Trifter

I am sure most are familiar with the movie Home Alone, it starred a young Macaulay Cullin, who was left home alone when his family forgot him prior to leaving on vacation. The movie centered around the playful antics that took place when his home was broken into. It is nothing short of an all out comedy, something Fiji greatly looked forward to.

I had grown up in Michigan, where I was very familiar with television all its wonders, capabilities, and magic. My, at that time, wifes family was Fijian/Indian and lived in an apartment complex, not one of those cute grass huts like you might image Fiji to be filled with. The city of Suva is a sprawling, bustling harbor city. From our window we looked out on other apartments and houses.

In July of that year everyone looked forward to the night the movie was going to air. People were talking about it. I remember it well. The night was still and hot, we had our window open, as did everyone else. We all tuned in to watch the movie. There was family, extended family, and neighbours crowded around in the living rooms across the nation, whomever had a television attracted a crowd. My brother in law and myself were drinking Kava, a crazy local drink make from a root. And so began the movie.

Photo Source Wikimedia Commons

With the stillness in the air a very interesting thing happened, at the first comedic scene, and building thereafter, an eerie, yet pleasant, roar was heard across the land. The roar was the sound of laughter, emanating from the open windows in every dwelling in the country. A similar glow could be seen from some homes, indicating who had television and who did not, but it was the sound which was so spectacular. The laughter was in unison for miles and miles. Echoing as it bounced off the concrete buildings and ravines. It was something I had never experienced before, coming from the United States, where people had a variety of television stations to chose from. It was more subtle, and magnificent, than any theater or concert experience I have had.

I had a lot of interesting experiences on that trip, but the sound of a nation laughing was one of the most memorable.