Thursday, September 25, 2014

Meet Doña Paulina!

     I would like to take the time to introduce everyone to a family who means a lot to me.  Meet Doña Paulina!  She is one of the sweetest women I know and recently I was able to get to know her better.  Her family have been long time friends to the SLMs here in Okinawa.  Her and her daughter Yina were some of the first people I met when I arrived to Okinawa.  Her husband is sick and can't work, so the SLMs have helped her out for years by paying her to wash some laundry once a week.  She usually comes on Monday morning, so I usually wake up to tutor one of our pre-kindergartners in English and then return home to keep her company as she is finishing up the laundry.  It was during one of these conversations that I learned she used to make hammocks, so I asked her if she would have time to make one for me before I head home.  She said yes, and when I asked if I could come over to help her, she eagerly agreed!
     I started going over to her house a few afternoons a week when I don't have class.  I learned that her grandma was the one who first knew how to make hammocks and she passed it down to Doña Paulina's mom, who passed it down to her.  She then told me that none of her daughters like to do things like weave, knit, or crochet so she had no one to pass her knowledge onto.  After hearing this, I felt incredibly special that this woman would invite me to her house and teach me a trade that has been passed down through her family.  She gave me an incredible gift, one that isn't wrapped but that I can carry with me in my heart the rest of my life.  Throughout the hammock-making process I have shared stories, laughter, knowledge, meals, fruit, and soda with this family, and I am blessed to have been given to opportunity to get to know this family better.  I hope everyone enjoys the pictures.
The beginning, weaving the
string together.
Almost done.  Doña Paulina is tying the tassels on the
other side.
     

Working on the ends of the hammock.

Twisting the string together
to make a
strong rope for the ends.
The finished hammock.  Perfect for one person. 

1 comment:

  1. Doubly neat, Julie! Neat to make such good friends, and neat to make a hammock. God bless you and all your kids, as well as Dona Paulina and family.

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