Banonoor im Ek (Baskets and Fish)

Every week we have an activity with the young women in my ward (ward = congregation) and pretty much every week I learn something flamingly awesome. The last two weeks have been particularly good:

Naan decided to teach the girls how to make banonoor, which is a small basket with two handles that is made from coconut fronds (kimej). All you need for materials is a coconut frond, count 5 leaves/strands/whatever you call them, then tear them off. You'll need 4 5-strand chunks for your banonoor.

Rosemillie and Naan

The materials.

How to start one side of the basket.

Make two of these.

Braid them together in a sort of backwards braid. Didn't fully understand this part.

Crystal 

Naan working her magic.

Rosemillie with Rutha.

Finished baskets. You just tie knots in the ends of the braids and them tie them together if you like.

We also learned how to make Marshallese balls for games out of three strands of the coconut frond. It really didn't seem too hard but it was painfully apparent upon completion that actual skill was needed.

Rice im Ek.

The second activity was cooking brown rice and fish at my house. Juana was in charge, and she brought over a big fat parrot fish. We can't really go fishing ourselves around here unless we ask a native if the fish is poisonous or not, so I was glad that she was in charge of this activity. On a side note, aren't my girls beautiful?

Kamat ek eo ilo paan an burae (I think I said that right—cooking the fish in the frying pan).

While the food was cooking I told them a little bit about American etiquette and how to eat politely at the table. I was told afterward that for a couple of the girls there it was really exciting because it was the first time they had ever eaten with a real fork. !!! We take so much for granted. Working with the young women has been really rewarding for me. I see more clearly what they struggle with, what life is like for them, and how simple positive experiences can make a difference.