Pig preparations

Preparing a pig for the fire. Hair is removed by pouring boiling water over the skin, or (when you’re in the woods) by hanging the body over an open fire. Vaipae’e, Ua Huka.

Ua kanea tenei pua’a no te kaina. Ua taki te ouoho pua’a me te vai ve’ave’a o’o, titahi a (ma una te tuaivi) me te ahi. Vaipae’e, Ua Huka.

Kaveka eggs

A box of eggs from the wild sea bird, kaveka. Consumption of these eggs on the island of Ua Huka has been limited to locals only in order to help protect the kaveka population. They are bright orange, have incredible flavor and taste a teensy bit like lobster! Mmmm.

Te umute no te mama’i kaveka! Ua kai te enata no Ua Huka aneiho tenei mama’i no te ahe ha’apao te manu kaveka. Mea ke tenei mama’i; mea orange, mea hakatu te uka (son saveur). Myam-myam…

Islanders risk life and limb to collect the eggs by hand, scaling the cliffs of the nearby Motu Manu (“bird island”) to reach the plateau where the birds nest.

Neohe

The distinctive gray neohe seed grows in a little prickly packet on a vine and is popular for making necklaces in the Marquesas. I found this one on Ua Huka.

Te kakano neohe me ta’ia ki’i. Ua kanea te enata te hei me te neohe. Ua koana au tenei i Ua Huka.