In ancient times, the penalty for breaking a tabu such as getting too close to the chief or touching his things or even walking in his footsteps (to name a few) was punishable by death. It was believed that otherwise the gods would be angry, resulting in volcanic eruptions or tsunamis or other disasters. Violators would be chased down and killed unless they could reach a place of refuge where they could be absolved in a purification ceremony, then return home with all forgiven. The most famous and best preserved of these Cities Of Refuge is just down the road from our apartment, and we decided to spend the day on the beach there. We packed a picnic and found a shady spot on the beach and spent a quiet afternoon watching the tide come in. The black lava stretched out into the ocean and pools form on it. These make perfect swimming holes as the tide moves in and out.
No comments:
Post a Comment