There are these concepts we learned in kindergarten, or later!  The idea of sequencing.  The concept of days of the week in the right order.  The connection to mom and dad. Some basic learning we take for granted.  We arrived on the shores of Thursday Island on Wednesday and many lessons at the roots of learning required reassessment after a wet dry-landing.

The conch blown welcome calling the four winds (Kuki, Sager, Zey and Nay Gay) to “breathe or share air or surround the visitors with an aura or be the wind that drives them on the journey.” Embedded in the encore of the opening conch call was more than dance. Here was an honouring of the fatherland and an honouring of the motherland and an honouring of the spirit land — reaching to the four corners of existence.

In the handing-down-to next-generation lesson platform we witnessed youth carrying the traditions of centuries across the sands.  Off to the side, a shy six year old followed all the moves with a learned precision.  This father of this community held the next generation in his arms, taught lessons weekly to every age group and modeled community by making great cappuccinos in his coffee bar.  Each coffee was danced to the gathered by community leaders in-learning. Learning to serve, call, honour tradition and prove that Thursday can show up on Wednesday, prove that the next generation values the teachings of their parents.