Village of Taravai, Island of Taravai, Gambier Islands, French Polynesia – Sunday BBQ with Herve and Valerie

COMING FROM THE ISLAND OF MANGAREVA

For most cruisers and passage makers the island of Mangareva, and the village of Rikitea, is their first port of call in the Gambier Archepelago. Rikitea is the main village and the only link with ‘civilisation’ this far south in French Polynesia. It is the ‘hub’ for administration, flights to other islands, supply ships and the ONLY satellite feed for internet access.

Because I got sick, and had to fly back to Tahiti for treatment, our sail boat Spirit of Argo has been anchored off the village for a few weeks. One of the monthly supply ships has just visited so the humans stocked up on a few perishables. The recent Cultural Festival had left the village stripped of essentials such as toilet paper, propane and petrol (gasoline). Most people have their own gardens, and trade with neighbours, but they do import frozen meats, cheeses, potatoes, onions, cabbage and surprisingly a few fruits. Apples, Florida oranges and red grapes are the most popular.

While I rested aboard the humans got into the queues (line ups) outside the many vendors that had closed for a day to take in and organize their stock. Boats had come in from the outer islands and pearl farms with their long lists of month long inventory. When the humans got to the counter they shared their wish list with the attendant who ran around to the stock room behind and weighed out the produce.

All stocked up and with light winds predicted for the next week the humans thought it would be a good opportunity to visit some of the smaller islands and tiny motu surrounding Mangareva.

VISITING THE VILLAGE OF TARAVAI IS NOT EASY

One of the places on the humans ‘bucket list’ for the Gambier was the homestead of Herve and Valerie in the abandon village of Taravai. Friends (Edd and Judi from s/v Clair de Lune) had visited here and raved how lovely the family was. They are very hospitable to cruisers, in a true Polynesian tradition, and even host a BBQ on Sunday afternoons where everyone is welcome.

We had visited the protected west and south coast anchorages of the island of Taravai, but the village is on the more exposed east coast so the humans had to wait for gentle winds to visit here. Navigating into the village anchorage is also challenging. The lagoon out front is surrounded by a protective submerged reef with an unmarked twisting passage at the south end that shallows to 3.2m. To find your way in you can copy the route from the blog of s/v Pitufa or call Herve on VHF channel 77 and he will jump in his skiff and lead you in.

The east coast of the island of Taravai is only a short one hour sail away from the main anchorage of Rikitea, but it does have it’s hazards. Pearl farm oyster nets. The famous black pearl farmers of the Gambiers try to utilize as much of the protected, but flowing, waters as they can. You must keep a watch at all times for the sting of floating buoys that hold up these nets. The nets and the cables that join them are very damaging to props and rudders. There are a couple of strings of oyster nets on the direct route from Rikitea, but easily avoided.

THE VILLAGE OF TARAVAI

A gradual decline in the popularity of traditional living has meant many young people have left the Gambier Islands for paying jobs else where. The French Government provides the resources for home schooling for families in outlying islands, but any higher education must be taken on the main islands. College and University students have to go to school in Tahiti. In the light of these changes the entire population of the island of Taravai has dropped to seven. One couple live on the south end of the island and the rest in the old village. Herve and Valerie are the only family remaining here. One of their young son’s still lives with them, but the older son is staying with his Grandmother in Tahiti while he completes his high school education.

As people have abandon the island the jungle and mangroves have quickly taken over. Herve does his best to keep the old church grounds cleared and planted with flowering shubs and plants. Unfortunately, with out a congregation, there is not the money or labour to replace the failing roof beams of the large old church. Soon it will be nothing more than a shell with stained glass windows.

But you come to the village of Taravai, not for the nostalgia of Catholicism, but for the Polynesian hospitality of Herve and Valerie.

HERVE AND VALERIE

Having cruisers drop anchor on your door step, traipsing around your property and often pinching from your garden, is not to all the locals taste. As more and more boats visit these outlying communities their traditional Polynesian hospitality becomes tarnished. Herve and Valerie have decided to reverse that trend and INVITE cruisers to visit them.

They grow fruits and vegetables, raise pigs and hunt for goats. All of which they sell. They use the money to up keep their property and the abandon church grounds. Their family has owned the land for many generations and they are determined to try and keep it for the extended family and their sons. Valerie earns the family extra money by completing traditional paintings and individually stylized portraits. Not only is she a great artist, but she completes all her work utilizing the local coloured sand. What extra money they earn they use for schooling their eldest son and hosting Sunday BBQs for the cruising community.

Their Sunday BBQs are not to be missed. They pull out all the stops to make sure the Cruisers have fun, opening their home and hearts. They set up a shaded table area, a big BBQ pit, volley court and lawn bowls. The cruisers are invited to bring what they can for a pot luck, but Herve and Valerie make lots of extra dishes so people can sample local fish and meats. Very gracious hosts they do their best to meet each person, as they arrive, and get everyone up and participating.

In fact Herve and Valerie are just as gracious any day of the week. If you come to their home they will drop everything they are doing and rush out to meet you in true traditional Polynesian style. It is always best if you can wait until after 3pm, when the school and work day is over, to visit. At this time of day the worst of the afternoon heat has burnt off but you have time to visit their garden. They are also free to sit and chat with you as the sun goes down.

We love the Polynesian hospitality….and wish you were here to enjoy it with us!