Journals, week of 05/20/96
Andrea Versteeg aboard Concordia, May 23, 1996Fire Walkers
While in Fiji we made a trip to a cultural center where we learned about Fijian traditions. At the cultural center, we had the opportunity to participate in a ceremony and witness something that totally amazed us- fire walking. We watched in awe as they made the fire walking pit. First, a fire was made on top of stones in the fire pit. After the stones were hot enough the burning wood was removed and the hot rocks were arranged in the pit. Wreaths of leaves were hung on a long stick and were placed over the pit as the priest called for the gods to come to the pit and to allow the fire walking to occur. Then, the sticks with the wreaths were removed and more leaves were added around the outside of the pit. Then the fire walking began. The priest chanted as each celebrant walked barefoot across the hot stones. We later learned that fire walking was practiced by many people throughout history and is still practiced in Tahiti, Trinidad, India, and Japan. Many of us wondered why the fire walkers did not seem to feel pain or suffer any burns. When we asked we were told that various explanations have been suggested to explain this mystery. One of the explanations that we were told is that the deep religious thoughts that are going through the mind of the fire walker allows them to disregard the pain while walking on the hot coals.
Brad Klabier aboard Concordia, May 23, 1996
Fantastic Fiji
Fiji is a very beautiful island (actually there are 300 islands and islets, 100 of which are inhabited) and the people of Fiji are very helpful and friendly. I noticed this when walking through one of the bustling open markets of Suva. Coconuts, sugarcane, sweet potatoes, fish, and pineapples were sold out of wooden crates up and down the sides of the narrow street. It was a great place to practice your bartering skills and to stock up on snacks for the voyage to Western Samoa. Suva was great, but I especially enjoyed our trip to a nearby river. We got to canoe and raft down a river which wound its way through lush rainforests. We had the chance to investigate the banks of the river and to try to identify some of the exotic plants that we saw. The vegetation and climate of the rainforests are very different from what we know at home. Sometimes the warm, humid weather makes me dream of snow storms, ice, and wind.
Valerie Menard aboard Concordia, May 20, 1996Taking Charge!!
In Suva, Fiji, my watch (MJ, Simon, Chuck, and Derek) was assigned the task of planning the activities for the whole group during our stay. These preparations began on our sail between Tonga and Fiji. We all became tourist book worms because we wanted to make well informed decisions about what activities to plan. We decided on a few options and presented these options to the other students and the faculty. A few hours after docking in Suva, my watch took off with our director and watch leader, Devon, to the tourist bureau of Suva. We had a feeling that the students and the faculty were ready for some outdoor adventures so we looked at what Suva and the surrounding areas had to offer. After making a final decision and ironing out every last detail we were ready to lead the group to the Nausori River (about two hours out of Suva). We spent a whole day canoeing and rafting on this long and beautiful river surrounded by waterfalls and a rainforest. We had a barbecue lunch and a swim in the lagoon of a waterfall. Everyone said that it was a great day. I thought organizing the day trip was alot of fun. Who knows, maybe someday I can be the director of Class Afloat and be responsible for all the activities.
Introducing ||
Concordia ||
Students & CrewClass Afloat / Ocean Challenge / OceanChallenge.com