Ua Huka our Shangrila
Pacific Bliss
Colin Price
Thu 17 May 2012 23:10
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Ua Huka -
Our Shangrila
 We've often been told not to return
to a place and expect it to be as good as before. Perhaps that's been
good advice thus far - but I suspect most folk haven't been to Ua Huka,
twice.
It is without a doubt a love affair
for the adult Prices, seeing the island appear on the horizon out of the
brightening sky after a nights sail made both of our tummies do a flip
and left them feeling tingely. Then to top it all, we were
greeted by about 40 huge bottlenose dolphins. Our giddiness lasted
for another few days.
It's normal for us to take it easy
after a night passage, but there's no time for R&R for us today.
First call was to go and deliver banana cake to Teri, the magic guy who taught
the kids to carve. This little trip ended up with Colin and the male
members of Teri's family hunting for octopus, and Kalista their 11yr old
daughter coming aboard and diving off the boat with children for
the afternoon, Cosmo quickly renamed her 'Kalista Baby'. The Octopus
hunt was mostly initiated by Z as she's really rather partial to a bit of the
eight legged fellows. Colin returned untriumphant but not empty
handed. All of the catch that day was, in true Polynessian style, handed
over to us. 'Yum yum yum, two days of ocy in our tums'. It
soon turns in to a 'giving war' so with the glut of yellow fin
tuna we have on board, I'm able to make sushi for the Terri's family.
Infact I go into over-drive rolling and delivering sushi, once we realise
it's an island delicacy. We've carried a large amount of nori (seaweed)
with us since leaving France, but until the Marquesas we've never really had the
occasion to use it. By the time we leave we don't have a single sheet
left.
 An Octopus
 Z visits a 2
month old pony  As much and we love the place we're
only giving ourselves 2-3 days, so school is cancelled on Tuesday and
we hitch over to the main village - Vaipee. We want to see our
rather unpredictable charming chum Daniel, who we've commissioned to
make some Tikki bone necklaces. Well, to make things just a wee bit better
we find Nia and John the young hippy Americans hanging out at Daniels beautiful
house. Given we left 6 weeks ago and these guys are still here
living dangerously, they still haven't managed to check in,
given that US citizens are only allowed to stay in Polynesia for 3 months,
they're somewhat in breech of this rule but given officially there not here they
perhaps not breaking any rule. Turns out their rigging is shot and
leaving without parts sent in from Tahiti is impossible, but it's great to
see them and the idea of hanging out is a good one. Our visit
is short but sweet and we get a lift back with Daniel and our other friends
Franck and Stephanie who are all off to the dentist on his annual
visit to the island - they're so funny, just like 16 year old kids brushing
there teeth 10 times before entering the surgery -not what you expect of
a man covered in tatoos Having finished with officialdom the boys
retreat to the beach with a box of wine to steralize their mouths from the
dentisted hands. Colin joins them and actually has a great afternoon
talking rubbish. The bay we're in is hemmed in by two mountains each with
a road laced along it, so when the boys finally get driven home there are lots
of flashes of head lights and hooting of horns to bid us goodnight and
farewell. Only thing is we don't seem to be able to leave.
 High speed mango
eating with a view of Hane bay  Interesting carvings at Deniels
house!
  Our giant of a pillon master (stone
carved garlic crusher), Dennis, invites us for dinner the day after
arriving. There appears to be two very large families who inhabit the
island (Z later commented that most of the children in her class at school
where either one or the other), Dennis is part of the Fournier family
who seem to own the commerce, the other family are the Leichlet who seem to
be in the thick of running the place. Leon Leichlet remained Mayor for some 30
odd years, following on from his father who had been the 'chief' of the island
before him. We rather liked the new mayor, Nestor, but particularly loved
the second in command the rather jovial and strangely named Napoleon
Leichlet.
 Dennis and wife
who had us to diner and provided the machette holsterSince last time we where here Cosmo
has been banging on about wanting, for his birthday, a bone and wooden sword he
saw in the neighbouring village of Hokatu. So with great joy having
been told to go and buy something for his birthday by his Godfather in Scotland
(thanks Ant), we walking at high speed to the next village,
he's now the very proud owner of said weapon.
 CoCosmoCosmo
Wednesday, means back to school and
after much soul searching we decide to invest in a treasure of the Marquesas, so
we start the process of finding 'The Master Sculptor', Turns out it's our mate
Teri's father in-law but asking if it might be possible for him to do a
commision for us, is another matter. I think it took about 4 days for
Colin to gently get round to discussing anything as obscene as the cost, then
after 3 more day a price is mentioned. Not a natural to
business, Joseph gives his much considered price and then immediatly
suggest we negociate this price on a number of
levels.
   The original
bowl, the sculptor and the log it will start from.The village school is having a
cultural week, sadly the kids miss the weaving day, but we are
able to get them in for the sports day the following day. The head
teacher is so enthusiastic about the kids joining them she almost
bites our hands off at the mention, then again she hasn't met Cosmo
yet...... So Thursdays is a busy day for the kids and we're finding ourselves
getting sucked in to the community little by little. After a
week at the School Cosmo's teacher seemed to have got the measure of him,
and had renamed him 'Cosmo the Terrible' and justly so. In an
attempt to include our little cherub in to the class activities she asked Cosmo
in broken English 'if he knew his ABC's?' Cosmo in his quick-talking
quick-thinking replied, 'Yes . . . and I can burp them too.' Not
knowing what he had just mumbled, she asked if he could show the class.
Which he proceeded to do.................. If anyone thinks it's a
dream living and teaching your own children think again. Sorry
Papa your inventor grand son is a little terrorist.
         Z quickly meets friends and sorts our
who is going to be her best group of girls, Cosmo is a bit of a tougher nut to
crack, it's just a pity there's a school holiday the
next day. Whilst they have fun during the day at there 'traditional
sports day', it's not the same instant success as Fatu Hiva.
We decided to spend another week here and enrole the kids into school
the following week, that way Colin and I can have a well earned break. 3
years and no break from your offspring's education isn't really very
normal.
   It's the weekend, so we hop off to
Vaipee. There's a fishing competition going on, a single-species
competition going after the inapproriately names 'petit' which is a type of
grouper that lives on the bottom in about 200m of water. They're
flipping enormous and illusive, so, we're keen to see the spectacle of these
enormous fish being hauled in. 13 boats went out only 3 came back
with a catch, and the winner lucked out with a 77kilo beast.
     Sunday was a total joy, not
what you'd expect for your average Sunday, well not in the UK anyway. We take a
leisurely walk up the hill to go and see Daniel who is busy at work when we
arrive. Our outboard lost a part yesterday so Colin is
rather concerned as it won't work without it. But as with all things
Polynesian an hour of searching and asking one or two folk
and the problem is solved. The kids and I are treated to
watching Daniel in full artist flow, giving Nia two enormous
tatoos, this is the first time I've ever seen this process being
done, fascinating. I then make sushi for us all with some of
the enormous 'Petit' that had been caught the day before. Then Daniel
and Coletta troop down the hill with us and sail with us back to Hana for our
promised Pizza supper at Stephanie and Franks van. Magic magic
day.
  Cap'n
Tattoo  Sunday night and the swell
really starts to build, in fact it's so bad by the middle of the week we've
got a bunch of surfers balancing on boards 50meters off the stearn of the
boat. This all makes getting ashore during the week of school rather
challenging, the two other sailing boats that arrive in the bay don't
stick around for very long and meanwhile our daily routine turns into earlier
morning 'D-day styled landings' finally
by Wednesday the 'Grand Mer' gets us. We know we're chancing
our arm, but today she got us; we arrived on the beach in a fury and realised
soon after we had sustained severe injuries to both outboard and first mates
toe. ie. both really rather broken, plus pretty disturbed children.
Given the fact it was 6.30am and we had made a dash for shore early so we could
catch the bread van, at least we have a whole day to find solutions to our
problems. By Tuesday of this week we had realised that it just wasn't
prudent to make more than one trip a day on or off land. So while the kids
where being schooled, Colin and I found ourselves with much time on our
hands or at least thats what we thought on day one. But it didn't pan out
that way.
Each morning we left the boat
with all our things packed in water tight bags ready for the days
challenges; change of cloths, food, computers, and eventually enough equipment
for cookery classes and knitting classes and powerpoint presentations! One
day in particular the sea state was so fierce that we where forced to head
back to the boat and rethink the exercise, only on our second attempt we
forgot to take the bag with Cosmo and my clothes in and we ended up having to
beg and borrowing outfits from Teri and Marie-Jo, you can
imagine.......
 The Aranui
re-embarked its passengers from the beach - perhaps too exciting for even Granny
and Papa      Our week here is challanging in many
ways but the friendships we developed are ones that will remain very
stronge in our hearts. Poor Teri and Mari-Jo found us rocking up most
mornings and staying for the rest of the day, Us adults where rather keen
on learning to do a bit of sculpting, it didn't look that hard when we watched
the kids and Teri doing it, sadly neither of us are naturals. The hours we
thought we would have, being stranded on land for 9 hours a day quickly
got used up. By Wednesday I'm teaching 3 ladies to knit, my
lovely friend Stephanie is passionate about so many things I love, she's a great
cook but can't knit, a hobby she'd been keen to learn for some years. It
costs £80 an hour for a lesson in Pappeete! With very little language in
common we all coped expremely well, however they are only able to knit
in English. So so so gorgoeus and enthusiastic where these lovely
girls I promised to send more wool from the UK when we got to Papeette. Actually
it's Kerry in the UK who has been so wonderful at buying and posting so many
things we need and would like to give the lovely folk here. She has been a
blessing, and I know the ladies on this far away island will really appreciate
it.
After 4 months here and spending a
lot of time with folk from this infectious group of islands we definitely
feel we understand the Marquasan people far more, than when we first
arrived. The polite nature and welcoming smiles goes a long way to enchant
but sometimes getting any closer is difficult, especially with those born and
raised. Marie-Jo I feel is one such person, it took so long to
get a smile that came from her core. But when seeing this lovely lady skip
with the most enormous beaming smile to join the knitting party,
still now 2 months later is fills my heart with a glow. The unravelling of
Marie-Jo was wonderful and an extremely special friend made. By
Wednesday everytime I started to speak or think about leaving I'm involentarily
'welling up' and find tears rolling down my face.
Carving can be very
relaxing
 Stephanie's Dad
at workEach day our lives on the
islands felt busier than the last. Thursday morning and the children are
presented with deliciously fragrant garlands and Z is doned with a crown of
Gardinerair, It's a look she promised herself already for her wedding day, boy
does she look beautiful. Colin and I, meanwhile, continue our
'lessons in the community' - Thursday we're up at the CGA college.
This is a vocational school for children aged between 11 and 16 for those kids
that can't or don't go off to live on another island and continue their
studies. The concept is great seeing as a majority of the children on the
island will become sculptors it's good training. However due to
political or perhaps personal wrangles the only things it seems
they're learning is gardening and cooking. My contribution is
to teach them how to make sushi and Japanese pickled ginger. And
whilst the rice is cooling we end up doing a wee bit of tricotage
(knitting). The kitchen is increadibly clean and efficient I just wish I could
have stayed a bit longer and get excited about food with these fabulous kids.
We're invited to stay for lunch and eat with kids and staff at the
college. Then after Colin talks about our travels and show
pictures of the world thus far. The rest of the day is spent hanging
out with my girls getting on with the next stages of knitting, whilst Colin
and Teri hang out and create a rather rude carved 'raper de coco' (a device
that you sit on to grate coconut). Then we're all treated to delicious
steak frite at Stephanie's van, finally managing to get back through the surf in
the dark, aided by the headlights from Frank's old 'landie' . 13 hours
a day spent hanging out with friends, we are flipping exhausted.
     Tikki needles
and Tikki rappe de coco  We're staying for various reasons
now: One, the finish of school for the kids; Two, for me to
complete all the important steps in knitting, ohh and; Three, I think Colin
is still negociating with Joseph, if it's possibly for
him to make a precious bowl for us, but more importantly; Four, Hane
is to hold it's bi-annual Ball on saturday night and the 6 man rowing
teams from 3 other islands are due to hold a 'grand concours
de rame' (rowing competition) We're getting sucked in and
enjoying the vacuum.
The children after school on Friday
are weighed down with bead necklaces and after finishing for the day at 11.30
they're totally happy just hanging out in the garden with Nestor and
Kalister Baby, Teri's lovely kids. I return from a road trip with
Stephanie to see the magical plot of land she's hoping to build a house
on, seems building regs here are worse than the UK. She has also had
her father, as a surprise, make me a pair of tikki knitting needles, oh the
love. Back at Teri's we get back to find a scene of wonderful
tranquillity, not a word that you'd normally use when Cosmo is in the
picture. Teri's playing chess with Cosmo, Marie-Jo's knitting away,
Nestors cracking open coconuts for their water, and the girls are rolling around
on the matt or trying to help Zinnia master stilt-walking. It's a 'pinch
yourself' sort of moment. Lunch miraculously appears, a combination of
fish, that Teri caught, cooked in coconut milk. Uru (breadfruit) from
the tree which has been roasted on the fire then pulverised with a pillon, all
eaten Marquesan style, without the aid of any metal instruments and tasting all
the better knowing not one penny has been spent on it. This was no special
affair we where just accepted as family.
      Saturday and it's actually a massive
relief not to be getting up at the crack of dawn and risking life and limb
getting ashore. And of course the swell has abaited. But instead we
spend the day hanging out on our boat watching the magnificent spectical of the
out-rigger competition, it's bloody impressive. Colin, Jon and Teri
chase the boats for part of the 20 km race and Colin returns open jawed at
the strenth and agility of these guys - surfing down the swell,
and particularly the change over of crew members jumping in and out of the
powering canoes whilst paddling at full speed. We are of course backing
our favourite team, Ua Huka, who return a full 6 mins
trimuphant over the Ua Po, ther previous champions. It's another
magic and relaxed day with Jon and Nia and we discovered that John is
a great talent with the guitar as a writer and musician - poor Colin
is now feeling rather dispondant about his skills with a guitar, and
is feeling that there not much of a limit to anything Jon can
do (we later learn that spear fishing may be something. One day he
shot a fish and instead of staying shot it turned around and bit him, requiring
4 stiches adminstered by a fellow yachtie with guidance over the SSB
from a doctor).
   Sunday really is our last official
day on the island, we're already 2 weeks behind where we expected to
be. We've no idea what's going to happen but we half mentioned the idea of
a BBQ with Daniel, Frank and the girls, but we've come to terms with the idea
you never really know what's going to happen when it comes to Daniel.
Its midday before we get the phone call asking where we are?! The
fire on the beach is lit and the fish and pork (which used to be their pet) are
on the fire and the wine is being uncorked. So for one final debauched
bash we have a very very long lunch on the beach. After much merriment we
wiggle our way up the road to the 'snack van'. John had been dispatched to
his boat to collect his guitar, and lovely Steph and Frank had called family
musicians to come and seranade us during during dinner. Just when you
think things can't get any better the electricity fails, so we're left to
dance to the sounds of the ukalalee and Guitar by the light of the
moon surrounded by thousands of swinkling stars, if ever you wanted a
magical farwell to our Shangrila we got it.
   the gals and
meAll we need now is to say our final
farwells. We finally leave the wonderful terra of Ua Huka as the
light of the day disappears, our hearts and weighed
down and our necks our wrapped with half a hundred weight
of beautiful seed necklaces. If getting ashore was like a wartime act
of courage, this final farewell on the beach was intolerably heart rendering,
all we needed to hear was Vera Lynn singing, 'we'll meet again . . .
'. With so many of our friends waving good bye whilst the
others continuing to stuff wooden carvings and stilts and regimes of
banana into the dinghy we all leave in a bit of a state.
 Some of our
parting giftsWe finally leave with a warm and
gentle breeze in the evening, watching UaHuka in the moonlight disappear over
the horizon, given the level of emotion we all strongely suspect it won't
be forever.
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