The Kilafwasru grandchildren dressed to march in Etawi Srisrik. Sepalik and Junior in the back row of the first couple of shots are joined by Lenny holding Chester in the third. The front row is initially Sharisey, Marlin, Shanalin, and Stacy. In the second shot Marlin has moved over and Xena is next to Sharisey. The fourth shot is Xena and Shanalin only. These pictures contain citizens of three nations. They are all in the Etawi Srisrik.
Once every four years the municipalities of Kosrae gather to march in a single church. 2003 was a quadrennial union marching year and as such was likely to attract back to Kosrae many Kosraens abroad. Add to this the dedication of a new church in Utwe, replacing a church built in the late 1950's, and the number who would make the pilgrimage home was increased. This picture captures in a single shot resident Kosraens and returned Kosraens from Pohnpei and Australia. The image includes two American citizens, two Australian citizens, and one mixed Mwoakillese-Kosraen child and a Kosraen child with Dutch ancestry. The children in the image have never met as a group before and given time and tides will not likely meet again although they are all related to each other.
Marlin prepares to march into the church followed by Damian. In 2002 Marlin fled the line-up at the last instant on Pohnpei. This year Marlin hung in there, singing and swinging his "tefuroh" for all he was worth. The other image is inside the church. Marlin kept banging the bottom woman in front of him with his tefuroh.
One section of the children's choir during a portion of the marching. Senior Pastor Nena Kilafwasru on the right. Marching in the choir were grandchilden Junjun, Falyncea, Wally, Tulpe Gloria, Junior, Lenny, Sepalik, Damian, Stacy, Rhynox, Sharisey, Marlin, and Xena. Shanalin was carried for most of the marching.
Stacy, Shanalin, and Xena can all be seen in this image.
Kenye Palik and her sister Lynda getting ready to march in, Stacy Kilafwasru on the move inside the church, Tulpe Gloria "Doughnut" Kilafwasru and Lynda Palik as star bearers.
Mothers join in the march, in this case the daughters of Pastor Nena: Shrue, Ruth, and Sepe. With Sepe is Hattie Gustin Charley and Xena.
The Kosraens visiting from Pohnpei were invited to sing during the Malem Christmas marching.
I marched with ichikumi which meant that the images I captured were purely incidental. The Kilafwasru sisters, all but one, were present for the following photograph.
Other random ichi related shots.
A marchers view of the gallery.
