Moorea in the Kingdom of Tonga

Customs Official for the Ha’ Apai Island group

Sunday service at the Mormon church on Ha’ Afeva Island

A simple pig pen where their diet consists of coconut….sweet meat. 

Invited to a Uma lunch, Afa prepares the coconut milk by ringing the coconut shavings with some husk fibers.

A fire pit was built and rocks were placed in it.                  James was preparing the tapioca root.

The meat was placed on top of the Taro leaves (tastes like spinach) with onion and coconut milk on top.

They used 3 meats, fish, lamb and canned corned beef…..

Then the meat is wrapped up in the leaves and normally they use

banana leaves to bind all the ingredients together, but I was told they

didn’t have enough time to gather the banana leaves.

Our host, Caleb and his wife Afa, put the tapioca root in the coals

along with the pouches of taro wrapped meat.

Placing sheet metal on top of the coals, a sheet and some burlap sacks, the pit is then covered with dirt.

The food cooked for 1 ½ hours….Most of the islanders don’t have an oven and

this is how they prepare their food daily. 

John is gathering coconuts.  While James drinks the coconut water, when they are thirsty, they don’t buy

bottled water.  Instead they get a coconut and drink from it.

When the food was finished cooking, they used coconut tree fronds as a picnic blanket and we cruisers brought some food items to share as well.  In fact, Lisa’s oatmeal cookies were a hit.  Our hosts fed 17 cruisers that afternoon.  Inviting us for this lunch and getting a glimpse into their way of life was one of the most gratifying experiences of this trip.

Horse drawn wagon on Ha’Ana Island.  The driver is William and he invited us back to his house to meet his family. 

William’s wife, 3 daughters and grand daughter work on making palm mats.

Another woman poses in front of her little home.

Boat wrecks on the beach.                                                  Water front property