Week Four
As I write this week’s blog, a church group sings in the maneapa next door. Watch the women warming up The women are sitting at opposite ends to the men and each group take turns in singing. Hear the women sing And the men respond Sometimes there’s a soloist and sometimes they all sign together. They had their church service this morning at 10 am then all walked the hundred or so metres down to the maneapa for lunch, fellowship and of course, singing. The Vaiaku Vaialofa Church Of the 11,500 Tuvaluans, 92% are Christians with 86% belonging to the Church of Tuvalu (CoT). Twelve churches on Fongafale Islet cater for the 6000 inhabitants of which only about 840 are not members of the CoT. A curious thing happens every night at 6:45 – 7:00 pm. The police park in the middle of the main intersections with their light bars going, Police stop the traffic between 6:45 & 7:00 pm Mon-Sat and a bell tolls at the beginning and end to signify the call to “devotion” when the island stops for 15 m...