A Magical Evening on a Magical Island

We’ve enjoyed many quiet New Year’s Eves and even a few raucous ones (including the Year 2000 celebration in the shadow of London’s Big Ben with over a million people), but Year 2015 will go down in the books as a very special evening.

What a way to end 2015 than a paddle around the cove in Hapatoni on our new Red Paddle Stand-Up Paddleboard.

We had been anchored at our favorite beach in Hana Moe Noa on Tahuata, but a tropical cyclone to the west was kicking up some serious swells so a group of boats decided to relocate to the small village of Hapatoni about 3 miles south. Some waves were making it around the point, but it was a world of difference. Nested at the foot of 3,000 ft. mountain cliffs covered with palm trees and lush green vegetation, it looked like the location for the movie South Pacific.

A bunch of hungry sailors eyeing a delicious New Year's Eve feast.

Two beautiful ladies:  Meryl and Anne Marie from L'Avenir.

As you can tell, Kim and Dave off Maluhia are having a great time.

Friends on Mezzaluna had gone into the village earlier and secured permission for us to use the Artisan Craft area, an open patio-sized area with a thatched roof. Three American boats, three French boats, and a Finnish boat showed up for the New Year’s Eve potluck. Given the various nationalities represented, we had an eclectic selection of food and desserts. A group of young French kids were running around, including one cute little curly-haired blond with a very loud penny whistle. And she liked to blow that whistle — very loudly.

Imagine sitting with your friends and simply enjoying each other's musical talents. I don't think the word "stress" is in the Marquesan lexicon.                 

In the corner sat five Marquesan women and a young girl who had been practicing for the church service the next day. It was a very bucolic setting, with a cool breeze wafting through the enclosure and the smell of sweet flowers scenting the air. One of the Marquesans came over with beautiful white tiare (gardenia) flowers that were placed behind the left ear of the women in our group.

Jeff from Mezzaluna treated everyone to a medley of American folk songs.

Jeff on Mezzaluna brought his guitar and treated everyone with a medley of American folk and pop songs, with some of us joining in when we knew the words. After a while Jeff took a break and lent his guitar to the group of women in the corner, who began singing in a way that only the Marquesans can sing. It’s a melodious harmony that sounds like one voice, all sung in the beautiful Marquesan language, and sometimes in equally beautiful French. We’d heard them sing in church last May and were amazed by the ethereal quality of their voices as they reverberated off the stone walls of the church.

Tahina, our hostess for the evening, played a mean rhythm guitar.

I think their talent is a result of the tradition of music in their society, the involvement of children at a very young age, and the custom of sitting around at night and singing for pure enjoyment.  That’s what happens when you don’t have TVs in your house. A fourteen-year-old girl — with a huge smile on her face — accompanied the singers on a tall Marquesan drum pounding out the hypnotic rhythm typical in all their music.

This little girl was the star of the evening playing with her maracas and singing along with everyone.

The most endearing quality of the Marquesans is their lack of inhibition — the moment a drum beat starts you can see the women’s hips start to rhythmically sway in a manner that is pure Polynesian. Family is the other constant theme. A young 18-month-old girl was in the loving arms of her mother and swaying with the beat of the music, keeping time with a pair of maracas in her hands. 

It was a magical start to a new year.