The months of August and September here on Tanna are busy months for those families involved in kastom ceremonies. My host family was one of those families this year. My nephew, Ishmael's 5 years old and attends a French Catholic Mission school but has been absent for 2 months now. Two months ago he said goodbye to his mother and other women in the family and was led to the nakamal by the men of the family. Several things happened during these 2 months, including circumcision, some healing,and a new bond between all the boys at the nakamal. They will be like brothers from now on. Every afternoon around 4 o'clock the conch shell is blown by one of my brothers and the boys and men go swim (bathe) in the ocean together. The conch shell is to inform the women that their swim time is finished and they must stay clear of the path leading to the solwota (I found this out the hard way, no explanation needed). The boys spend 2 months naked eating, bathing, and sleeping at the nakamal with the men of the family. This time is followed by a large celebration known as the Coming-Out Ceremony.
On the first day the women peel the skins off the root crops and get ready for the big kakae (food). the next day is dedicated to laplap making...which I will someday show detailed pics of that process. That night the women danced in one place and then men danced at the nakamal while burning a certain type of wood. The third day is the big day! The families get all dressed up in grass skirts, face paint, tinsel, calico and so on. The baskets, mats (which have been made by the women over the past two months), pigs, kava, laplap, calico, and so on are put into piles according to families in the nakamal. The ceremony involves killing pigs and cows with huge wooden bats, the boys coming out and walking around the piles of gifts a few times, some kastom dancing and some tears from the mamas.
I realize my description isn't very detailed but I hope these pictures will help.
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