From Sea to Sea, and Sam to Sam

I have just named my first baby. He may not be my own genetic child, but here in the village I am technically his mama, as his “straight” mama is one of my many sisters. This beautiful little boy was born before dawn on Sunday, April 3^rd at the island’s Hospital that incidentally had temporarily run out of water. People speculated that the little boy came out extra clean; he obviously must have known about the water situation. His mother was not thrilled at his coming out a boy, as she already has 3 boys and no girls to speak of, but after screaming it out (as she reminisces to me 5 days later) she decided he was still a blessing. Even his grandmother, a nurse, who attended the mom and baby boy at birth, expressed her regret at him being born a boy. I just found out about his birth Wednesday, and followed his big brother home from school today to visit the baby and mom and give a small present. The custom here for women who have just given birth is to remain inside the home with the newborn for the first month of the baby’s life. Sure keeps lots of germs away. The mamas also get visited by all the other women in the village at one point or another, with gifts of baby items or meals, throughout that first month. So today I made my visit. This particular mama, who I call sister, has a very special place in my heart. To say that she has faced challenges in her life and in particular, her home, would be an understatement. I have literally been brought to tears by some things she has told me. In spite of everything, the details of which I won’t write here, she has remained one of the most fantastic mothers to her children. She is one of only 3 mothers I know of in my community (the other 2 being certified teachers at the school I work at) who asks her children regularly about their school work, who reads to her kids, and who I have witnessed even to guide her children with words rather than with the whip of a coconut broom. (This latter one I no longer take for granted!) While so many women here can at times seem so intensely jealous, she has never once seemed that way. She is just one of the sweetest, most gentle women I have met in my life. And even when the culture she lives in appears to have ostracized her and limited her opportunities, she maintains an admirable respect for that very culture. And thankfully there are finally some of her extended family members who are treating her well enough to help her with food (as circumstances have left her with no ground of her own), and she even has her own small custom home. And so I went to go visit her and her baby. And because the baby still had no name after 5 days, I “put a name” for the baby, as the expression goes. And because the best sort of name you can give is the name of someone important to you (giving your own name and having a “namesake” is one of the most affectionate gestures), I “put the name” of my recently born nephew, Samuel. So now my nephew in Scotland has a namesake on Tanna Island! So cheers to the 2 little Sams, 2 oceans apart J

(Little Samuel and his Mama, from Tanna Island)

(and little Samuel in Scotland)