Kailopa He slept little, turning over in his mind a great decision. Palau, his daughter-in-law had consented but worried that it was perhaps too great a distance. His son, Batiki, had offered no opinion other than to ask "Dad, what if something happened to the boat?" Here was an adventure the like of which he had long dreamed, right here in his hands. He had only a few hours to decide. Maybe he was too old now for the journey. That cannot be, he thought. I am only two years older than the skipper and I have much experience. I must take this opportunity. I will get no better. But will Batiki agree? His nephew, Levi, had observed that it was the start of the hurricane season. "Most of the hurricanes that have hit Fiji started around Rotuma and Tuvalu, just where this boat that you know nothing about is going." Others had said he was crazy to go in so small a boat. But this was his dream, to make a passage in a small sailing vessel, not just among the islands of Fiji which he had done many times, often alone, but across an ocean to another country. What could be better than a passage to his home island in Tuvalu? The thought was intoxicating. Sleep finally came. In the morning Batiki was not enthusiastic about the idea but said, "Is up to you, Dad. We know this is your dream. We know you love the sea, the wide ocean. I cannot stand in your way." Levi too had softened. "It's a good chance uncle. Take it." "Yes but the most important is that my passport is up to date." Kailopa looked troubled. "I think not. My passport will expire at the end this year, 2016." Batiki examined the passport. "Yes Dad, it does expire as you say. But this is 2015. You a have a whole year left." On Navire we were sure Kailopa's family would not agree and busied ourselves with departure preparations when Janet's phone rang. It was Kailopa. "I will come." A few minutes later Kailopa heaved on board his suit case, a box of food and his broad smile. =20 I think we both made a good decision. Kailopa has been wonderful company, relentlessly cheerful, generous with stories of his people and fishing methods. He has a remarkable ability to sit quietly and observe, often for hours at a time. He was the first to notice we had a fish on the line and to sight the smudgy outline of Rotuma. He knows the tides from observing the moon and the approaching weather from the cloud formations, the swell and rings around the moon. In his village on Kioa he is a radically independent thinker. He believes there should be a separation of church from leadership and management of his community. "The community should run itself and the church run itself. But they mix the two together. We have three churches on Kioa but the biggest is the Methodist. The Methodist pastor lives on the island and gets his electricity free. Is a dollar a week for one bulb, two for a fridge or tv. Most people have one, maybe two bulbs. The pastor, he has one for every room, maybe seven or eight bulbs." Kailopa rolls his eyes and his voice is more angry. "You add that up. A lot of money over a year. Free. Council pays. Same for fuel for the boat. If he goes to Labasa or Savusavu for meetings he gets the council boat and his fuel is free. Why?" "The pastor gets $2 a month from every church household. But once a year is pastor's day. He comes away with fifteen or twenty thousand on just the one day. A lot of pressure to pay lots. Name gets read out and goes in the book with how much you give. Lot of pressure. When you fishing the best fish goes to the pastor. He gets a lot more than he can use. Does he give this back to the community? Maybe to the widows or others who cannot go fishing? No. He feeds it to the pigs. =20 He has several times turned down invitations to take an honoured place at one of the posts of the maneapa, the community hall. He tells them he would attend only the non-religious gatherings. The rest of the time his post would be empty. "You know what they do?" he says. "At New Year they meet for a week, just chatting and feasting, chatting and feasting. What a waste of time. They should be at their farms or fishing, earning the school fees for their children." He shakes his head. =20