Hawaiian Plays and Fainting Spells

Friday, Chris and I went to a play at the National Museum of the American Indian. Before the play, this Hawaiian group played music in the Mitsitam Cafe.

The cafe served Hawaiian food, including some rather delicious lumpia (little egg rolls). They also had a sweet and imminently drinkable pineapple coconut cocktail.

The play was called The Conversion of Ka' ahumanu. It takes place in Hawaii and focuses on two women missionaries and three Hawaiian women. Subject matter ran the gamut from European exploitation of indigenous people (and resources) to indigenous people selling their women like cattle. It was a very feminist play.

I won't say I liked the play, but I did find it thought provoking. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see the end.

I fainted.

You see. I am very, very (did I say very) squeamish. I have a particular phobia when it comes to needles and knives. The play had a very, very (did I say very) long act about one of the women's mastectomy. It was a mastectomy without drugs. It was descriptive. It was pretty much my worse nightmare.

I started feeling nauseous, but I didn't want to get up in the middle of the play. It's rude. Next thing I know, the voices got really far away. Chris says I let out some sort of moan and started slipping down in my seat. He had to help me out of the theatre.

After my recovery (head between the knees outside of the theatre), I stopped in the ladies room. While I was in there, one of the actors from the play came and asked Chris if I was all right. Apparently, they noticed from stage!

So embarrassing.