leaving to a variety of different locations.

It was a wonderful evening filled with dancing, singing, food and good friends.  The I-Kiribati people really know how to have a good time singing, smiling, laughing and dancing.  Other special guests besides the Ogborns and ourselves included Dr. Wayne Chisholm  and his dental team (Sister Fehi Zollinger, Bro Jared and Akihisa Lopez). Others special guests included Elder and Sister Youngberg, who recently arrived to take the Ogborns place and  Elder and Sister Wayas from the Marshall Island Mission home were visiting Tarawa for a week.  The Wayas' went away with a very good impression of Kiribati and its people.

After an opening hymn, prayer, and welcome by Lita - we very much enjoyed the entrance of ladies of the faculty and Church employees performing traditional Kiribati dancing.  The men sat on the floor and sang as the ladies danced.  

The Evening Began with Ladies doing Traditional I-Kiribati Dances

This clip shows lady teachers and church employees entering from two different doors and then performing a tradition I-Kiribati Dance.  Note the flowers tied to their arms and hands as they tell an island story as the dance. 

The evening began with the ladies dancing and the men sitting and singing as the ladies did traditional Kiribati dances

Lita leading the dancers from another entrance.  Note the flowers tied to the arms and wrists as part of the traditional dance wardrobe.  At the end of the dance the garlands on their heads are place on the honored guests heads.  The I-Kiribti traditional dances are unlike others in the Pacific.

Another dance by the ladies as the men sing and chant.  The men are also using a large wooden box to slap their hands for the rhythm of the dance.  Sister Bush joins the faculty and church employees in the dancing.

As the dancers exit, you hear squeals of delight and laughter in the background as dozens of students outside stood by the window and watched their teachers dance.  You also hear the students in many of the other video clips as they also join in the joy of the evening  After the exit the ladies returned and placed their floral garlands on the heads of the honored guests as is customary on such occasions.

Elder and Sister Ogborn completed their mission in early November and were special guest at the celebration.  This was their third mission together.  They live in Orem and will be missed by many people both members and nonmembers.

As part of the farewell party we were presented with beautiful lava lava's with paintings of the islands and atolls of Kiribati.  We also were presented a seashell necklace which they lovingly placed around our neck.  It was a wonderful evening which we will always remember and be grateful for the good people in Kiribati

The Church Employees Next Sat on the Floor to Sing

Church employees join the faculty at Moroni High School as they sing songs related to the Kiribati culture.  They are very good singers and harmonize very well as they follow the energetic music directors. The songs begin slowly and pick up pace as the evening progresses.  As is customary the special guests were first served from a large buffet table of a variety of Kiribati foods.  We ate as the other sang and danced, they finally got to eat at the end of the program.

This is the wooden box that is used for the drum to keep rhythm for the dancers and singers.  It is about 4x4 ft, the outer layer is made of plywood covering the sides and the top.  As you can see from the photos there are two holes drilled on each side of the box.  

Inside of the box, note the square pieces of plywood around each hole.  In the center is a tin box with each side sliced to help reverberate the sound as the men slap their hand on the top of the box

Men sit around the box an strike it with their hand to provide rhythm for the dancers and singers.  It does make a loud drum beat sound.  Some men place a sheet of foam rubber on the top of the box to protect their hands.

They sat on the floor and sang to the accompaniment of guitars and ukuleles 

The group is led by Arieta TEKAURA, a very energetic teacher - who works with some of the choral groups at Moroni.  Under his leadership Moroni won 1st place among all the high schools in Tarawa at the National Music Festival held during Independence Week.  This is a little faster paced song as he points to different sisters some of them will get up and do a short dance and others will spontaneous stand and dance.  There is great joy and laughter as they sing, sway, and dance. 

Sometimes girls just have to have a little fun, as Marian the school nurse performs for the dental team and other Sisters do some impromptu performances. 

Elder and Sister Ogborn were Humanitarian missionaries and have recently returned to their home in Orem.  Sister Youngberg is on the far right

Bro. & Sister Lopez and Sister Zollinger are part of the dental team who accompanied Dr. Wayne Chisholm to provide voluntary service to the students and staff at Moroni

Sister Thorne enjoying the entertainment with the floral head garland giving to honored guests

These men helped accompany - as the large group sang many songs during the evening.  Bouri is in the right front of the picture, Bro Iobata is behind him,  Pres Maamau is playing the Ukulele on the left.  During the early songs where the men and women sit together and sing these men provided the accompaniment.  Later on in the program the large wooden box is added and several men sat around it to provide loud drumming which really gets the people swaying and dancing.

Three Moroni High teachers (left to right - Tirtaake, Ataruru, and Teaa) who performed by singing and dancing.  Tirtaake will be going to BYU-Hawaii in December on the Church Teacher Scholarship.  Teaa is the wife of the new stake President and also attended BYU-H on the teacher scholarship a few years ago.  Their smiles can light up a room.

Brother and Sister Iabata (Lita is the school principal and Bro. Iabata is a policeman and also the weight lifting coach for Kiribati)

Another song where the participants really sing and sway to the music. As the drum beat increases so does the spontaneous dancing as some of the ladies decide to perform in front of the honored guest.  It was great fun for all

Tiito is on the right and Sister Tune on the left.  Sister Tune is one of the early members of the Church in Kirabati.  She and her husband attended Liahona High School in Tonga where they were converted and baptized and later were married, the first I-Kiribati couple married in the temple

Marinoa (standing) is the school librarian, she was with the first group from Kiribati to go to Liahona High School in Tonga and was one of the first 12 from the Gilbert Islands to be baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Tarara is the lead secretary for the school and helped organize the food for the event

Mary is the school counselor and is one of our ITEP students - completing her teaching certificate

Good close up photo of Mary - she is always happy and a joy to be around

 

The men and women enjoy the singing while sitting and gaining energy and enthusiasm from each other

Emely teaches Biology and is taking ITEP courses.  She is a very good student and we enjoy having her in the ITEP classes

Left to right: Tiritaake, Teaa, Rusila, and Turian

Rusila and Turian perform a dance in front of the honored guest

Bweria is one of the school secretaries and is also a participant in the ITEP classes.  She uses many of the traditional Kiribati skills.  She wove Sister Thorne a beautiful hat out of pandanus leafs while we were on an island retreat.  It is a keep sake we treasure.

Tetobi on the left - Rebwa in the center and Tanouea are some of our ITEP students

Turian is Stake Relief Society President and has attended several of the courses we have taught.  She is a judge for many of the traditional dance festivals in Kiribati.  Babai on the right is also an ITEP participant

President and Sister Tune.  President Tune was the first Tarawa District President and served for about 15 years.  Later was the first Stake President, and has also served as a Bishop and he and Sister Tune are truly early pioneers of the Church in Kiribati.  He is a former Principal of Moroni and now serves as the Director of the Kiribati Service Center. 

The dancers are as beautiful on the inside as on the outside.  They have great smiles and beautiful teeth.  She teaches seminary as a long term substitute and the students love her. 

Several of the teachers getting ready to sing (right to left - Turian, Rusila, Teaa, Marian, Tiritaaki)

Rusila is the Assistant Principal of Moroni High and is a very good singer and dancer

Bishop Tione was hired during the past year as a seminary teacher and is one of our ITEP participants

Some of the teachers doing a traditional male dance while other sitting on the floor sing and provide rhythm with large wooden box that serves as a drum

Maingtatara teaches English and is also working on his ITEP teaching certificate.  He could  have made a great tight end at college but no one recruits the I-Kiribati.  There are some great athletes in Kiribati

As the evening ends all the participants stand and sing some farewell songs to the special guests

All the group join in singing a farewell song, that is traditional as people leave Kiribati encouraging them to return in the future

This farewell song was sung at the airport as students left AKAS school to attend Liahona High School in Tonga as well as other locations.  It truly touched our hearts as they wave goodbye at the end of the song.

Each village has a maneaba where the community often gather to sing and dance similar to many of those shown it the clips in this post.  One of the beauties and the innocence of the island is due to the lack of television and other media.  People gather to create their own entertainment and fun, as well as to continue many of the traditions of the I-Kiribati people.  It is a shame that this type of group gatherings are rare in more developed countries.

This was an evening we shall never forget, the love and friendship of the I-Kiribati people is so genuine and caring.  It will be very difficult to leave these humble and obedient sons and daughters of God.