Last weekend I went to a family wedding.
This was a wedding with a difference, a blending of several cultures.
The Bride, was my neice, my brother's daughter, and although born in New Zealand, she has a German mother. Her new husband is Fijian. His family have lived and worked in New Zealand for about 10 years. They come from one of the smaller Fijian islands.
After the usual wedding ceremony and dinner we were invited around to the Groom's parents house for the evening. What a wonderful evening we had! The furniture had been pushed back, the lounge floor had been covered with traditional woven mats, some of the men had changed into lavalavas, and the women were in their beautiful Island dresses.
They began with the kava ceremony and we all partook of the drink (my nephew reminded me as I was happily sipping my third drink - you know that you can get smashed/stoned on this stuff!). I didn't get smashed or stoned - just was feeling very 'mellow' and had slightly numb lips, but decided perhaps it was time to accept the offered cup of tea!
Kava has a rather unusual taste, a bit like the water that potatoes has been boiled in. Not unpleasant but not highly flavoured either.
Then the singing began. This. was. amazing. They sang mostly hymns, in harmony, it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. They sang like angels. More visitors arrived carrying ukeleles. More singing well into the night.
Unfortunately I was the driver for some of the older guests and had to depart, never have I had to so reluctantly leave a party! My neice, in the latter stages of pregnancy, also needed to go home.
And two days later we welcomed our beautiful little great-nephew into our family, part Fijian, part New Zealander, part German, - but above all a citizen of the world.
He will grow up speaking German, English and Fijian and be comfortable in all three cultures.
Bula , Willkommen and Kia ora to little Mikaele.
5 comments:
Congratulations all around! It sounds as though you have been having a wonderful time, these past few weeks... How exciting to also have several new additions to your family.
Welcome home, Mrinz... You've been greatly missed!
xo CGF
Wow that sounds like the way to do a wedding! It must be wonderful to be able to live with different cultures around you.
I now have a picture of you with over-botoxed lips from the Kava!!
Nice to have you back. Fraid I'm enjoying the warmer weather and not blog hopping quite so much. But that's a good thing - right?
Hi Candy - good to be back, but I am away again all this week in Auckland - some of the older generation need my help. That is one good thing about not working anymore - I am available to help out members of the family when needed.
Tismee - hehe, my lips are well recovered. I think that my poor nephew had visions of having to carry me to the car when it was time to leave.
Blog hopping is great but it does take lots of time doesn't it.
I have to try and keep a balance as it would be easy to live life through the computer and miss out things happening around me.
just sent you a collage meme - will keep you busy for a while!
Hope you join in, would love to see yours. Drop into my blog to see what you have to do.
gailkzial
Oh! How wonderful! Sounds like a very memorable wedding! Congrats to all!
Glad to see you're back! Missed ya!
Post a Comment