Tuesday's education

Our guide for today, whose name sounds like "ha otto" showed us more of the island and educated us more about the culture here than we could have learned in another month on our own. He is fluent in Marquesan, French and English. He picked us up at 8:00 a.m. at the quay and returned us at 4:30. The day was jam packed with sights, photo opps, food and culture. First thing, we drove to Hohoi (Ho Ho ee) for beach combing. A unique "stone flower" is found here. Phonolite crystals have formed amber colored flower shapes in the volcanic rock that the island is made up of. It erodes from the mountains and washes down the river to the beach. Careful looking rewarded us with a nice collection. The village there is small and is inhabited by tenant farmers. The ancient families still own the land of the island and others must rent. Our guide is descended from the last king of the island who died in the 18th century. His last name means "prince of the long hair." His family owns a good part of the valley leading down to Hohoi and we stopped on the way back to pick bananas from his trees.

After a picnic lunch on the beach, we traveled up into the hills to view "pae paes". Stone structure remains are still intact from ancient king and shaman living quarters. These platforms are about 4 feet high, and 50 x 20 feet on top. They were used by the royals to over see their village and as homes. Carvings can still be seen in the foundation stones. Like many ancient achievements of architecture, no one really knows how they moved the stones or arranged them so perfectly. Carter suggested that they must have used tractors.

Along each road we stopped many times to view outlooks, observe plant life and get lessons about the land. Breadfruit is a staple food here, like potatoes or rice at home. One of the ways to prepare it was to ferment it in rock lined holes in the ground. This served as a preservation method in the ancient times and is now still used with modern methods to make a tasty meal. He showed us a hole still intact in the middle of the switchbacks leading over the mountains.

Last of the day was a tour of a local stone carvers workshop. He uses all the very interesting local stones to make turtles, geckos and other native species. Tomorrow we will go to the shop where his work is for sale. The work is very expensive for him as he uses diamond bits which cost us about $20 at home, but here are $120. He also has a collection of stone tools from his ancestors that he has found on the island.

We have arranged a dinner of traditional Marquesan food in our drivers mother's restaurant for tomorrow night. I will stay home with the 4 kids, a half gallon of ice cream and DVD's at the ready. The other 5 adults will hopefully enjoy another great cultural experience. Next time it will be my turn to go out.

All in all it was a very successful day and one we won't soon forget.

-Kellie