This morning we got up early to get started. It was a gorgeous day. We decided to go to the church this morning. We read in the guidebooks that all Marquesans can sing. Church is a great place to experience that. We had our oats, dressed up all fancy like, and went to town. When we arrived at the dinghy dock a large processional of people were there dressed very nicely. There was a cart decorated with leaves and flowers in the middle. They sang a few songs, and then proceeded to walk to the church while singing. We followed to the church; there were a few other boat people also. They were very pleasant and welcoming, they ushered us in. We tried to stand in the back with the kids and baby, but they were sure we should go up in a pew near the front. It was warm and humid in the church, we stood and they said some recitals for a few minutes. I couldn't understand any of it. They have a native language here, Marquesan, as well as French. It's not like Hawaiian, but more similar to Hawaiian than most other languages. It's a pretty language. Then they sang some, then we sat down and they did some preaching. After awhile, the kids became incredibly fidgety. The baby was running in the aisle and walking up front. A man brought him back, he was screaming about it, so we gathered up and left. It might not have been a graceful exit, but it worked well for us.
We went for a nice walk through town and up. The road follows a creek and has a couple of branches as it goes. You pass a nice little waterfall. Many of the yards have nice fruit trees growing in them. A few houses have pigs at them; there are chickens and roosters, and some dogs. We walked up to a house on a grassy plain on the river with a backdrop of gorgeous steep mountains.
Impressive.
Many of the houses appear to be manufactured homes shipped here in a box. Works very well for a place like this. Makes for simple, but nice quality homes. The yard are manicured and maintained, most with fruit trees, some with beehives. There is no garbage on the ground.
As we walked back, we met a man and a 4-year-old boy who were going home from church. They were very pleasant and we practiced our French with them. It's not coming as smoothly as I would like it to. Every time I try to think of a word, it comes out in Spanish. I think it'll come with use. I sure hope so.
We were saying goodbye, then he asked if we needed any fruit. He said free fruit to Courage. I didn't hear that. I hadn't brought any money to town, but did bring a bag of things to "trade." I've heard from other boats that they don't want money. They want to trade something. There's a small store in town, but I think it has limited groceries only. It's hard for them to turn money into items.
They are asking especially for perfume. Wish I'd had known, but I don't have or carry perfume. Nor do any of the other boaters from what I'm hearing. But, they also want lipstick, nail polish, earrings, fish hooks, rope, or "whatever you have." They are also tickled about alcohol, even partially drunk stuff. The boats were embarrassed to trade it, but the islanders were fully satisfied with the exchange of half a bottle of wine for fresh fruit. So, the guy walks us to his house and starts pulling down oranges for us. Then lemons. He sent his son for grapefruit. I showed him my bag of things, but he said his wife was at the store and wait for her. He showed us his "Tiki" woodcarvings. He carves it, his wife finishes/polishes it. Twice a year they go to Tahiti to sell them. That's their business. He owns his land, grows much of his food, and tomorrow he leaves for a week in a boat to the next valley to hunt wild boars. Last time he went, he got 9 of them. They set traps, which hog-tie them. His wife returned from the store pushing a wheelbarrow with her groceries. She had frozen friable chicken parts, salt and butter. Interesting allotment. She chose a 10 pack of earrings, lipstick, scented body gel, reading glasses, and sunglasses for kids. Each item was about $1 at Costco, in Panama. Obviously based on shipping, logistics, the values go up here, but to what I have no idea since I've never been in a store around here. They threw in a branch of bananas and 2 coconuts. So, we got oranges, limes, grapefruit (as big as Intrepid's head), bananas and coconuts for about $5. So I was super pleased with that provisioning run. And they were happy to. She did ask again about perfume. Yeah, win-win!!
We brought the groceries out, then Cassidy and I returned to shore for a demonstration of their local crafts. They make tapas, which is from a bark that they pound until it's like a cloth. They made headdresses from them and a skirt/bikini top type thing from them. They also showed us a bundle of plants that smell nice that they bundle together and put in their hair "to attract men." It was nice. I was giving some cream to a lady who asked me about her eczema yesterday when another lady came to ask about her husband's shoulder that he injured playing soccer the day before. He wasn't there, but the main thing to do was let it rest for a couple weeks then gentle range of motion. She asked for pain medications. The lady translating was certainly hesitant about sharing, to make sure we had enough, but I have a Costco bottle of Tylenol and we really don't take it for anything, so I don't mind sharing a few.
We then returned to our boat, the mother and two boys from our family we did the fruit exchange with came out to our boat. She brought us a soda bottle filled with fresh honey from their bees. They have about 6 beehives. She had asked for shoes for her 4 year old. We found a pair of water shoes that our boys have outgrown that fit him. He was pleased. Also she asked for a flashlight. She said she could bring us another 2 bottles of honey for the flashlight (for change)?? We found one for her and told her honey was fine, or we really like bananas. She asked if I had kitchenware to exchange, but I told her I didn't have any extra, just what we have for use. The 10-year-old boy really wanted a mask and tube, but we need it for the kids. Courage said all the locals that see the goggles in the dinghy really want them. (Should probably take those out and hide them). The younger boy wanted a toy. All ours were either treasured by the kids or broken and only parts of a toy. I will pull one out of the bilge that the kids haven't bonded with and give it to him today I think.
Two more kid boats arrived yesterday making our group that we were expecting complete!! Such a fun group.
The rest of the evening, first our kids kayaked to Field Trip to welcome them. Then we went swimming and all the kids came to our boat. Quite a gaggle. The parents came and went by checking on everyone, but the kids were quite content jumping off the bow tube and just swimming around. It is so nice for kids to have their own transportation. They just grab a boogie board, a kayak, or an inflatable tube and move around from boat to boat. Makes them quite independent.
Shannon
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