The Apples of my Eye: Boots, Coconuts, Boots...

I’m coming to realize how little I write about Tongan culture. Living in the capital, things are much more westernized than outer villages or other islands. I live in what could be considered a neighborhood, but I don’t really talk to my neighbors.
Anyway, this whole no-culture realization came this morning when I realized I wanted to blog about how excited I am to wear boots when I’m home for the holidays.
Who blogs about wearing boots?

Okay, maybe it’s acceptable because my feet are definitely getting flatter from wearing flip-flops 24/7, and my eager feet are itching to be fully surrounded by warm, fun structures, but still.

So before I spiel about the holidays, my excitement, my countdown for going home, and my boot addiction (and no, not the shiny devil’s-pitchfork type), I will recant 3 cultural observations and/or stories I’ve experienced in my 13 ½ months of service.
1. Tapa. This is one of the biggest Tongan/Polynesian crafts that can bring in generous income. In ‘Eua (and sometimes even here) I’d wake up to a thwack, thwack, thwack at between 6:30-7am. The first two weeks in my tiny village, I assumed someone was building a house until the weeks turned into months. I finally got curious and asked Vea, my papaya-jam-making maestro, to teach me how to make tapa. The process is quite long, vigorous and tiring, but my role was with tutu, where tree bark (after soaking) is beaten with a thick, square-shaped mallet. The mallet has indentions to help widen the fibrous mark into a mat-like material. Then, the ladies make a root-crop paste to attach the strips of newly-beaten fabric together. After the tapa dries, women use natural dyes (reds, browns, and black) to paint traditional Tongan designs for any occasion. These are often presented at weddings, funerals, departures, etc. And much to my delight, I recently met an 80-year-old woman who only speaks Tongan and will let me help her with tapa! Yay!

2. Carving is another beautiful craft here. From war mallets to huge Polynesian sculptures, many wood- and bone-carvers are quite successful here. I’m not a jewelry person, but I will bear Christmas gifts of awesomely-carved things!
3. The coconut is the most fruitful of trees. Ever. A coconut tree is good for everything! You can build a traditional house, weave baskets and hats (and even a porch!), make a broom, you have a never-ending supply of pig food (they love old coconut husks), and, most importantly, a coconut is the most satisfying beverage you’ll ever have. Ever. In the whole wide world!

I suppose the capital has caused me to become spoiled in all things Peace Corps. I have internet at work, I live close to the office/town, I have access to everything I need, and my friends are close. But just as I often forget the beauty of rolling, Kentucky hills, I also forget the greatness of Tongan culture.
So as I’m rocking my boots back in Clean Life in supermarkets, restaurants, or even my own bed (I may even sleep in them…I just love boots,) in my 3-week separation from all things Tonga, perhaps I’ll miss something from here. The sea breeze, Cat, the ease of transportation, the proximity of friends, the absence of the 2012 elections, and the many foods that can be made with coconut.