Samoa VII - Manono Again
Pacific Bliss
Colin Price
Mon 10 Sep 2012 05:00
|
Manono-tai
again
I have totally loved our time in Samoa,
we’ve met the most incredible group of folk both local and the dreaded
yachties. It’s also the first time I’ve been able to speak ‘mother tongue’
to ‘mother tongue’ for over a year, so this through me into over
drive. It’s an unusual thing for us to be in a place with
grocery shops, English speakers in a marina and have a healthy range of tribal
art to keep me inspired.
Stuff I’ve loved the most are a
fantastic Fabric printer up at the, Plantation House. A magical massage and
facial with the most wonderful potions that actually made me look 10yrs
younger, Le Spa. Great local food, a culture that is deeply
entrenched which we respect hugely. We loved the organisation ‘Women
in Business’ it’s a charity that was set up to help help retain the old culture
and create a sustainable living for folk in the community. It just feels
like a very positive place. So many of the folk we have met are very
special you can’t help but feel that this small country is in very safe hand for
the future.
We left Apia in a mad crazy rush, trying
to leave with a well stocked, well ordered and clean boat after a month in a
city is no quick task. Added to this the kids had been out playing until
past 11pm, bad parents. We also had lovely Oliver, my friends son over for a
sleep over. It was a classic example of trying to fit too much into 24 hrs
and by the time we released the warps we where all ready for
bed. Luckily the winds where fair to us and we had a pretty
uneventful trip down the north west coast to Molifanua . It was
wonderful having Oli and Fem on board but sadly for them we where past our best
and not great hosts.
Destination was ‘a resort’ not normally
Colins cup of tea but here we where awaiting a guide to take us into uncharted
waters, but after a few days r&r the guide didn’t materialise so we decided
to go it alone. Not as if we haven’t been coral challenged in the
past!
 On
this google map you can just about make out the wiggly entrance that we
navigated. All very shallow, but do-able. After quite a bit of wiggling and then re-anchoring
due to the fact we where in sight on one chief’s parish therefore liable to
anchoring fees! Finally we found the right spot.
What this trip was all about are easily
defined: We wanted to come back to this very special place
We wanted to meat the Matai Leota, who we had heard so many good things
about.
We had things to give to the wonderfully hospitable family who lived up in the
plantation
We needed to fore fill Colin's obsession to be the first boat to
anchor.
I was on the hunt for a super fine woven mat a very respected art form from
Samoa and Manono is the centre of production.
Miraculously we achieved the lot and
more.
  The
first time an yacht has anchored off this island – EVER.First thing we do is invite the chief for lunch,
and given he’s a chief we need to make sure we produce a meal fit for a King and
Queen. Actually they rate it next to Hotel food, and are totally beside
themselves with excitement. It’s like us being invited aboard a mega yacht
for a lavish lunch I suspect.
  Matain Leota and wife Sao join us for lunch on the boat.
Like I’ve said Samoan culture is very tightly
regulated and structured, fine for most but for those at the bottom end of the
food chain it’s extremely tough. Locally controversial yet hugely
companionate Euan the Kiwi Host has befriended the poorest family in the
village. These boys don’t have a mum and money is in scarce supply.
Whilst they will never starve due to the natural terrain, aged 13 Howie
had never ever celebrated his birthday before this year. Ewan gave him and
his father enough money to catch the bus up to Apia for the day. But the
high light of the day wasn’t an apple touch/ipad/book no, no, no for this guy it
was eating an apple for breakfast on hs thirteen birthday. Still every day
he smiles and you couldn’t have wished for a lovelier young man in the
making. This is perhaps where a rigid society breaks down for us.
However this is not to say the kids from the poor families in western society
have any more of an opportunity.
 With so much talk about Samoan feast, all of which
until now had seemed a wee bit cheesy for us. Due to Laoto’s delight about
us coming to stay on his patch of sand, we where treated to a wonderfully
authentic kitchen and Dinner.
  The fire is lit and lava stones are piled on the
hot coals.
   The Chefs
Cosmo grates the rind from a
breadfruit
Leota makes palsami from taro leaves and coconut
cream
Leota’s cousin squeezing the coconut through
coconut husk fibre
  Octopus is softened on the hot stones
And the oven is piled high, and then closed over
with banana and taro leaves to cook for an hour
Finally the kids are beyond excitement as we have
Euan for there favourite supper, wonderful night.
  Euan comes on board for pizza  Apolima tai in the evening light
Howie and and Leota son coming out to see if Cosmo
would like to play with no computers or television to watch fun on Canoe’s,
playing rugby and splashing around in the water are very worthy holiday
occupations for all the kids.
We actually came here to relax and get to know the
island and island folk a little more, but with tensions raising high on the
land, we need to back off, Colin is in the uneasy position between a rock and a
hard place.
Cosmo confused
  Leota and EuanWe also have to be on our way as we have an
appointment to keep. Breaking our yacht rule for the first time, we’ve got
to get to Tonga by the end of the week. So whilst the exit is magic having
Captian Matai on board to navigate us out safely oh and the weather is
bliss-full this is only the lull before the storm.
Leota helps to pilot us out of the lagoon
 New Bliss motto: ‘Never leave on passage when you
see purple on the gribs’
|