Margaret had been up all the night trying to come to terms of what she had found. She knew what she was going to do, firmly making up her mind, she went down to the kitchen to make breakfast for her family. Nearing the kitchen she heard clattering of pans and pots in her kitchen, rushing to it she found, the night visitor who she really couldn’t stand, going through her kitchen.
‘ What the hell are you doing in my kitchen? ” she demanded. “Oh, sorry, I was trying to make breakfast,”explained Frewin. Now realising how impolite she was being, Margaret said, please do take a seat and I will as always make lovely breakfast for everyone.
Frewin took a seat quietly in a corner of the big dining table, not further wanting to distress the old grannie, as he thought.
Meanwhile, Seth and Violet are in the children’s room, gazing lovingly and equally worried. Seth kisses both of them and they open their eyes. Good Morning mama, Good morning papa, said both the children.
Both the parents helped the children, dress up and brush their teeth, before heading down for breakfast. ‘Grandma is making eggs benedict, I can smell it,” exclaimed Jason. Both the children ran into the kitchen and hugged their grandma from behind. ‘Good Morning grandma,”both rhymed. Oh, my cheerios, kissing them both, grandma said. Violet started setting the breakfast table with coffee, fruit juice, freshly made toast, eggs and fruits.
“Come children, I want you to meet Uncle Frewin, my best friend,” said Seth. Both the children now saw the tall man sitting quietly with smiling eyes. Frewin stood up, shook their hands and kissed them both. Jasmine was shy, she clung to her father, while the curious child that Jason was sat beside Frewin and observed him.
Once breakfast was over, Seth, Frewin with the children went for a walk, while Violet and grandma started clearing the table. “Mum, I am so sorry I didn’t tell you this earlier, because I thought that it will not affect us in any was,” whispered Violet. “Don’t worry my child, we have to pack,”said grandma. They started packing all the necessary items only, as they were advised that they will get anything they want in Syragh.
“Come on children, I want you to meet someone, ” said Seth. They went to the boathhouse, opened the locked door, and saw sitting half in the water, creatures that they haven’t seen previously. There were six of them. ‘They are beautiful, fearlessly said Jasmine and both the children ran and touched the wet skin of the hippocamp nearby. The children heard it moan and nod its head, the other’s also jumped in the water and started making happy noises and jumping high above.
“What are they doing?” asked Jason. “They are happy and realise that you will be their companion, and they recognize their prince and princess,”said Frewin. “Are we really?”exclaimed Jasmine. So, there their papa told the children their heritage. After which the children were excited.
“Do they have names?” asked Jasmine. “You can name them, laughed Frewin. While the men and children were busy, the ladie’s had finished unpacking and were walking down to the boathouse.
“Well, we are ready,”called Violet approaching. “The house is locked up, and I have arranged the neighbour’s son to keep an eye, advised margaret.
Frewin whistled, a sharp high pitched sound and all the creatures jumped out of the water and sat on the wooden floor, so that its easier for the children to sit. ‘Hold on to the hair on its head,”advised Frewin to all. Grandma eyed the creatures doubtfully, but she still got on it.
After everyone seated as securely as possible, Frewin again whistled and all the creatures made one long jump into the water wetting them all. Violet and Grandma shrieked with surprise, but the children gave a whoop of fun.
Hippocamps stayed on of the water gliding smoothly, speeding up. Once in a while it would go underwater. Now on the hippocamp that grandma was sitting on was a bit cheeky and jolted her a lot making grandma grab its hair’s more tightly. After a while, the creature made a deep dive into the sea, all the while grandma screaming and thinking, Frewin has set this up so that I am out of his hair.
They had almost reached to the bottom of the sea, when grandma realised that she wasn’t breathless, and then she noticed the colorful jungle underneath. Sensing her thoughts the creature stopped moving and let her enjoy her surroundings. There were colorful sea weeds, colorful small sea creatures like sea-horse, prawns, even octopus. The sea weed was glittering beautifully, and there were big sea shells. She touched one and lo behold it opened, and sleeping inside it was a fairy with the biggest pearl she had ever imagined.
Grandma was now very happy and loosened her hold on the creatures hair. “I believe you love the scenery,”said the Creature. “Yes, I do,”said grandma. It took her while to realise that she was talking to a creature, but she guessed that she shouldn’t surprised as was among magical world now.
” Can I name you, Beauty?”asked grandma.
“Oh, yes thank you, I love the name,”said Beauty happily. But now we better be off and they zoomed to the top as other’s were getting worried. But they don’t have to do they, as grandma will be having many adventures as none of them know yet..but that is until later.
Fiji is an Island nation in the South Pacific Ocean. Its closest neighbours are Vanuatu, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Tonga, Samoa, Tuvalu and Tahiti. The country consists of an archipelago of more than 332 islands, of which almost half in not resided on. Two main islands are Viti Levu and Vanua Levu with a population of almost 850 000. Main sources of foreign exchange is tourism and sugar.
During 17th and 18th Century, the British brought Indians from India through the indenture system to work on the Sugar Cane fields. After the independence most indians stayed back in Fiji which they call home.
The population is mostly made up of Native Fijians, Indo-Fijians, Rotumans, some other islanders from Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Chinese. There is also a small community of Europeans.
In this small country with a mixture of quite a number of different ethnic cultures results in many colorful and wonderful festivals celebrations. Most of the major religious festivals has been marked as Public Holidays.
Below I will write about some of the wonderful festivals enjoyed by all Fijians and all visitors.
January 1st – New Year (Public Holiday)
New Years is a global celebration mainly that starts on December 31st the prior year. Celebration for welcoming New Years in Fiji also starts from December 31st with private parties, night clubs and cinemas opening till morning. There are street parties organised in the Capital City, where a whole family enjoys, since the security is quite evident to avoid liquor and drugs. It ensures that anyone is safe and enjoys their night till countdown. A recorded number of almost 20 000 people have danced through the night on the street to welcome the new year. New Year is welcomed with Fireworks and major countdown. It is one of the biggest new year’s celebrations in the South Pacific.
Away from the city, more towards the outer region, families have reunions which involved lots of Lovo (food cooked on hot stones in the hole made in the soil), BBQ’s, Kava (traditional Grog Drink), music and dancing. The arrival of the new year is welcomed by the traditional beating of the Drum/Lali. And at some places children run around beating tin drums and waking all sleeping people. Water and Talcum powder is used playful amongst each other for enjoyment. Celebrations continue for almost a week, enjoyed by many.
NEXT TO FOLLOW
FESTIVAL OF COLORS – HOLI
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February 14th, early evening, the big majestic house at the end of the Village’s main street is quite and mildly lighted. Only one room at the side of the right wing is lit brightly and soft sounds are heard..
9 year Olds Twins Jasmine and Jason are in their pajamas sitting on their bed earnestly listening to their grey haired, pleasant faced Grandmother tell them a story about a Prince from faraway land who travels the world for adventure against his fathers wishes and comes to a small country located in the Pacific Ocean..where he fights dragons and robbers to help the small village of people…
The Prince spends countless months in that village as he has fallen in love with not only the beauty of the Big Snow Capped Mountains, beautiful waterfalls, fields filled with wildflowers but also with a beautiful young girl who kept a small fruit stall in the small town..
Grandma Margaret stops her story at the sound of the door opening downstairs. It’s the children’s parents back from their Valentine’s dinner date..
Mummy, Daddy, come hear the new story Grandma is telling us, calls Jasmine. The parents don’t answer or come up.
Grandma sensing something not right, ask’s the children to stay in bed until she comes back for them. With pounding heart she goes out of the children’s room, pulling the door behind her. She quickly almost run downs the stairs to the study where she sees light and hears voices.
Margaret knocks, door is opened at the fourth knock by her son-in-law Christopher who is a Handsome gentle family man with lots of smile and patience. But what Margaret sees in his eyes now is sorrow and worry. Past him she sights her beautiful daughter Violet pale and tears streaming down her cheeks.
Please do come in Mum, holding stricken Margaret’s hand Christopher directs and seats her in one of the comfortable arm chairs near the raging fireplace.
Violet moves silently and closes the door. She leans at the door staring at Christopher. Margaret can’t understand what’s wrong and too scared to ask. She then noticed someone else in the room, a man a tall man, long black hair, blue beautiful eyes, thick brows and also a deep voice as he speaks now.
The stranger moves and seats on the available armchair near the window, he speaks to Christopher only referring to him as “Seth”, You have to come back for your family and your people for their safety and to fulfill your duty, exclaims the stranger.
And what of my Family, Frewin my friend, with pain in his voice, Christopher/Seth exclaims. They have to come with you Seth, as they are safer with you than left alone here, Frewin Suggests.
I don’t understand whats happening, bursts out Grandma? Violet now moves to her mum, holding her hands as calmly as she could manage explains to her elderly mum that Christopher is in fact Seth, Crown Prince of the Underworld magical world of Syragh. But isn’t that a myth a story we tell to children, not believing what she is being told by her daughter.
Frewin draws the curtains away from the window and calls Margaret to the window. Come and Have a look at a creature you might never would have known, Frewin motions her at the edge of the Boathouse at the back of the house. She sees a Silver Horse in the Bright Moonlight, its just a Horse, she exclaims..Look properly, suggests Frewin.
Now Margaret sees all that she has missed, the creature outside the boathouse entrance was only half horse. The Horse Like Creature’s head and legs had fins instead of hair, instead of a back legs, it had a fish tail…Margaret couldnt speak for a while, then whispers, what is this thing? Frewin tells proudly, that its a Hippocamp, a very fine animal, Seth’s children will love him.
Margaret with flaring eyes look at Frewins and screams, my grand children are not going anywhere near that thing.
Seth, Violet, Frewin look at each other and flaring Margaret….
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