PNG infant name giving ceremony

Today we got to attend a naming of a baby celebration. Allie was sick, I had 20 other things to do, my house was a mess, I needed to pay this person, give a key to this person, be at home by 3:00 for this person, meet this person at 2:00...there just wasn't enough time in my afternoon. But off we headed! Just 10 minutes down the road and were greeted with children running and waving and smiling at us!
 
In PNG, you don't make a baby's name public until a specific ceremony has taken place. They told us today that there are lots of reasons for the naming to be a big deal...
1. Shows love of the baby
2. Can be referred to later in a "see what I did for you" sort of attitude.
3. Gives respect to the person who the baby is named after.
4. Points out character traits that they would like the baby to have of the namesake.
5. Remember who was important in their life and the time of the birth of the baby.
 
So, we sat together, sang, Pastor did a 15 minute welcome speech (which we found funny because it was all family- that would be like an uncle standing up at the family reunion saying "Thanks Grandma from coming up from Richmond and Uncle Jo from Ottawa" and on and on!) Then more songs and I shared a bible verse for the little baby and prayed for her.
 
Then the mom and baby and I went and hid behind the house and waited for them to call out the name of the baby.
When they said "Gail" (the name of the baby) we said "yes" or really "Ooooh" (affirmative reply in pidgin) and came out and accepted the heart and piece of lung from the pig that was killed.

It was really a special time and I was so glad that I didn't let the confusions of life keep me from being a part of this great time culturally.