Visit to Butmas Flats

Last month, a team from VFHA set off on a trial run to a distant village in the bush to deliver "awareness" on STIs/HIV/Family Planning and woman's health and to see if a regular service to that area was feasible. Communication is always difficult here, especially when trying to get a message to a remote village (the exact location and name you are uncertain of) and to a Chief (whose name you don't know) and where there is no mobile signal. So we sent word by mouth from women in the market and someone took a letter.








 So we set off hopefully, in a truck we thought would probably get us there....which it did eventually. We only had to stop twice to refill the leaking radiator.

After two hours bumpy ride sitting on a plank on the back of the truck and wrong directions x1 and wrong turning x2, we eventually made it to the village in the heart of the bush. Amazingly, the Chief did appear to be expecting us and made us welcome. We were surprised to see so many people there, but were told that it was the 100 day's "celebration" of two people who had died. (Deaths are mourned several times here: at the time of death, at 10-15 days and at 100 days. It is an excellent way of getting a distant scattered population together, and much networking, matchmaking and business is done over the feasts and kava). 

Children everywhere.......

The Chief organised a spot where we could give our talk to the whole community, then we would split up by gender, and Christion, the Community Educator took the men and boys to a separate nakamal whilst Wareka, Everline (our newest Community Educator) and I stayed with the women and the cooking pots on the fire.


We were installed in a half built nakamal to introduce ourselves and talk generally about STIs and HIV. As usual there were many questions and much discussion.                                                                                                      

Cooking and Questions......









The chief and a little friend, probably his granddaughter.






Wareka and Everline with some of the women who were listening to an answer to a long, complicated question about fertility.

....we held almost everyone's attention...

and interest from people of all ages! Or maybe she was looking for her Mum......wearing her sister's shoes.




Whilst there was a lot of interest in our talks,, there was also the important task of cooking the meal for everyone, a major item of the day's agenda. So some of the women took turns at coming to listen and in food preparation, whilst the men took it in turns to listen to Christion's talk and to go to the garden, dig up the kava stump and prepare the root for that evening's session.

Food being prepared in the kitchen.
Kids...dogs...chickens.....

Two or three kava bush stumps ready for prepration. The bush takes at least 3 years to get to maturity; when dug up, the roots are peeled (sometimes), chopped small then pounded or ground in an old metal mincer to a paste. (Traditionally the roots are chewed to a paste....) this paste is then mixed with water and there it sits for a bit. Then it is squeezed out through a fine cloth (the petticoat of a virgin is best, apparently..if you can find one) and the resulting sludgy brown mix is drunk by the "shell" -- half a coconut shell. 3-5 shells is enough to make most people tiddly, or sleepy, (one is enough for me) but those who are used to it can have all night sessions. I was told that they were going to prepare about 80 litres that day, and it would all go. It seemed a lot to me!

Christion and his Men and Boys. Some had come from over 8hrs walk away from the middle and high bush where they keep to their traditional ways and dress.

 Listening intently to the proceedings inside.
 When I asked him later if there had been a lot of questions, Chrisition replied "Ohhh...Fullup!"

Lunch was ready! The two chiefs present both gave a talk to remember the deceased (one an infant, the other a young man who had died in a fight--unusual for here) whilst various people waved banana leaves over the food to keep the flies off. Then a long prayer was said over the food, and they all got stuck in!

There was Bullock, swamp Taro, white taro, Cabbage, Manioc and of course, white rice, which is cooked at every meal.






The villagers generously fed us too. This is not the first time I have eaten out of a washing bowl and the portions were huge. Since it is considered rude to leave the food, we were supplied with banana leaves to take the rest home, doggy bag style. Everline loves Swamp taro, so they brought her a vast quantuty to take home......

This is Wareka's lunch awaiting to be eaten after she had seen to some patients. Note the white box of condoms which go everywhere with us.....

Below, Wareka conducting a bush clinic.

 

We had a long chat with the chief who was very pleased we had made the effort to go to his village (no-one seemed to know it's name so we settled on White Wood due to a hardwood plantation nearby, just seen on the right in this photo). We were promised that a special leaf house would be prepared for us to conduct further clinical sessions and for us to sleep in. This was very encouraging!
Plans are in place to make this a regular destination for our Outreach services, and we now await funding. As ever!

Then we were ready to set off again, with our food parcels.

It began to rain....and rain....and rain. We in the back of the truck got very wet and for the first time in Vanuatu, I felt cold. However, we made it back two hours later, safe but wet and with sore bums. A hot wash and a hot cup of tea for me!