Flashback 2003

This man, Temeeti, was my guardian in the mission. My father was appointed by the London Missionary Society as itinerant missionary, which means that he did a lot of travelling -- whether by bicycle to nearby villages, or by canoe to other isles. I followed Temeeti everywhere he went, and he often picked me up sleeping after maneaba (meeting house) events. He showed me how to catch octopus, how to kill clams, how to open coconuts, and so on. As he knew the local ways, he provided for our family where there were no shops of any kind. I took the photo in 2003, 35 years later. He was delighted to see me -- and I him.