Oct. 31st: Big Mama

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21 07.46 S
175 09.90 W

Crew: Everyone sleeping but Cyrus and I... Cyrus repairing handheld depth reader.. me writing

Volpaia time: 7:20 am



Comments:
She stood on the beach with her horse standing over her. He was chestnut brown with a perfect white star on his forehead. He was her best friend and she knew he was the fastest horse on her island. The boys one by one appeared along the beach with their horses, trying to ignore her, heading for the start line. Girls are not allowed to ride horses in Tonga. She grabbed the tuft of his mane and swung up onto his back... trotting down the beach to meet up with the boys. They grumble and shake their heads.. "why is SHE here again". "What kind of girl was she?" A smaller boy holds up a palm frond and signals the start of the race. All the dark bareback kids scream and hoot and hollar, kicking their horses into motion. Skinny boys run along side the race with the jungle streaking behind them.. cheering and waving! But the girl is in the lead. She pushes forward thrilling at the wind in her hair, wishing she had boots and a hat like she had seen in the old Clint Eastwood movies on their families projector. She can imagine chasing after bank robbers or alongside trains... all of which she has only seen through the eyes of John Wayne and Eastwood. She meets the end of the beach well before the others and congratulates her excited horse. Then proceeds to hop down under a large coconut palm. The others arrive. They are angry.

She climbs the tree to get a coconut for a celebration drink but soon has to climb back down to defend herself with her fists. She can take em'.

She someday wants a saddle, large hat and a real leather bridle. She loves American country music and though swatted by her mother who does not understand her daughters need for these activities that girls just do not do, her daughter can't seem to help herself. She needs to calm down, quit fighting and find a nice boy. She doesn't know where this girl has gotten it and why she has the urge to explore other islands. Maybe some spirit has taken her since she has a mischievous spirit that seems to be defiant. Just yesterday she released their billy goat right when a group of boys would walk by.. urging him on to chase after them by screaming "GO BILLY! GO!! GO BILLY!!!" The boys scream and run as the feisty billy goat charges after them. Even after she grabbed her daughters arm and swatted her with a palm frond, chasing her back into the house.. her daughter would cringe then smile and jump up into the air, "GO BILLY GO!" Where did this girl come from? They have distant royal roots after all, but this girl certainly does not act like any princess.

Earl is a flight attendant out of Chicago. He was a late commer into the family and needs to go visit his mother who is elderly. He is only 20, but his mother is 70 and she is Tongan. She also has royal blood he knows. His mother is one of the Queens closest friends. His mother is the person the Queen will escape to, so she can 'escape the yeses and have a real conversation'. He easily finds flights and is spending the week catching up with his mom. The Queen comes to their house for tea and conversation and sees Earl who she has known for years mostly through chats over tea. "What do you want to do with your life Earl? Are you going to fly around your whole life?" Earl tells the queen how he dreams of having little cabanas on some beach somewhere and he can meet sailors and travelers from around the world, sell them food and drink. He has daydreamed of this his whole life and feels exhilarated telling the Queen of the country about his dream. She listens patiently as young Earl enthusiastically outlines his business idea to her.

As she stands to leave she turns to him.. "Earl, we have an island. I will tell the King. It will be yours and you build your business."

Earl's life just changed courses. The Royal family is actually giving him an island. Not just any island but Pangai Motu, a beautiful island located just a boat ride from the main Village in Tonga Tapu. It is perfect. And he builds his little huts and is alone on the island most of the time. He enjoys living full time in Tonga where he can visit his mother and enjoy the royal connections... he parties with the crown prince (who is now King and still a friend of Earls) and then meets a free-spirited girl who is taking care of the King's clothing. She has some royal blood he is told. The Royal family only has 'their own' working inside the family compound. She comes to visit Earl's blooming business. And they fall in Love. Her feisty spirit and humor captivate Earl. She is not like any of the other Tongan women he has met.

Big Mama & Earl sit with us at their now ocean front restaurant/bar telling us about Clint Eastwood, royalty and the beginnings of their business together. They have been together for about 20 years now and Earl has named the business after his love who he calls "Big Mama", though she explains that she knows the Real 'Big Mamas' and she is really only a 'Medium Mama', but this is now her name. This is her business. She is famous as one of the most business savvy women in Tonga and she explains to me that she got that way by listening to sailors coming through. They tell her their stories and when they sail off, she thinks about what they have said and she makes changes. She talks about her first boat trip from the Vavau Group to Tonga Tapu and how she was thrown from her bed and how she hated being below.. she came back on deck and spent the entire trip up top with the crew while the Royals stayed in the lush interior. She knows what rough seas can be like, and she can only imagine what really rough seas could be like on a very long trip. And she worries. 2 boats left the night before.. we had 30 knots of wind here that night. Big Mama tells me she could hear the wind rushing through the coconut palms and she couldn't sleep. "I could only think of those tiny boats out there. I got up and laid back down and got up again and paced... they shouldn't have left." She is all heart. And she was indeed correct. One of those boats got knocked down yesterday by a large wave doubled up. In 45 knots of wind and 4-5 meter seas, if a wave doubles, it can be quite something for a small boat out there. The other boat lost items from their cockpit and other bits have broken, but everyone is safe and now the weather is calming. Big Mama keeps close tabs on them through the cruisers all sitting here with us, waiting for our departure, which should be tomorrow morning.

She sees Cyrus and I enjoying some of her ceviche (Tongan coconut raw fish) and we fall in love with their 'hot sauce' they make using salted water, fermented coconut, onions, coconut water,salt and hot chili's they grow on their bush plot on the main island. It packs a serious punch. It is Earl's creation. He smiles, "I donated a case to the Tongan rugby team for them to take to the World Cup.. they are hooked. I just made 27 bottles... here" and he gives us a large bottle. Big Mama later pulls her coconut carved hair pen out of her hair and hands it to me. My cousin made this for me today, but my hair is not long enough.. it is too large, but it will be perfect for you. I now wear Big Mama's hair pin carved with flowers and the word "TONGA" on it. She points out an old worn saddle displayed on a rickety stand in the middle of the restaurant. "I found it at the market once. I couldn't believe it was a real saddle! So I bought it. I had always wanted one, and now I have one" she proudly states. She has no horse anymore, but she did finally get a saddle. There restaurant overlooks a rusty wreck, clear water and signed coconuts are nailed over the walls,,, flags, buoys, shirts and other gifts are hanging from everything. A pool table patched with duck tape sits on the sandy floor and an old dart board is used nightly too. We depart on our dinghy only to hear Big Mama and a few others belly laughing as she swings a machete into the water, then flips up a mullet onto their deck... late night snack. I can see she is the same girl.

We are fueling today, then coming to Big Mama's where we will be helping her prepare foods for her Birthday celebration today. They are preparing a Tongan feast that will be placed in her Umu (underground fire pit). Her mother is teaching basket and hat palm weaving this afternoon and tonight is a free feast in celebration of her birthday... and the restaurants birthday. Tomorrow... we sail... with new friends in our wake.


Brooke

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