Ha'apai to be here
Pacific Bliss
Colin Price
Sat 3 Nov 2012 07:36
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Kingdom of Tonga – Part
II
Ha’apai Group – Pangai
harbour
Great to be away from the crowd, arriving 50nm
South of Vava’u in the Ha’apai group of islands late in the afternoon quickly
puts a smile back on Colin’s face. We find a beautiful island with a wonderful
coral garden lying under our hull a rather splendid first nights stay.
Pangai, is the main town, in as much there is a plethora of churches and
the associated schools, a few grocery shops, all Chinese run and all selling
pretty much the same stuff. Rather alarmingly all the shops sell vast
barrels of pure white animal fat, not hugely surprising the health of the nation
is suffering from obesity and like all other Polynesian islands widespread
diabetes. Best of all there’s a lovely little, locally run, fresh produce
market which is less expensive than the one in Neiafu. Rumour has it,
there is a pricing control scheme run by a Palangi on all produce sold in
Neiafu, given the exorbitant prices and lack of haggling done it seems rather
likely as those prices seems unsustainable, for the local economy.
   See the woven mats the people, men and
women, wear for all occasions and even going to work.
Fair to say we immediately warm to Ha’apai, friends
in Samoa have asked us to go and say hello to a Catholic nun in Pangai, which we
quickly do. Sister Cina is a force to be reckoned, still feisty after
years of having sworn her vows to the Catholic church. She’s a close
relative to the now Queen and royal family in Tonga, but having refused a number
of suitors in her day she opted for God, not sure she could have ever
played second fiddle in this male orientated society. This lovely lady
couldn’t wait to get on board out yacht and boy she loved it.
The kids loved her too and continued to repeat her name for months only dropping
the sister and replacing it with the more affectionate locally tradition of
‘Mama’. Boy did this bird have a catalogue of naughty stories about her
youth. So, we achieved a first for PB and had a nun for
tea.
 A few days later we’re invited to a first communion
of a set of 13yr old twin boys, it’s also a church fundraiser picnic. We
arrive to be seated at the only table. This enormous table is groaning
under the wait of food. Whole, snouts and tail included, glistening
roasted pigs and acres of cellophane covered bowls of fish, chicken chop suey,
pots of Ika Mata, sweet Potato and taro among a mountain of other food
stuff. Much to the children’s delight there are huge packets of crisps,
baskets of fruit and candy bars, not normally seen on the good ship Bliss. But
for the first time ever since coming to remote atolls there’s wine on the table
being pour to those revered guest at the table. so we, the father, nuns and
local dignitary are being very well looked after.
 
  Then the music is cranked up and here’s where the
fundraising begins. First to dance are a merry lot of large bottomed
Ladies all in there finest. When I say finest, I mean finest woven mats
tied around there waists, this is Tongan traditional dress and unlike most
places we’ve been, to date, it is still considered dignified and proper in
society to maintain this dress code. It’s rather wonderful to see the honour and
respect given over to the woven ta’ovala. The other thing that’s
remarkable is most folk are donned out in black garment, this is largely because
like Victorian Britain everyone appears to be in mourning for one relative or
another, it’s a big thing here, even a healthy proportion of the kids are
clad in dark togs. But none of this stops the fun. A gender confused
‘father’ Christmas arrived early on to distribute yet more sweets and then once
this job is done a chase ensues by a rather over excited group of ladies who
manage to floor and then disrobe Mrs Christmas. It’s all done in great
high spirits and then the dancing begins in earnest. When a track comes on
that you like, you’re encouraged to put yourself up on the dance area and if
some on-lookers likes the way your dancing then they in turn will grace you with
some money by thrusting notes down your front, back or simply tucked into you
armpit. Needless to say Colin and Zinnia are quiet a hit.
Traditionally this process is only marginally more subtle, when a girls clad in
tappa and shimmering with oiled skin is up dancing for the congregation the
exposed oiled skin is a very sticky place for folk to secure their notes thus
displaying to all, the amount that’s been donated. It’s totally bizarre
but everyone is having a complete hoot, the children, the mums and once the men
have drunk enough hooch around the side of the priests back wall they too relax
their guard and join in the nonsense. Z and Cosmo find buddies and
before long even Z is up dancing with money being thrust down her top.
Half way through the afternoon the lady who’s been collecting the cash after
each tune has managed to tot up and announce they’ve already reached 5000
Tala. pretty impressive, however can’t see this catching on at Bosham
church fete......
 We decided for reasons of damage limitation it
might be a rather a good time to leave once we observe a small accidental
Japanese tourist wanders on to the dance area, in true Japanese style not in the
least bit abashed about taking photographs of the event, and dressed as a
caricature of himself complete with hat, cameraman's vest, and 2 cameras slung
round his neck. This to the local ladies, only looked like ‘good sport’,
having floored Mrs Christmas they where very quick to chase after the poor
fellow, en-mass. Whilst it might not be hugely Christian is was hugely
amusing, never before has Colin seen a Japanese person move so quickly, given
the massive force and weight charging towards him who wouldn’t.
Very unexpectedly much to everyones delight we
discover that our magic buddies on s/v Seal are in Ha’apai. We spent time
with these guys in the Tauamotos. Whilst we where calling another boat on
the VHF for information they over heard us and called up. We instantly
made plans to make our way to a remote motu to hook up with Angus, Kate,
Helen and Anna, these guys have spent the past 18 months in NZ and now on there
way up to Alaska via Japan. Our only issue is, we’re been followed by 5
other boats and Seal are more anti social than us their secluded anchorage is
soon over run by PB and her buddies. Luckily for us every one seems to get
on with one another. All boat’s of course in awe of the Seal vessel and
her Crew.
  Colin and Hamish from s/v Seal going fishing   Kids day making jewellery and watching films
   Cosmo catches a spanish mackerel trolling to Lofanga Island 
Zinnia and Charlie catch fish from the OpiTonga is the first time in over a year an a half
we’ve really hang-out with Cruisers. The children are loving it
firstly because English is the language primarily spoken, a first for them in
nearly 2 years and everyday there’s now a huge incentive to get school
done and get to the beach.
Saylors birthday on the island of Lofanga
   Where we had a treasure hunt for the little pirates
with maps and tasks like coconut throwing and rope climbing. Great fun. Ended
with cake on the beach in Uvalu later in the afternoon.
We weathered a nasty blow here one night in our
little nook. Other boats didn't fare so well and it made us acutely aware that
Ha’apai is a very exposed place with few holes to hide away in.
Back in Vava’u we had hit a enormous wall with
school. It’s never been easy and our children in particular are massively
resistant to learning. It’s an attitude that started back in the beginning
and we’ve never been able to get a hold on it, over it or on top of
it. So come nearly three years later the attitude we have to
battle with each day has developed in to a job more akin with wading
through very dark molasses. We are both at the end of our rope
and decided with out another argument or any more pleading or shouting that
school on PB is to stop. However it would be unfair to allow the children
to do nothing during those normal hours of learning so the educational hours are
swapped too boat cleaning hours. Like so many children in the undeveloped
world learning is a privilege, they’ve both witnessed children unable to go to
school and out working in the streets, so we’re going to assist our children to
become very good cleaners. This tactic seems to hit the nail on the head,
only a little more extremely than we could imagined. For the next 4 hours
the children are wailing in a state of high emotion, we apparently are “being
illegal” and considering 2 and a half years of monstrous behaviour they’re now
desperate to learn. So they hatch a plan, they will both clean in the
mornings and then squirrel themselves away after this to help each other
learn......... We’ve vowed not to return to teaching until they’ve proved
that they’re desperate to learn. We’ll wait and
see.....................
Our time is wonderful in Ha’apai and to be honest I
could stay here for a mighty long time. I do feel rather regretful not
having spent more time with the lovely Tongan people in so many of the places
we’ve been we feel we really understand each island and it’s very wonderful
local culture and national psyche. But despite this the weather’s
good, the company is convivial, the children are having a ball and the
snorkelling is sublime. The best I’ve seen to date.
Halloween night
 Lucas from s/v Santa Paz skinning fish for the
Brazillian feast
  We’re planning to spend at least another month here
and then perhaps at least 2 weeks at Minerva reef on route down to NZ. For
the first time on the entire trip I’m now out of some pretty basic stock.
We’ve heard on the cruisers ‘panic-grapevine’ that NZ is not particularly
welcoming when it comes to other countries produce so I’ve been running the boat
down to extreme low stocks. Having begged from everyone for the past few
weeks it’s now time to provision for the next 6 weeks. All these
plans made and a large restock in Pangai the following day we get the call that
a weather system is developing and it looks like it may well turn into a Cyclone
plus it’s got every chance it’s heading straight for us. As beautiful as
the Ha’apai group are there really is no where to hide, and given the state of
our anchor chain we wouldn’t stand a chance in a cyclone so we’ve no choice, we
need to get a wiggle on and run from the storm. Two hours after having
worked out we need to leave we’re on route to NZ, a mere 1200nm – and we know
we’re going into the roughest weather we will ever have faced.
Happy memories of Sue and Doug ‘doing the rounds in
comfort’
and
more dolphins
  ps. we did eventually start educating the children
again. |