As we stepped down from the plane, we were hurriedly ushered in through the immigration. The officers let us pass through and as we waited for our luggage, About 20 taxi drivers were already waiting to pick us up. All of them came up to us, asking, "Miss! Miss! Where do you want to go? Where are you going?"
I was certainly confused. I am supposed to be picked up by the people from Cocotinos Resort, but I don't see them anywhere. Starting to panic, I began to wonder if I communicated the right message to the receptionist at the hotel. Suddenly, a man in a white shirt came up to me and asked, "Where are you going?"
Somehow, I just decided to answer "Cocotinos."
The man nodded and said, "Come here." and helped to carry our bags to the corner of the airport. I was confused. There was no identification, not even a sign on his shirt to signify that he was from the Cocotinos Resort, how was I supposed to know that he can be trusted? Hmm.... Luckily, the girl standing beside him was wearing a shirt with a coconut tree on an island logo on it. I had spotted the Cocotinos logo. Ok ok. This is genuine. Good! Finally, I let my guard down. This is the group I'm suppposed to follow.
"Hi! I'm Maggi!" The girl introduces herself. "I'm from Cocotinos. Lewi (Pointing to the same guy who brought us over to the corner), will be your guide for today. When your tour is over, we will bring you back to the hotel. Joseph (indicating to the guy on her left, in a black shirt), will be driving you around. So, you want to go now?"
At that moment, as I recovered from my initial shock of being hassled by so many taxi drivers, and finally feeling secure in a crowd of strangers, I looked around me only to realized that there are several men dressed in red, huddled together in a group. I think they're about to perform. But what?
Sensing my curiousity, Lewi offers some information. "They are going to perform the war dance. It's the local dance of Manado."
I must have looked somewhat reluctant. Maggi then said, "It's ok! You can watch this dance first. After all, you're on the first flight of Air Asia to Manado. That's special, you know. You're the only group of passengers that gets to watch this dance, live. The future batch of passengers to Manado won't get this chance like you do."
Wow! I'm feeling really special today. I feel so honoured! I'm going to watch a dance that nobody else will see after this! Hurrah! Few seconds later, the group of men in red separated themselves and arranged themselves into a circle. As one of the drummers played the drums to the rhythm of our heart beats, 2 dancers began dancing to the beat of the drums, with the sound of their anklets and bracelets clanking along.
Oh! Now I'm interested! You definitely can't drag me away from this! I gotta stay to watch this!
Look at all the skeletons hung around his waist!
"AAAAAAAAARRRRGGGGHH! I won!"
I was certainly confused. I am supposed to be picked up by the people from Cocotinos Resort, but I don't see them anywhere. Starting to panic, I began to wonder if I communicated the right message to the receptionist at the hotel. Suddenly, a man in a white shirt came up to me and asked, "Where are you going?"
Somehow, I just decided to answer "Cocotinos."
The man nodded and said, "Come here." and helped to carry our bags to the corner of the airport. I was confused. There was no identification, not even a sign on his shirt to signify that he was from the Cocotinos Resort, how was I supposed to know that he can be trusted? Hmm.... Luckily, the girl standing beside him was wearing a shirt with a coconut tree on an island logo on it. I had spotted the Cocotinos logo. Ok ok. This is genuine. Good! Finally, I let my guard down. This is the group I'm suppposed to follow.
"Hi! I'm Maggi!" The girl introduces herself. "I'm from Cocotinos. Lewi (Pointing to the same guy who brought us over to the corner), will be your guide for today. When your tour is over, we will bring you back to the hotel. Joseph (indicating to the guy on her left, in a black shirt), will be driving you around. So, you want to go now?"
At that moment, as I recovered from my initial shock of being hassled by so many taxi drivers, and finally feeling secure in a crowd of strangers, I looked around me only to realized that there are several men dressed in red, huddled together in a group. I think they're about to perform. But what?
Sensing my curiousity, Lewi offers some information. "They are going to perform the war dance. It's the local dance of Manado."
I must have looked somewhat reluctant. Maggi then said, "It's ok! You can watch this dance first. After all, you're on the first flight of Air Asia to Manado. That's special, you know. You're the only group of passengers that gets to watch this dance, live. The future batch of passengers to Manado won't get this chance like you do."
Wow! I'm feeling really special today. I feel so honoured! I'm going to watch a dance that nobody else will see after this! Hurrah! Few seconds later, the group of men in red separated themselves and arranged themselves into a circle. As one of the drummers played the drums to the rhythm of our heart beats, 2 dancers began dancing to the beat of the drums, with the sound of their anklets and bracelets clanking along.
Oh! Now I'm interested! You definitely can't drag me away from this! I gotta stay to watch this!
Look at all the skeletons hung around his waist!
"AAAAAAAAARRRRGGGGHH! I won!"Yes! At the end of fight, the warriors once again gather in a circle. The chief starts singing and the rest echo along.
Presently, this dance is still performed in some of the villages in Manado. In real life, however, people do cut themselves up. Miraculously, they don't bleed. A point well emphasized by Lewi, our tour guide, many, several times. "Magic." he explains.
The word magic, to me, conjures up images of fairies and pixies, just like the Disney World Animations. I think in this context, 'Black Magic' would be more appropriate because it involves cutting up oneself, which involves lots of physical pain and worst of all, bleeding. Eeeww... Come to think of it, it'll be really scary to witness the real fight.
I'm glad it was just a performance.
The Warrior and Us. Observe his headgear!
Presently, this dance is still performed in some of the villages in Manado. In real life, however, people do cut themselves up. Miraculously, they don't bleed. A point well emphasized by Lewi, our tour guide, many, several times. "Magic." he explains.
The word magic, to me, conjures up images of fairies and pixies, just like the Disney World Animations. I think in this context, 'Black Magic' would be more appropriate because it involves cutting up oneself, which involves lots of physical pain and worst of all, bleeding. Eeeww... Come to think of it, it'll be really scary to witness the real fight.
I'm glad it was just a performance.
The Warrior and Us. Observe his headgear!
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