In December it was the inhabitants of Ua Pou's turn to host the Marquesan cultural festival. Apparently the more populated islands take turns as hosts. There's a major gathering every 4 years, and a smaller event every 2 years. Folks who had been around for a while made it clear to us that this was "not to be missed", so we endured about a week of discomfort (and occasional worry) in an anchorage we'd normally reject due to the exposure to wind and swell, all so we could spend a couple of days watching a bunch of singing and dancing, eat a generous feast, and watch various craftsmen demonstrate their skills.
It was absolutely worth it. A fantastic time was had by all, our outstanding Sarcel Excel #5 anchor and wonderful new Acco G40 chain held firm, and JollyDogs was still in the anchorage and not on the rocks when we returned home those nights. Every time we leave her for a shore excursion, in the back of our minds is a niggling worry that she might not be there when we return. I guess that's what insurance is for, but insurance wouldn't heal the heartbreak of finding our baby on the rocks.
Anyway, we teamed up with a group of Australian friends from SV Taipan and SV Perigee to get a round trip taxi ride from Hakahetau on the first full day of the festival. It was about 40 minutes over a rough gravel road, but our excitement rose as we neared the large village of Hakahau. There were performers from all over the Marquesas as well as Rapanui (Easter Island) as well as Marquesans living in Tahiti. The first day the opening ceremonies were pretty amazing, then the performers got down to business doing individual shows, with the evening activities being the major highlights. There was great food to be had and all kinds of craftsmen/women to observe doing their thing, including carving both wood and rock tikis, tattooing, basket and flowery head garland making, tapa making, bead making, bone carving - pretty much everything you see in the area or in artisanal craft shops was demonstrated. The second day we threw in with some other boats in the anchorage and traveled via a small power boat, offering a spectacular tour of the local coastline. We were fed a giant free feast at lunch time, all we had to provide was our own biodegradable food receptacle and cutlery if we didn't want to eat with our hands. Some of the food was pretty amazing, some was, how should I say, an "acquired taste". All in all, a great meal and tremendous show of hospitality by the Marquesans.
The folks from Rapanui put on a great show, and while I oogled at a beautiful woman doing some unimaginable hip waggling in her grass skirt and coconut bra, Isabel was treated to a muscular young man covered in tattoos and wearing some sort of coconut shell cod piece, essentially giving her a "lap dance". I'm pretty sure I've never seen her sunshine pump smile showing so many teeth! I captured a short video clip with my phone for when she needs cheering up.
The dancing and singing was great, but for me it's the unusual rhythms the drummers produce, as well as that crazy feeling I get when listening to a large group of folks banging various sizes of drums from those bigger than large oil drums down to small bamboo poles. It reminded me of a time back in high school when we played the North Carolina school for the deaf. There was someone in their locker room beating a big drum which whipped those guys into an absolute frenzy, then they came out on the football field and whipped our butts. Something primal about those drums - gets my heart racing and my feet tapping, even an urge to go hunt a pig for dinner.
Anyway, it's hard to describe, but the event was awesome and we're sure glad we slogged back to the Marquesas from the Society islands. Worth the price of admission.
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