Disturbed

As a boy, I joined my parents in travelling, over a period of years, from the southern Gilberts to the northern Gilberts. As best I remember, we stayed -- in this order -- on the islands of Arorae, Tamana, Onotoa, Nikunau, Beru, Nonouti, Aranuka, Kuria, Tarawa, and Abaiang (my mother and sister and I omitted a few islands in the chain, although my father did not). My own memory of these travels is a very happy one, but my mother told me before she died that I became increasingly disturbed through being continually uprooted. By the time we reached the northern Gilberts, I was sleepwalking. The locals were afraid. They said I had te anti (a spirit). My guardian, Temeeti, would follow me without daring to touch me. My parents stood up in a meeting house to explain to them that it was nothing to be afraid of, and I didn't have te anti. I was just disturbed by the continual travelling.