106.
After nightfall a drum calls all the villagers to the chief’s house where Brother Joe preaches a sermon in their Loma language on “The Lord’s Prayer”.
One of the villagers records his talk on a portable Japanese tape recorder. This evidence of interest in high technology and global commerce in this more or less Stone Age village makes me more aware of the complete overwhelming saturation of the stuff and nonsense of our global civilization.
After the sermon there is a lot of singing and dancing. I dance along to their very complicated drum rhythms showing the villagers how it’s done in Waikiki to their great amusement.
After every dance villagers surround me wanting to shake my hand in their own peculiar way-- with the right hand as we do in America but finishing the handshake by pulling their fingers against mine and releasing them in a rapid, sliding motion that produces a loud popping sound. Its original and fun!
As the evening ends, one of the young men tells me he has something interesting to show me in the morning.
I fall asleep listening to distant drumming, singing and mysterious noises from the jungle.
No electricity, no TV, no radio--not yet, but soon.
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