Playtime on Oua

Kokamo's Pacifc Meanderings
Tom and Rachel
Sun 23 May 2010 06:03
Kokamo has just reached 19:56.5S 174:43.0W  Just off Hafeeva Island.
 
"Lollipop!  Bubblegum!"
 
The excitedly squealed requests clearly marked a new level of acquaintance with the kids of Oua Island.  When we first let ourselves in through the gate in the fence encircled village (to keep the pigs from wandering away into the bush), the kids just peered at us shyly from the school yard.  But then one of the teachers sat on a mat under a white-flowering (hibiscus?) tree invited us in, introducing herself as Monica. We shared her piled plate of mashed up corn beef (the number one favourite out here) and tapioca, and learned a little about this small village on an island a kilometre square. 
 
There are about 30 households, with lots of old people and about 35 kids, many of the middle generation having gone to the main island, Tongatapu, to find work.  The exception are some young men who fish the wide expanses of emerald green reefs around the island for the markets of Tongatapu.  We met a couple coming home, incongruously padding their way up the eroded earth street between the snuffling pigs, wearing their wetsuits, carrying masks and home-made spear guns, and with bundles of slimey squid and fish slung over their shoulders. Meanwhile, the ladies turn pandanas bark, through an exhaustive process of drying and soaking, into finely woven mats, again for sale back on the main island.
 
While we chatted to Monica, pretending a little too keenly to like tapioca, the kids curiousity overcame any shyness.  When I asked if they'd like their photo taken, a riot broke out jostling for best position in front of the camera, followed by shrieks of laughter at their best hip-hop posturing when they looked at the screen.  Soon we were being dragged around the village by kids pulling cartwheels and handstands up the two 100m long streets.  Rachel (worringly quickly!) adopted a dozen beaming girls.
 
"Bubblegum?!"  I explained to the boys that we didn't have any sweets, but that we'd given a load of coloured pens to Monica back at the school.  Surprisingly unbothered at being denied a sugar-hit by such do-gooder foreigners, they showed me how to throw sticks into the tree overhanging the streets to knock down it's sweet, ripe oranges.  Refraining from commenting that they tasted much better than bubblegum anyway, we waved goodbye to the Monica and others, and headed back to the dock in bustling gaggle of overexcited kids.  Rachel was last seen skipping in the middle of a line of giggling girls down the track under the dangerously laden palms back to the dock.
 
(Photos to follow in a couple of weeks when we get a decent internet connection).
 
PS.  We had a request for more natural history.  Yesterday, we did see several 'flocks' of flying fish.  They have bright blue flashes down their flanks, and wide spread, silvery pectoral fins as wings.  Taking off into the wind, they seem incredibly efficient at using the updraft from the wind over the face of waves, and can easily glide for 100m or more, being out of the water for 20 seconds!  You half expect them to give up on being fish altogether, start chirruping, and land on the cross trees to build a nest.
 
PPS.  Speaking of fish, flying or otherwise: we still haven't caught ANY.  Despite towing a line wherever we go.  We must be the worst/unluckiest fishermen ever...