Working our way to Nuku Hiva via Hiva Oa and Ua Pau

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With Hiva Oa, Tahuata, and Fatu Hiva we covered the islands we wanted to see in the Southern Marquesas.  Our route to the Northern Marquesa islands took us around the back side of Hiva Oa, then Ua Pau, to Nuku Hiva.  From Nuku Hiva, we'd then start our next sailing passage to the Tuamotus.

Hiva Oa's 'Backside': Puamau, Hanaiapa Bay and Hana Menu Bay

Back in Hiva Oa, we stayed briefly in Autona again.  We needed to load up on groceries again, and check out of the Southern Marquesas at the gendarmerie.

From Atuona we sailed around the island to Puamau, which we simply referred to as the 'Tiki place'.   Puamau is one of a few places on Hiva Oa with Me'ae and ancient stone Tiki.  Me'ae are ancient sacred sites, reserved for priests, chiefs, and warriors.  This is where the dead were exposed, and sacrifices were performed.  Tiki are carved wood, stone or coral figures of deified ancestors - each tiki houses a spirit.

Arriving at Puamau bay, we had a very scary moment: the rudders of the catamaran suddenly froze just as we were trying to anchor.  We lost control of steering and began to drift.  Fortunately the anchor set just about so, keeping us in place.  Richard quickly got his scuba diving gear and went overboard to inspect the rudders from the outside, and to trace down the problem.  In the end he figured out what had happened:  When backing up to set the anchor tight, the rudders where turned and he had backed up with too much speed.  This then put too much pressure on the rudders, pushing them past the lock-up point. 

The village of Puamau appears tiny when seen from the water.  It stretches up into the mountains however, and is quiet large.  The houses here are surrounded by lush tropical gardens.

Hanaiapa Bay nad Hana Menu Bay were the next two places we visited, and our final stop in Hiva Oa.  At both bays were a few huts, small boats (pangas), and lots of goats on the hills. 

Ua Pau 

Ua Pau is an island right between Hivao Oa and Nuku Hiva.  We anchored in a very large bay that offered some amazing places for snorkeling!  It was here where I had to learn what swimmer's ear is; apparently I stayed in the water for too long, causing a slight outer ear infection.  It is relatively easy to remedy though with a mixture prepared of vinegar & isopropyl rubbing alcohol.

Nuku Hiva

Nuku Hiva is the biggest island of the Marquesas archipelago, and the second largest island of French Polynesia.

Taiohae is a small town and the administrative capital of the Marquesas.  A couple of years ago, the crew and cast of the Survivor 4 stayed in one of the few 'resorts' in town while filming the show (Pearl Lodge). 

(CBS' Survivor 4 website has animated maps and information about Nuku Hiva. Check it out, it is fun! http://www.cbs.com /primetime/survivor4 /marquesas/marquesas.php)

The bay of Taiohae is fairly large and offers lots of room for anchoring.  A lot of cruisers are anchored here, and we begin to recognize boats that we've seen at other places before.  Some of the cruisers are actually staying here for a longer time.  One of the boats close by has been here for six months.  They take their time travelling, they spent six years alone cruising the Carribean! 

Our timing is just right: in a couple of days the local gals will give a performance of Polynesian dances, and local food will be served.   We finally dine on Poisson Cru (a traditional Tahition dish of fish), chicken, pork, taro, plantains, sweet potatoes, and some cake for desert.  I certainly was stuffed! The girls were just amazing to watch.  Incredible how they were rolling their hips!

I finally muster the energy to call back home.  Errrh... calling in at work, to check if everything is okay.  After all, I am already pushing the limits of my leave of absence.   

We are starting to talk about the passage to the Tuamotus.  It is not too far, but will take a couple of days to get there.  So far the wind has not met our expectations.  The tradewinds were basically non-existent.  Should we wait for more wind?  If we stay longer, it is going to cut into Jen's and Richard's overall stay in French Polynesia, leaving less time to explore other places.  We decide to leave at the next opportunity, when the wind is decent enough.  We've been four weeks in the Marquesas now, and it is time to move on.

As a souvenir, we all leave with food poisoning, which is going to bug us for a couple of days....

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Mahu

One of the performers in the women's dancers group was actually a Mahu, who are Polynesia’s ‘third sex’: people of ‘ambiguous gender’ who are physically men but act like women. 

Mahu have been an integral part of ancient Polynesian life for a long time: It was a tradition in families with too many male children that sons were chosen to help the mother with domestic chores.  Since these chores were strictly the work of women, and because these boys were doing women's work, they were raised as if they were female and dressed as girls.   However, many Mahu state that it was not their families who choose their gender role despite of their (originally male) gender identity, but that their families simply reacted to a pre-existing female gender identity; allowing the children to express this gender identity, instead of forcing them to conform to the male gender role associated with their physical sex.
Mahu are not just tolerated in Tahiti culture, they hold a very special place in it. They are thought to possess the virtues of both men and women.  Even nowadays effeminate men are maintaining the custom and role with pride.

Mahu got a bad rap however when thousands of French soldiers arrived in the 60's for the nuclear testing program and there weren’t enough local women to entertain them – enticing many Mahu to turn to prostitution.   These days, Mahu has also become a derogative term for a male homosexual or drag queen in the Hawaiian Islands.

There is an interesting article about Mahu in 'Intersections: Gender, History, & Culture in the Asian Context', an online journal of the Murdoch University's division of arts in Perth, Australia:  

'Transgender, queens, mahu, whatever': An Oral History from Hawai'i (by Andrew Matzner)
http://wwwsshe.murdoch .edu.au/intersections /issue6/matzner.html