Queen's Ba-tin

My day began with a headache so I spent the morning in bed on drugs napping.  This used to happen far more often, but thankfully my debilitating headaches have become less frequent in the last couple years.  After the meds kicked in and I had a nap I was able to function again which is a fortunate thing because what a day it turned out to be.  The Queen’s Baton (pronounced bah-tin) was in town.  For those who don’t know it’s the equivalent of the Olympic torch for the Commonwealth Games and carries a message from the Queen inside that will be read at the start of the games.  It does a tour of 70 countries leading up to the Commonwealth Games which will be held sometime in 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland.  I was standing in the rain waiting to be picked up to join the festivities when a convoy of about 20 cars drove by one of which pulled over for me to get into (thank you Monica).  Then we were off down the road to Medina which is about an hour away for a big celebration for the bah-tin.  Along the road were villagers cheering and waving as we drove by many of whom were dressed up in bilas (bilas means beautiful in Pigin and is plants and flowers arranged to make something beautiful).  Not only did people “dress up” for the occasion, but they also decorated the side of the road and even the middle of the road.  They cut down plants and organized them in a line in the center of the road so when cars drove by they scattered giving the road a “scattered flower petals look”.  It was an incredible sight to see so many people standing on the side of the road all decked out in traditional garb and bilas cheering on the convoy in the pouring rain.

The convoy

The road bilas

I love how excited the kid in the blue shirt is.

I love the double fist pump from the kid in the middle

Villagers saw the convoy driving by and came
running to the road to wave

When we arrived in Medina there were people everywhere.  It was a rushed event because the baton had a schedule of places to go and people to carry it and could not divert from said agenda.  We spent about 20 minutes there and it was incredible.  It was one of those moments when your life plays out like a movie.  Something amazing is happening complete with your own personal soundtrack.  I was watching the dancing and singing with the background music of “And the source was your laughter threw me off the wall used your face is a mascot I yie yie” from Kishi Bashi’s “It All Began With A Burst” thinking “wow, this is actually my life.”  No idea why Kishi Bashi was playing in my head but if my life was a movie that song would have played in that moment.  Also, if you don’t know who Kishi Bashi is (which is everyone with the exception of maybe 2 people reading this) you should watch a YouTube video of him ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBonKZGUlNE ).  He writes all the music on his violin and uses different peddles to distort the sound then records layers and sings creating songs.  One of the most legit live shows I’ve ever seen!  Absolutely mind blowing!  Back to the Queen’s Baton celebration… there were tons of people around.  Some were grouped together singing while others were standing in a line next to signs of all the Common Wealth countries and others were putting on traditional performances.  At one point I paused my photo taking session and looked around to take it all in (“I yie yie”).  It was one of those moments you can’t put into words.  For some reason I became really emotional.  This celebration wasn’t for me.  I had nothing to do with it other than being a spectator, but the energy was electric.  To see so many people come out and all the time and effort that went into a brief production was moving and brought me to tears.

Arriving in Medina

These kids were awesome

And these kids were adorable

There were signs of all the Commonwealth countries posted around

This kid's shirt has a US flag, PNG flag
and Australian flag... random but awesome

I got some good shots (or so I think).  I also got in the way of other photographers and filmographers which later I found out are doing a documentary for BBC on the tour of the baton.  During a conversation with one of the filmographers, Raeph (pronounced like it’s spelled ray-f… how cool is that name?) I apologized for getting in his shots because I know I made it in a lot of them even though I was trying really hard not to.  He chuckled and said when he’s editing he’ll make sure I make it in the shot.  Our conversation was just friendly banter, but how cool would that be if I ended up in a BBC documentary!?  Check that off the list of Things To Do Before I Can Die (yes, this list exists and yes, I refuse to die until I’ve done it all).  I always thought I’d end up a scholar commenting on a documentary and not just a person in the background, but hey, it’s a start.  Also, I was wearing a recently made pair of skousers (skirt trousers combo that I’ve made multiple pairs of recently … there will be a blog about that in the near future) so all will see the gloriousness of my creation.

PNG country flag above the New Ireland
Province flag

Sometimes I think I work for Nat Geo as a
photographer... this was one of those shots.

So, after my “wow” moment we jumped in the car and as the convoy was about to head out the British High Commissioner (not entirely sure what that is but she’s a super important person) slipped while getting into the car and sliced her shin open.   We’re talking about a proper 6-inch gash straight to the bone not some little cut.  She was loaded into an ambulance and sent back to Kavieng.  Because I was with Monica and she works for the government this meant our tour with the baton was over and we were also off down the road following the ambulance.  As the baton made it’s way back to Kavieng we spent the afternoon at the hospital.  Though I was bummed I didn’t get to follow the baton I didn’t mind being at the hospital and helping out where I could.  I spent a good portion of the afternoon running errands around town getting phone chargers and pillows and chauffeuring people from the hospital to places.  These were all things someone needed to do but everyone else was busy trying to organize everything for the High Commissioner. 

The British high Commissioner is on the left

Eventually the High Commissioner was settled back in her hotel and we went back to following the baton to it’s last stop which was Nusa Island (a 3 minute boat ride from Kavieng across a channel).  There I got lots more photos of singing groups and people with the baton.  Then it was back off to Kavieng to do a couple more errands while people were tied up and one of those errands happened to be presenting the British High Commissioner with a carving on behalf of the Governor.  This was all very informal considering it was me giving her this gift while she was laid up in bed in her hotel room.  That was still pretty cool.  Then it was back to Nusa after that where I was offered a chance to hold the baton.  I GOT TO HOLD THE QUEEN’S BATON!  How freaking cool is that?!?!  Think about how cool it would be to hold the Olympic torch… it’s like a step below that.  And the woman in charge of everything was nice enough to take out the baton after it’d been put away to humor me and let me get a photo of Bongo holding the baton (that was for you Papa and Uncle Charlie).

Off to Nusa in a canoe

This kid looks too cool for school

The baton was passed around to ensure everyone had a chance
to at least touch it

The glowing thing with the red strip is the
message form the queen

Bongo and the baton

After all the hoopalah was finished we headed home and as I went to bed I reflected on the very hectic and unexpected day and had one final “wow, this is really my life” moment before slipping off to sleep.

About a week after the Queen's Baton Relay
I received this letter in the mail from the British
High Commissioner saying thanks for helping...
I think that's pretty cool

P.S. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!