Nurture your Nature

Bali Ha'i 🇻🇺 [13+]

How many people have ever been to Vanuatu?

It's on my bucket list as it has one of the first local Baha'i Houses of Worship. Plus... no one goes there.

I checked flights to/from VLI. Incredibly expensive from anywhere other than Noumea, New Caledonia (one hour flight) and Nadi, Fiji (2 hours) and Sydney (3).

Vanuatu inspired this song.

"Bali Ha'i", also spelled "Bali Hai", is a show tune from the 1949 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific. The name refers to a mystical island, visible on the horizon but not reachable, and was originally inspired by the sight of Ambae island from neighboring Espiritu Santo in Vanuatu, where author James Michener was stationed in World War II." from Wikipedia.

We had very few records growing up. "South Pacific" was one of them. I didn't realize how much it spoke to issues like xenophobia, feminism, racism... until years later.

This song was notable for its sheer beauty. The longing, the siren call of a fantasy, is what now speaks to me; but, even as a child, I wanted to visit far off places. It's one of the reasons why I travel.



Lyrics

Most people live on a lonely island
Lost in the middle of a foggy sea
Most people long for another island
One where they know they would like to be
Bali Ha'i may call you
Any night, any day
In your heart you'll hear it call you
Come away, come away
Bali Ha'i will whisper on the wind of the sea
Here am I, your special island
Come to me, come to me
Your own special hopes,
Your own special dreams
Loom on the hillside and shine in the Streams
If you try, you will find me
Where the sky meets the sea
Here am I your special island
Come to me, come to me
Bali Ha'i, Bali Ha'i, Bali Ha'i
Some day you'll see me
Floating in the sunshine
My head sticking out from a low flying Cloud
You'll hear me call you
Singing through the sunshine
Sweet and near as can be
Come to me, here am I
Come to me
Try, you'll find me
Where the sky meets the sea
Hear am I, your special island
Come to me, come to me
Bali Ha'i, Bali Ha'i, Bali Ha'i

Songwriters: R. Rodgers / O Hammerstein / R Rodgers