Apple Tree - Katie Herzig

Just a song for today.

- Just a peasant

Possession

Sitting in my office I heard a woman start screaming.  There is domestic violence here and I thought a boyfriend or husband had come onto the campus to start trouble.  I went over to the classroom to find one of the students screaming hysterically and thrashing wildly about.  Four or five students converged on her to restrain her.  I could see she was having a seizure and had the students move her to the hallway where she wouldn’t injure herself.  It was in fact, a classic “Grand Mal” seizure.  Her eyes rolled about wildly while her limbs become rigid and she closed her fists so very tightly.  Within a few minutes her screaming subsided and her legs and body relaxed though her fists were still tightly clenched. 

Her cousin, also a student suddenly reappeared with some tree leaves and began harshly rubbing them on the face of the poor, moaning girl.  She rubbed them in her hair, then on the belly, and then on the chest. Sometimes she would slap the sick girl.  I asked what she was doing and at that point I was informed that the girl was possessed by a demon.  Yes, a demon.  As an atheist, it took all my strength to remain silent while I watched the impromptu exorcism take place.  Coconut oil was applied as was ‘holy water’ from a container of store-bought bottled water.  But in these cases there is not much you can do but let the seizure run its course.  It is sometimes better to let a family member comfort the patient as they are already familiar with each other.

The cousin seemed satisfied as the possessed girl soon fell asleep.  The sleep stage is also part of a Grand Mal seizure.  I did not mention any of this to her or to the crowd of students that had gathered.  In cultures like this, you simply aren’t going to change their fundamental beliefs.  This girl has been having these ‘possessions’ since childhood.  Her other relatives arrived, shook her violently up and down while mumbling some prayers, and then transported her home.  Alas, I did not get the name of this terrible offending demon.  And of course, I thought it was all a bit crazy.

Later, a student asked me if I believed in ghosts.  I hesitated, weighing the impact of my answer on my community reputation, then finally looked at him and said, “No.  Absolutely not.”   He laughed nervously and avoided direct eye contact.  Because you see, out here in their lush, tropical, Pacific-island homeland, with its haunted ruins and vibrant mythologies, it is me – the outsider - that is the crazy one.

- Just a peasant

The ruins of Nan Madol are said to be haunted with all manner of spirits

Crab research（カニの研究）

Yesterday, I started a crab research project and there is always a learning curve.  That's what makes science great - there is always something new to discover.  These are mangrove crabs and their claws are very powerful.

昨日、私はカニの研究プロジェクトを開始しましたそして学習曲線が常に存在する。つまり、科学は素晴らしい作るものです- 発見する新しい何かが常にある。これらは、マングローブのカニですそして彼らの爪は非常に強力です。

- Just a peasant

Photo of two mangrove crabs, one male and one female

Tiny Rainbow （タイニーレインボー）

On this anniversary of a terrible tsunami and, with the loss of an airplane and its passengers, it seems appropriate.

恐ろしい津波のこの記念日にそして飛行機とその乗客の損失それが適切なようです。

- Just a peasant

Office View（事務所の表示）

I moved my office to the other campus.  The view from my office is pretty.  However, I still prefer the rainy days. 
  

私は他のキャンパスに私のオフィスに移動しました。 私のオフィスからの眺めはきれいです。 しかし、私はまだ雨の日を好む。

- Just a peasant

Photo from Nanpei campus