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Port of Call |
LAST UPDATE November 30, 2006
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| November 22, 2006 |
Port Victoria, Seychelles – No Fights Over Paradise |
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| Locals show participants how to shake things up African style. |
In a world often divided by ethnic, religious, and class animosities, people on one tiny island country located off the east coast of Africa seems to be not just sticking together, but celebrating life together. The country is the Seychelles—a French, English, and Creole speaking nation that is home to descendants of all the five continents. On November 22, Peace Boat called on Port Victoria, capital of the Seychelles, and gave participants the opportunity to join a Cultural Exchange Program to learn more about this peaceful nation. |
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| “I've never tasted fruit this good!” said many participants. |
A local guide and members of the Africa Friendship Association warmly welcomed participants to a beautiful white sand beach, and gave everyone the chance to feast on fresh mangoes, pineapple, and papaya under a canopy of tropical trees. “All the big news organizations portray Africa so negatively,” the local guide told participants. “If you just watched TV, you would think there is only war, AIDS, and famine here. But Africa also has great musicians, athletes, professionals, nature, and traditions. Today, we'd like to share some of Africa's positive side with you.” |
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| A participant enjoys a drumming lesson on the beach. |
Participants of the Tour then dug their feet into the warm sand, formed a circle, and learned how to dance and play a variety of instruments African style. “This is my first time to play a cow bell,” laughed one 80 year old participant. “It makes the strongest sound of all the instruments here. I like it.” Participants also learned a local game that was used in the past to build friendship and camaraderie among the nation's diverse people. “We come from all different backgrounds and religions here in the Seychelles, but we live in peace together—there is no fighting among us,” members of the association said. |
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| Locals play a human tug-of-war game with participants. |
People in the Seychelles live peacefully with nature, too, the guide said. Evidence of that abounded in the pristine sea and the stunning array of trees, flowers and shrubs that could be seen everywhere. “We have many reserves, and we protect our biodiversity a lot,” the guide explained. “And in our schools, we have wildlife clubs. We teach our children not to abuse nature and animals. Here in the Seychelles, all animals are equal.” After learning new dance and music skills, participants had the chance to swim and listen to the calm waves of the Indian Ocean with local people. “I love to relax, but I'm a systems engineer in Tokyo,” said one participant, “so I rarely get that chance. Here in Seychelles, I could relax fully. It's a wonderful country.” |
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| A Peace Boat participant lends her Japanese happi coat to a local. |
Before departing Port Victoria later that evening, Peace Boat invited hundreds of local youth to board the ship and share traditional performances. “Peace Boat is such an excellent program for our youth,” said a Ministry of Culture official. “We are an island country in the middle of the ocean, so it's very important for our young people to be able to meet different people and share ideas and experiences. We wish Peace Boat would stay longer.”
As a gesture of goodwill and friendship, participants of the Culture Exchange Program were presented with dozens of mangoes, breadfruit, papaya, and coconuts before leaving the country. Port Victoria is the world's smallest capital, but everyone agreed that it might just have the world's biggest heart. May the people of the Seychelles continue to grow in peace. |
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