Communal house
Democracy “Ritang, take the baby,” says Grandmother. She goes to sit in front of her old rotting house and starts weaving pandanu leaves. Her own house badly needs repairs, but the leaves she weaves this morning are for the maneaba, the village’s large meeting house, where all decisions are made, in the presence of the elders. 10 am – Bakea goes to the maneaba with her neighbour, both women pulling their piece of leaf work for the roof repairs. [...]
