We took a walk down to the beach and found many young people who were also drinking beer. Befriending them was pretty effortless at this point, probably thanks to the beer. Also, only a handful of Americans sail here each year, and very few of them of are as young as we are. The language barrier was a little prohibitive, but we did pretty well. Each day I find myself recalling more French vocabulary that I learned in college, which is fortunate, as there are very few Marquesans that speak English at all. In fact, one of the more intoxicated fellows kept referring to Dallas as his “boyfriend” until we explained to him what that means.

Patrick & Dallas

From the beach we walked up the hill to the hotel nearby and had some pizza that was only fair. I have been eying the poisson cru on the menus but have been too cheap to try it. However, we found out today that Tim is treating us to yet another meal, so next time I’ll be having the tuna poached in coconut milk!

This morning we awoke to find that Alec was waiting for us with his truck on the quay. We had not made any particular arrangements with him, except to tell him that we had decided to take him up on his offer to give us a tour of the ancient ruins, so there he was. We hopped in his pick-up and rode up the volcano to nearby Taaoa. He told us that he was taking us to see the marae, the place where the ancient (pre-1800) Marquesans used to congregate to perform rituals to please the gods. I was expecting there to be a few rocks arranged deliberately with a tiki carving thrown in, but instead, we were able to see a completely intact tahoa, the area where they danced for the gods. We sat in the very place where the chief used to sit in his recliner made of rock. It was simultaneously eery and awesome (in a historical sense) to be in the very place where they used to perform human sacrifices, believed to be the most generous gifts they could give to the gods. Alec showed us the one-person prison of rock where they kept the unfortunate man or woman who was to be the gods’ gift, and subsequently, the gourmet dinner for the evening. Can you imagine? Alec seemed to think this part of his heritage was really funny!

The Tahua

In addition to the archeological significance of the site, there were trees of all sorts. Alec pointed out various fruit trees such as papaya and breadfruit as well as coffee bean and a nut tree with a name I can’t recall. He climbed a tall curasel (sp?) tree in less than a minute to retrieve for us a soft, green fruit with a strange flavor kind of like a pear. Other trees that he pointed out are used for medicinal purposes, clothing, or decoration. It seems that every tree has some practical value for the Marquesans.

Alec climbing for fruit

 
Alec also took us to a couple of ancient cemetaries, one of which contains the grave of Paul Gauguin, the French impressionist painter who is now famous for his depictions of Tahitians and Marquesans. We went to the Gauguin museum after our tour with Alec and saw some of these pieces. The story of his life is said to be ironic in that he was not very well liked in either France or the Marquesas but became renowned all over the world after his death. In fact, when an American came here looking for his grave, the Marquesans were surprised to learn he was famous. They wished that they hadn’t leveled his house and lost his remains! Apparently they found where he was buried, moved him to the big gravesite overlooking the bay, and have built progressively more decorative tombs for him over the last 100 years.

A Gaugin reproduction

 
After a very interesting day, we walked back to the anchorage in time to meet Alec’s wife who brought some fruit that we requested. We have been envious of our neighbors’ stalks of bananas hanging in their cockpits but now have one of our own. We also have some pampelmousse, which is very similar to but less tart than grapefruit.

In addition to these amazing experiences, we have seen some truly awesome landscapes. Today was really clear with the exception of a very brief rainstorm the came through (that Alec heard coming long before it arrived). You have to see the pictures to really get a sense of the Marquesas, and fortunately, Wes has been able to upload all the photos we’ve taken so far. We took over 400 photos today, but he has pared them down and organized them for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy! ;-)

The view acrosss the bay towards Taaoa. Motu Hanakee is in the foreground.