The story of the love sticks

The carving of this turtle has the "Love Stick Story" on it's back. The locals carve on wood to tell the history of the Chuukese people and islands. The sea shells were given to us by a local Sapuk member, while they were on a YM camp out at one of the outer islands. It's tough camping on your own personal beach!!!

The Story of the Love Sticks goes like this: Back in the old days, if a young man was interested in a girl, he would carve a pointed stick with a unique pattern, which he would then show to the girl, letting her feel it so she would remember the distinct pattern and texture. Then at night, when the girl is sleeping, the guy would sneak to the girl’s house and poke the stick through the woven wall or ceiling of her hut and entangle the stick in her long hair to wake her up without disturbing anyone else in the family. In the dark, the girl would feel the stick and if she recognized the patter carved by her lover, she would sneak out for a secret rendezvous in the jungle. If she didn’t want to go with the guy, she could just shove the stick back out. Convenient, No? Better than having to come up with an awkward excuse over the phone to avoid an unwanted date. While dating is still done mostly in secret here it isn’t culturally appropriate for you men and women to go around together in public.