Manihiki Magic - The Weekend Exodus

Main Road - Coming from the Center. Left towards the airport. Right towards the school and wharf (and home!)

It is strangely calm in Manihiki today. Usually we wake up to the sound of an outboard motor of someone going out trawling for tuna with the sunrise. But today the lagoon stays quite. The coral roads are empty. Tukao feels like a ghost town. What is going on?

Today Friday 12th May 2017 is a big day for most of the people of Manihiki and Rakahanga. It is the wedding of Trainee and Anasity. Close and extended family, from near and far will be attending the wedding of the year in Rakahanga.

Manihiki has a current population of 234 people. The island council conducts a monthly census and they accounted 82 inhabitants in Tukao and Tauhunu 152 in April. Rakahanga, it's neighbour island located 44km north-west of Manihiki is even smaller, with a current count of 59 people!

So when about 70 people move from one island to the other, it feels like an exodus. Luckily it is only for one long weekend, to celebrate the union of a daughter, a son-in-law, a cousin, a father, a sister. 


Main Road going to the wharf ahead

The island of Manihiki turns into slow-motion. Bluesky is closed as the only employee is attending the celebration. The construction of the community water tank is paused as the government workers are also celebrating. School is reduced to a handful of children as families have been traveling across the open ocean to arrive on a busy island. Rakahanga, in the contrary, has doubled its population! There will be joy and tears, music and dance, abundance of pork and fish. The happy couple will be covered in gifts in true island style.
We were invited to join from the moment we arrived 4 weeks ago. We considered the offer until the very last minute but decided to concentrate on the black pearl island for a start. Still so much to explore, do and feel. Still a rhythm to find for our family. It is actually nice to enjoy quiet time, with just the 4 of us. And Yann has just started school this week, this is the highlight in our world.

We wish you a long and happy marriage with heaps of children!!!


Yann picking crabs in the middle of the main road

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