Graduation Day!

Sometimes you really need to be reminded that you're living in another country. Their streets look like our streets, and their apples taste like our apples. A couple of weeks ago, on a Saturday afternoon, we attended the graduation ceremony of a friend. Public events like these are great reminders. The pomp and circumstance have a particular flavor to them. The ceremony took place in the solid town hall building downtown and was convened with an address in Maori by a professor wearing traditional Maori costume over his robes. We sang the national anthem, alternating between Maori and English verses.

(Emeline and I moved our jaws up and down, chewing the cud, in time to the music.)

When a doctor was given an honorary degree, some members of his family stood up and did a haka. A haka is a traditional Maori dance and it involves a lot of shouting and chanting, facial expressions and movements that tell a story. From high up in the balcony, three of them chanted and stuck their tongues out to celebrate this man who had spent a life in public service. It just shattered the drowsy quiet of the graduation ceremony. I think plenty of old people had been sleeping as the names were called out, expecting a nudge in the ribs when their niece or nephew or granchild began to walk. Instead the calm was ruptured with a haka. Look at how startled they all look, like deer in the headlights!

It was a liberating thing to watch.