This Sunday, I wanted to see a mass in the Cathedral of Rikitea. It is officially a cathedral but it’s the size of smaller country side church in Europe.

The altar decoration is fully dominated with pearl shells nicely polish and arranged. The natural resources from ancient times here.

I arrived about 15 min earlier, but singing was already in full swing. The melody and rythm was Polynesian. People let their bodies move a bit in this rhythm. A lady conducted a small choir, the other people in the church joined the singing they way they wanted. A guitar and a percussion instrument accompanied the voices.

The words of the songs are Mangarevian or Polynesian, but not French.

People came into the church greeting each other with hand shakes or “Bisou”, the French kiss.

At 0900 a bell in one of the two towers rang and then the priest with about 6 altar servers, among them a lady, walked from outside the church through the center aisle forward towards the altar. They all had a white toga like capes; simple, made from cotton or linen. Not like the overloaded ones to be seen in catholic churches in Europe. Later I saw that everyone of the altar servers took them home. One of them was a guy I played a few weeks ago soccer with. We always have a small chat when we meet somewhere.

The people in the church were definitely mainly women and girls. But also single man; one carried his baby on his arms. Also entire families were to be seen. One just in front of me; a family with their 5 kids.

A man walked out in between to come back with a baby bottle for the youngest, nobody cares.

A small boy suddenly run the center aisle forward and came back a few minutes later, nobody cares.

Coming after 20 min in the service or leaving for break outside, nobody cares.

2 girls cuddle with their mom, nobody cares.

A young girl climbed over the benches, nobody cares.

There were only a few spoken prayers, bible readings, etc. The dominant were the songs. They made even me moving my body in the rythm. I could see a lady who made the foot movement of Polynesian dancing; this let’s the body swing very smooth and elegant.

The Holy Communion was received by almost everyone. Even small kids queued up and received it.

At one moment, people raised their hands, pointing their palms upwards and connected with their neighbors hands. At the end parents kissed their kids on their heads. Although many adults kissed others on their heads or gave them their hands for a handshake. The father of the family in front of me turned around and shaked hands with me. The kissing of heads also was done when people left the church.

It was an interesting event for me.

I also noted that some people remember me when I’m somewhere in the village. I feel being welcome in the village but I’m about to prepare to leave again. Sailor’s fate.