Monday, June 14, 2010

Octopus feast!





Yesterday I spent the day setting up my living spot for the coming week. I’ll be living in the village of Alega. It’s near my search area for the obsidian source and has been a favorite place of mine since 2005. The benefit of living at this particular place is that my hut will be at the base of the Mt. Pioa ridge system. I call it a ridge system because the area behind the main peak contains several drainage basins and highland flats surrounded by intersecting ridges that funnel water down towards the beach.


Oral traditions indicate that the upland flat spots were rally points for warriors that waited above the Aua battle field during times of inter-district warfare. When given a signal to attack, the ridges that lead down to the coast served as express lanes for the warriors who had been observing the battle from above. On one occasion, after killing the invading enemy from the western district, the victors created a mound of decapitated heads at Aua. The flat area at the base of Mount Pioa is still called Paepaeulupo’o or field of stacked skulls.


I get a kick out of archaeomorbidity, that’s my word and you can use it, thank me later some time.


Today (Sunday) I spent the day with my amigo Wilson and his sons. We cooked a Sunday morning umu, or earth oven that uses captured steam from heated stones under a covering of banana and taro leaves. On the menu today was malau fish, pork, octopus in ink, shark, pork belly strips (not exactly bacon but close enough), banana, taro, palusami and shrimp. The artery clogging event was celebrated in force and it was delicious.


















Wiz and the Umu heating up



Mamma hen and the chicks next to the coconut husker pick

2 comments:

  1. Hey man! im loving these updates! hope all is well on da island mon haha keep us updated dude. that octo looks delish.

    your main man,
    mitzy

    ReplyDelete
  2. Would you mind mailing some of that food back?

    ReplyDelete