There were two important events at Moroni High School this past week: road work and Mother's Day. We were saddened to see the whole row of beautiful coconut palms that lined the front fence of the school taken down. They will be replanted, but it will take years to restore the graceful beauty they gave to the campus.
In this view, you can see how barren the street now looks. You can also see the main power line to the school lying on the ground partly in the trench and partly on the sidewalk. We step over the power line every morning when we go for a walk. It appears they are excavating to make room for another sidewalk parallel to the sidewalk against the fence. Go figure.
Saturday evening a Mother's Day celebration was put on by the Young Men and Young Women of the Moroni Ward. As is the custom, the guests of honor (the mothers) were lined up across the front to be entertained by the dancers. Sister Sumner is the fifth mom from the left.
This seated dance is a traditional Kiribati dance accompanied by wonderful acapella singing.
The Young Men performed a vigorous slap and stomp dance reminiscent of the Haka you might be familiar with. The shouting and chanting is fierce.
After the dancing and singing, a wonderful variety of traditional and western food (for the ematangs) is served. The guests (the mothers) and senior missionaries are always asked to go first so that the hard working dancers and singers have to eat whatever is left, which is usually plenty.
The very next day, Mother's Day Sunday, we were once again treated, this time to cake and ice cream after church.
As you can plainly see, we had a wonderful Mother's Day. Many thanks to all who shared such warm and heartfelt wishes to Sister Sumner on Mother's Day.
Just a quick reminder: Father's Day is on June 21st!! (This message was brought to you by the Kiribati Father's Day Committee - Elder Sumner President)
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