Winter Paddling: Tonga's Vava'u Islands

October-November 2000

This is an article from WaveLength Magazine, available in print in North America and globally on the web.

by Sharon and Doug Spence

Hitching a lift on tropical breezes All photos courtesy of Friendly Islands Kayak Company

Through the small Twin Otter windows we see the Vava'u Islands below. Situated 240 kilometers north of Tongatapu, the main island of Tonga, these fifty bush-clad islands appear as a spattered palette of turquoise, blue and green. To windward, rolling swells of the Pacific break on the semicircular reef fringing the group.

Three degrees west of the international date line, deep in the heart of the South Pacific, we find ourselves riding half-metre high waves in stable two person Tofino sea kayaks. Included in our group are two professional guides, a Tongan guide and seven paddlers, most of whom have little or no kayaking experience. In the 15 knot wind, the bows of the kayaks slice the waves, shooting a cooling white spray onto our paddling partners seated in front. Only a few kilometres to the east, a fringing reef stops waves much higher from entering the islands.

East of our destination, Taunga Island, the distinctive table-topped island of 'Euakafa draws gradually closer as our group makes steady progress into the south-easterly trade wind. All of a sudden, the distinctive holler of 'Epeli, our head Tongan guide, rises above the din of the trade wind: "Yeee haaaa!" 'Epeli Lavaki, with his beaming cheek-to-cheek grin displaying two rows of pearl white teeth, confidently rides the waves with which he is so familiar. The facial expression of 'Epeli's paddling buddy instantly transforms from one of apprehension to delight at the sound of the unexpected outburst.

By the third day, a routine is established and everyone pitches in to erect our beach camp on Taunga Island, where we'll spend the next two nights. 'Epeli and our guests erect tarps and tents. We tie clotheslines to coconut trees and hang life vests, sprayskirts and wet clothes, put the water on to boil and hang fruit and vegetables in mesh bags to air in the trade wind.

All cooking is done on gas stoves. The occasional camp fire is lit, using dead coconut fronds and husks, either in the intertidal zone or in an existing 'umu pit which the Tongans use for cooking their underground meals. Every campsite is left cleaner than it is found. As provisions are used up, the space they once occupied in the kayak is replaced with stray items of rubbish discarded by less conscientious visitors.

After a refreshing cuppa, 'Epeli offers to escort the group on foot into an outer island village while explaining, in his perfect English, details of Tonga's customs, flora and fauna. 'Epeli, Vaikele and Ave, our three indigenous guides, have spent all their lives in Vava'u, diving, fishing and tending their crops. Now they also provide an important link between the indigenous people of their kingdom and overseas visitors. Their roles include sharing information on the tropical environment and Polynesian culture; arranging feasts and kava ceremonies in outer island villages; interpreting their native language; obtaining water; supplying fresh fish and coconuts; and purchasing locally grown produce from the islanders.

The village of Taunga, the only village on Taunga Island, is clean, simple, and traditional, and its inhabitants extraordinarily friendly and generous. Today being a week day, most of the men are out fishing or working in the bush, on eight acre parcels of land which they lease from the government for a nominal fee. A few of the islands, however, are privately owned.

Traditional sex roles remain clearly defined: the men take care of the hunting and gathering, while the women weave mats for their fales (houses), beat tapa cloth, (made from the bark of the mulberrry tree and used for wall decorations and ceremonies), wash great piles of laundry by hand, cook over open fires, and care for young and old. Entering an outer island village in this ancient kingdom is like walking back in time. These people are doing as they have done for centuries: living off the sea and the land.

Following many smiles, malo e lelei's (the oft' expressed Tongan greeting), gifts of exquisite pule shells and coral necklaces, and an invitation to a kava ceremony that evening, 'Epeli and his entourage make their way back to camp laden with treasures. While the practice of taking live coral and shells from the sea is actively discouraged, visitors can graciously accept such gifts from the natives in the interest of preserving cross-cultural harmony. The Tongan government has recently begun taking steps to educate the public, both Tongans and visitors alike, in environmental conservation. One now sees pamphlets in the Tonga Visitors Bureau on safe anchoring procedures for yachters and on the tropical marine environment for shell collectors, divers and snorkellers. Similarly, it will take time, patience and sustained effort to modify the practice of chipping away at live reefs for seafood, which for the villagers has long been their livelihood.

It's important to continually check the cultural and environmental impact of a sea kayak tour operation on still pristine corners of the world. One evening, while sitting around the camp fire, we asked 'Epeli about his thoughts on the matter. Because all three of the guides are well read and travelled, they are aware of the deleterious effects of tourism in other parts of the world. After a long solemn pause, 'Epeli explained that "with the world shrinking because of faster and cheaper modes of travel, the joining of cultures is inevitable. So what better way, then, to bring all these cultures together and teach our guests to be conscientious visitors? It all comes down to respect for each other."

Back at camp, we set to preparing one of our international meals, looking up now and then to take in the spectacular sunset. Joan comments that she's thirsty. so 'Epeli scales a nearby coconut tree with impressive agility, knocking down seven of the best looking nuts for his thirsty guests. Once Tongan's leading export crop, coconuts have recently been superseded by vanilla and squash, a response to changing trends in the world market. Nowadays, the abundance of coconuts provides the occasional cool drink. Permission from plantation owners and lease holders is easily obtained as 'Epeli knows everyone in the outer islands, and what's more he seems to be related to many of them.

'Epeli's is constantly sending us all into fits of laughter with his good humour, quick wit and contagious laugh. Interestingly, two principles of his Baha'i faith are cultural diversity and environmental responsibility, which are also the central precepts of eco-tourism. It's easy to see why he's in his element with folk from a variety of cultures, all mingling harmoniously in this untouched island scene.

Photo opportunities are abundant

Strolling along the moonlit sand, our group silently approaches the fale in hushed anticipation of tonight's kava ceremony. One by one we stoop through the low doorway, leaving our sandals outside according to custom. At the far end of the fale a young Tongan woman wearing a colourful tupenu (ankle length wrap-around skirt) mixes the kava in the traditional three-legged wooden bowl, intermittantly scooping the murky liquid into a hand polished, half-round coconut bowl. The bowl is passed along the human chain, whereupon each recipient of the bowl claps their hands before taking a draught of the bitter tasting substance which surely is an acquired taste.

The men break into harmonious song to the soft strumming of guitar music. They sing of their past sea adventures, working in the bush, village life and their ancestors. Hour after hour into the wee hours of the morning, the natives talk and drink and sing. But we bid adieu relatively early and wander back to camp full of happy memories.

After a breakfast of crepes filled with pineapple, papaya and mango, complemented by a cup of aromatic Royal Tongan coffee, we set out for a sun-filled day of kayaking and snorkelling among the neighbouring islands. Vava'u's patchwork of islands affords ample opportunity for skirting palm-fringed islands and coral reefs, exploring marine caves and combing white sand beaches. The trades subside to a gentle breeze. Beneath the azure sky, ten contented paddlers ryhthmically dip their paddles in the warm aquamarine water-sea kayaking at its best!

Our reverie is broken by the cacophony of fruit bats, otherwise known as flying foxes, which hang in tight black clumps from the branches of trees high atop the cliff above us. For the Aussie in our group, the sight of flying foxes is unremarkable, but for the others it is a welcome novelty. Brown boobies, frigate birds (readily identifiable by their remarkable wing span), noddies, and several varieties of terns soar effortlessly above our kayaks, sometimes swooping downward to inspect our group more closely. This morning, we are fortunate enough to sight the elusive sea turtle. On previous trips, delighted kayakers have even encountered porpoises, spinner dolphins and humpback whales.

On the lee side of Fua'amotu Island we don our snorkelling gear and plunge eagerly into the 25 degree celsius water. 'Epeli swims purposefully ahead of the group clutching his spear. We hang back and look at several species of reef fish and some marine hazards such as the spiny sea urchin and crown of thorn. In the translucent water below, tiny iridescent blue damsel fish, and gaily coloured clown and parrot fish dart amongst the multi-hued coral pinnacles. Even self-professed land lubbers could not fail to be entranced by the magic of this colourful underwater wonderland.

It's not long before 'Epeli returns, proudly swinging his catch strung on a line. For lunch, we have a tasty smorgasbord of barbequed reef fish, 'ota ika or raw fish, and fresh tropical fruit salad.

Later, at Ano Beach we attend an 'umu feast hosted by Matoto, the town officer of Pangaimotu village. After purchasing some locally made handicrafts, our group sits down to a gastronomic delight brought to us on a long tray or pola woven from coconut fronds. The whole affair, consisting of roast suckling pig complemented by fresh root vegetables, octopus, reef fish, and tropical fruits in coconut milk, had been steamed in a underground oven. We eat in true Tongan fashion: banana leaves for plates, banana tree stems and coconut shells for bowls, and fingers or spoons carved from coconuts for cutlery. Following the feast, the Tongan men strum lively melodies on banjoes and guitars and sing in perfect harmony, while charming children and smiling women in colourful robes dance their graceful steps. During this cultural display 'Epeli explains the folklore expressed in the motions of the dancers' hands.

The trades are behind us as we surf the kayaks back to our base. Calls from happy cowboys and cowgirls of "yip yip-yee haaa" ring across the water. Together, we've experienced eight days of tropical sea kayaking, snorkelling warm crystalline waters, participating in the Tongan way of life, and passing balmy evenings on deserted beaches under waving palms and the Southern Cross. And we did it all without leaving a trace other than a few footprints in the sand. The experience of shared adventure has bonded yet another group of people from diverse backgrounds, each with different goals in life and different outlooks. As 'Epeli says, "One planet, one people please."

Sharon and Doug Spence run Friendly Island Kayak Company offering tours in Tonga. For more information on these seven and 10 day tours operated by Friendly Islands you can contact them May through December, Private Bag 10, Neiafu, Vava'u, Kindgom of Tonga, ph/fax: +676-70-173, email: kayaktonga@kalianet.to©