I had missed the Hiri Moale festival the previous year. This time as I was leaving the grocery store I saw huge billboard advertising that is was going to be this weekend. I took it as a sign that I had to go. l knew what time I had to be at the beach. So I drove down, not sure what I would encounter. I walked around taking pictures of the ladies selling their jewellery made out of shells, security guys and the different sailors before the competition started. As I was walking, I was stopped by one of the group members of Amu, Amu(wearing purple) who asked if I could take pictures of their boat. I did. They asked me if I was wanted to travel with them on their dingy while they followed their sailors in the completion and I jumped at the opportunity. This is something I had not planned or even imagined doing. When we arrived back on land I had not expected that we would be witnessing the grand arrival of Lakatoi. It was like a scene from a movie. The grandeur of it all. The excitement in me was increasing as the Lakatoi approached filled with people. It sailed closer and closer. What I was seeing didn’t feel real. Men were singing, women swaying  left and right. A man and boy high up, waving and dancing. Is this real?