"Chozha" Festival Day 1
Field Notes #1: Chozha Festival Day 1
June 2019
Em Gill
Description:
Today I attended "Shozha," an annual festival of the Oktip that lasts the three days leading up to the last full moon of summer. A different island hosts this event every year in a fixed rotating cycle every year allowing each island to showcase its unique specialties as well as allow the people of Oktipsenja to come together and celebrate Oktip culture as a whole. Other islands bring surplus goods to distribute as well. My guide Gicheth tells me their village on Shach-senja will be bringing scrolls, ink, and other luxury goods as well as an expected amount of fish.
I arrive by yitfun (boat) in morning from Shach-senja (Knowledge(?) island) with my guide Gicheth . That morning they brought out vibrant, light robes dyed a full spectrum of colors for us to wear. Until today I had not seen clothing other than the simple earth-tone garbs worn day-to-day. We boarded a fishing boat with a crowd from the village also clad in colorful robes. Many boats of people are traveling to the festival today and Gicheth tells me that even more will join us over the next two days. The voyage lasts a few hours but my shipmates make time pass quickly by singing jubilant songs. There's an infectious feeling of joyful anticipation in the air. By the time we draw near our destination, the waters are full of other vessels of similarly clad groups. When we arrive, the long wooden docks are bustling with hundreds of people arriving, unloading cargo, and greeting each other happily. Some even jump off their yitfun and swim to shore. Gicheth tells me that this year's host island called Piki-senja (animal island), known from its rolling grassy hills and functioning as the center of Oktipsenja's livestock production. They tell me I must be "favored by the moon" to have come on such a good year.
As we disembark, the sound of music and laughter can be heard from the docks. As we make our way with the crowd further inland to town, we are met with the jubilant celebration. Lines of dancers in colorful, flowing robes and musicians with various sizes of wind, string, and percussion instruments perform on platforms that line the streets. Long streamers interwoven with colorful flowers line the platforms and hang from buildings and their sweet fragrance fills the air. The music is upbeat and some of the crowd stands to watch and cheer the dancers.
As we move further into town, delicious smells of cooking meat overtake us and my mouth starts to water. There are groups standing around countless grills of different "brik" (meat) and "zumi" (vegetables) cooking to perfection. After only eating fish for the majority of my stay in Oktipsenja, I excitedly wait my turn to try what appears to be beef. Gicheth excitedly points out different grills and decorations and describes them animatedly. Usually rather closed off, this is the most lively I've seen them and I struggle to keep up in translating their deluge of words. The brik is tender and deliciously seasoned and I go back for more. I am passed a cup of sweet, dark liquid that I quickly determine to be alcoholic.
Gicheth leads me to a grassy clearing where dozens of people dance in large circles within one another. Many of the crowd move forward to join in with synchronized kicks and twirls so I move to the back of the crowd to avoid being swept up and embarrassing myself. Children run about, throwing flower petals and dancing their own dance swinging each other in circles.
Further on are lush green fields filled with large tents of different colors. I look into one and see a large stage performance. In another, there are piles of wool and colorful textiles. I return to the crowds and find Gicheth, inquiring about where we are to stay for the night. They point me in the direction of an enormous tent containing large piles of bedrolls and blankets. Here I rest to write up my observations from the day.
Reflection:
So far, Chozha has been an exciting and and joyful celebration. In my experience so far, I have found the Oktip to be a hard-working yet easy-going people. They do what needs to be done to sustain their society but care relatively little for vanity and excess. This over-the-top festival is an unexpected departure. I am amazed at the level of generosity and unity between people of different islands in sharing their goods and resources.
Questions:
How will the next two days of Chozha differ?
How long beforehand does the host island have to prepare?
How do the manage this substantial drain of resources?
June 2019
Em Gill
Description:
Today I attended "Shozha," an annual festival of the Oktip that lasts the three days leading up to the last full moon of summer. A different island hosts this event every year in a fixed rotating cycle every year allowing each island to showcase its unique specialties as well as allow the people of Oktipsenja to come together and celebrate Oktip culture as a whole. Other islands bring surplus goods to distribute as well. My guide Gicheth tells me their village on Shach-senja will be bringing scrolls, ink, and other luxury goods as well as an expected amount of fish.
I arrive by yitfun (boat) in morning from Shach-senja (Knowledge(?) island) with my guide Gicheth . That morning they brought out vibrant, light robes dyed a full spectrum of colors for us to wear. Until today I had not seen clothing other than the simple earth-tone garbs worn day-to-day. We boarded a fishing boat with a crowd from the village also clad in colorful robes. Many boats of people are traveling to the festival today and Gicheth tells me that even more will join us over the next two days. The voyage lasts a few hours but my shipmates make time pass quickly by singing jubilant songs. There's an infectious feeling of joyful anticipation in the air. By the time we draw near our destination, the waters are full of other vessels of similarly clad groups. When we arrive, the long wooden docks are bustling with hundreds of people arriving, unloading cargo, and greeting each other happily. Some even jump off their yitfun and swim to shore. Gicheth tells me that this year's host island called Piki-senja (animal island), known from its rolling grassy hills and functioning as the center of Oktipsenja's livestock production. They tell me I must be "favored by the moon" to have come on such a good year.
As we disembark, the sound of music and laughter can be heard from the docks. As we make our way with the crowd further inland to town, we are met with the jubilant celebration. Lines of dancers in colorful, flowing robes and musicians with various sizes of wind, string, and percussion instruments perform on platforms that line the streets. Long streamers interwoven with colorful flowers line the platforms and hang from buildings and their sweet fragrance fills the air. The music is upbeat and some of the crowd stands to watch and cheer the dancers.
As we move further into town, delicious smells of cooking meat overtake us and my mouth starts to water. There are groups standing around countless grills of different "brik" (meat) and "zumi" (vegetables) cooking to perfection. After only eating fish for the majority of my stay in Oktipsenja, I excitedly wait my turn to try what appears to be beef. Gicheth excitedly points out different grills and decorations and describes them animatedly. Usually rather closed off, this is the most lively I've seen them and I struggle to keep up in translating their deluge of words. The brik is tender and deliciously seasoned and I go back for more. I am passed a cup of sweet, dark liquid that I quickly determine to be alcoholic.
Gicheth leads me to a grassy clearing where dozens of people dance in large circles within one another. Many of the crowd move forward to join in with synchronized kicks and twirls so I move to the back of the crowd to avoid being swept up and embarrassing myself. Children run about, throwing flower petals and dancing their own dance swinging each other in circles.
Further on are lush green fields filled with large tents of different colors. I look into one and see a large stage performance. In another, there are piles of wool and colorful textiles. I return to the crowds and find Gicheth, inquiring about where we are to stay for the night. They point me in the direction of an enormous tent containing large piles of bedrolls and blankets. Here I rest to write up my observations from the day.
Reflection:
So far, Chozha has been an exciting and and joyful celebration. In my experience so far, I have found the Oktip to be a hard-working yet easy-going people. They do what needs to be done to sustain their society but care relatively little for vanity and excess. This over-the-top festival is an unexpected departure. I am amazed at the level of generosity and unity between people of different islands in sharing their goods and resources.
Questions:
How will the next two days of Chozha differ?
How long beforehand does the host island have to prepare?
How do the manage this substantial drain of resources?
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