Fiji does not celebrate Halloween. I haven’t discovered any particular reason why. The origins of Halloween go back over 1000 years to the Celts (and beyond if you’re willing to dig further into history) and is a time honored tradition in the Americas and Europe. Despite the UK and European influences of having been a British colony – not to mention nearby Australia – the spooky holiday has not found its way to the South Pacific. At least, not here in Fiji. Maybe other island countries in the region observe the day (note to self to look that up sometime).
I described the tradition (American style) to the mothers in my village and asked them if it was something they thought might be a fun activity to introduce to the kids. They got excited. I explained that in the U.S., children (among others) get dressed up in costumes and go door-to-door begging for candy. Well, maybe not quite in those terms. I told them about “trick or treat” and how the story goes that if a house does not provide a treat, a trick may be played on them. I said that most houses comply with the tradition and offer treats. I left out the stories of toilet papered trees and flaming bags of poop. Let’s start with a clean celebration – we can build on the concept next year.
I made this suggestion prior to leaving the village for a few weeks of additional training on the other side of the island. I suspected that the idea may be forgotten by the time I returned as is the case with many ideas when one lives on island time. But when I returned in mid-October, I was pleasantly surprised to be reminded by some moms about the upcoming event. Apparently, some of them had seen a movie recently that had a scene that depicted Halloween and, in particular, trick or treating. They were on board: “What program are you planning, Tevita?” Uh oh, time to deliver. Me and my big mouth.
We gathered the children on a Sunday afternoon and I explained the concept to them: getting dressed up in costumes, trick or treating, bags of candy. Another easy sell. I felt a bit apprehensive in promoting an activity that resulted in more sugar consumption which is a big problem in Fiji. Diabetes is the number 1 non-communicable disease and dental care is poor, to say the least. (I have met few adults in the village with a full set of teeth and many children show tooth decay even in their starter teeth.) I suggested that we provide healthy snacks at some houses along with the “lollies” – Fiji’s standard term for candy.
Another volunteer, who is working with the Ministry of Health, had, several months ago, supplied me with a bag full of toothbrushes and some educational pamphlets on early dental care and tooth-decay prevention. He was involved in pushing this info out to the village level. I felt armed with a respectable “program.”
I told the kids to think about their favorite movie or cartoon characters and work with their moms on putting their costumes together from whatever resources we had around the village. I explained that we didn’t need money to buy fancy pre-made costumes and that this was a chance to be creative. This was a concept they understood implicitly (I probably embarrassed myself even suggesting otherwise) as Fijians are extremely resourceful. I also suggested that they didn’t have to go as characters but could explore being other “things.” I described how I once went to a party with two other friends dressed as a knife, fork and spoon. They are still talking about that one – “Te, were you the fork or the spoon?”
The day arrived. Despite the chatter on the subject over the previous weeks, I still had my doubts about what would happen. In the Fiji village, many things are talked about and conceived and never realized – or, if so, rarely on time. This felt like a one-shot chance. If it didn’t happen on October 31, I’d have felt that the moment had passed and the opportunity lost. Such is my American sensibility. Add to that: a volleyball net had recently been installed in the village and everyone is obsessed! Playing begins around 4 or 5 and continues until dark (at this time of year dusk arrives at 7:30 PM). Yes folks, that’s 3 or more hours of volleyball every day – except Sunday of course. The kids usually start the playing after school but by 6 or so, the adults have taken over completely and play until they can’t see the ball.
My plan was to have the kids get in their costumes after school and have the trick or treating before dark, followed by a costume parade and prizes. I had gone to town earlier in the day to buy the snacks and candy to give to the moms. I had assumed that I would supply the houses with “treats.” It’s a small village so I wouldn’t have to spend much money.
The kids usually arrive back from school around 4. By 5, volleyball was in full swing. Although I saw one mom working on a costume for her son outside the Pottery House around this time, most of the kids, not to mention most of their moms, were occupied with the game. Hmmmm, this isn’t going to come together, I thought. Well, maybe I’ll get a couple kids showing up and I can at least give them some treats – and a toothbrush.
Dusk arrived. The game continued for a bit then folks disbursed. Darkness fell.
I went to the Pottery House (the defacto Community Hall / gathering place for my village) to see if anyone would show. One mom was there with her son – dressed as a little Indian girl with a cardboard box over his head. The box had a hole in the front like a screen. I interpreted this costume as representing some sort of entertainment personality on T.V. Bollywood is BIG is Fiji.
I had my bags of treats and when she saw them, the mom said, “Te, what is all that? The mothers have prepared treats for each of their houses. We have the divided the houses into three groups and we’ll split the kids up into age groups and assign them which houses to visit.” I’m looking around thinking “what kids?”
Then, they started to arrive. A trickle here and there at first and suddenly the place was full of kids of all ages in costume! We had a Superman, a Fijian bride and groom, an Indian bride and groom, an old women, a fairy, a gypsy (perhaps), among others. One boy wore a mask of a man’s face (don’t know who the man was, if anyone specific). Three boys simply cut holes in large cardboard boxes and wore those. They were my favorite, actually. I called them the “box-boys.”
I was thrilled. Not only did they show up, they delivered! Not just the kids, the moms too. Seems silly now, but I wasn’t sure they would get it. It’s difficult sometimes crossing cultures with even the simplest concept and I’m ashamed I had my doubts (after all, who doesn’t understand dressing up in costumes).
With the place full of kids, and the moms standing ready at their houses, we began the “program.” I started by talking a bit about the history of Halloween and the American tradition which we were emulating. Borrrrrrrring. These kids couldn’t sit still and who needs a freaking lecture now. “Let’s go trick or treating!” The kids were divided into their groups and assigned 5 houses each to visit. Out into the darkness we went. I accompanied the older group to the houses at the far end of the village (my village is basically a square of 15 houses or so) .Usually, in a Fijian village, doors generally stand open unless people are sleeping. But tonight, they were closed. One house at a time, the kids knocked and when the door was answered they yelled “trick or treat.” (I had to remind them at the first house or two until they mastered this part). Treats were dropped in the bags… and on to the next house.
Of course, it didn’t take long to hit all the assigned houses and then it was back to the Pottery House for the “party.” By this time, the young men and dads in the village were hanging around outside the Pottery House looking in the windows and gawking at the spectacle. Everyone was getting a kick out of the whole affair. Next year, I told the kids, grown-ups must get in costume also. They chuckled dismissively but I could see some imaginations churning with possibilities.
The moms had taken the extra supply of snacks and candy that I had brought and made small piles of them as prizes for the best costumes. Everyone got a prize! I took this opportunity to say that treats and sweets are always nice but it’s important to brush that sugar off your teeth afterwards. Then I gave each kid a toothbrush and each mom a pamphlet. So what should we do after every meal and especially after sweet snacks, I asked. “Brush your teeth!” they shouted.
The celebration continued with lots of posing and picture taking – and indulging in the treats. As it was late, the party came to a swift end as folks headed in for the night. I was invited to a late supper at one of the mom’s houses. Her 2 year old (the one in the T.V. costume) didn’t want to take it off. He became a bit whiney at his mother’s insistence that he change out of the costume. He kept repeating some question that I could not understand. What’s he asking, I said. He’s asking, “are they going to do it again tomorrow?” His mom replied to him, “Io.” (Yes in Fijian). I said, more quietly, in English, “next year.” She nodded.
