My weekend in Apia was marvelous! I left on Thursday on the first flight after work. SPEX (South Pacific Express) is the way to go. A part from the back that the plane looks incredibly square (any aerodynamic principle here?), and that there was a dead cucaracha between the passenger and the outside window (how did it get there?), the flight left in time even if there were many empty seats (how unusual), and there was also a flight assistant serving water and juice (how unusual!!!).
Once in Apia, I met Paul at Paddles, an Italian-owned restaurant. Last time I went to Italy I bought them a deck of Italian cards and I was so happy to finally be able to award the treasure to them. Being so isolated, it feels just priceless to be with people that speak, move and behave like you. After few drinks with the Italians, Paul took me for dinner in a wonderful terrace with the view of Apia… ahhh… I wish we had places like this too here… And the food was excellent and not to expensive neither.
We say in Italy “it is easy to start something, what it is hard is to finish it well”. I think Paul and I did a good job ending our relationship. We still love, respect and care for each other so much, without that romantic bend.
Friday morning he took me to the vegetable market (and I wish I had picture to show you but my camera is out of business at the moment…), then I drove him to a meeting down town and stole his car to go to Aggie Gray by the sea, where my friend Giovanni is the manager of the SPA.
Did you ever had your head and feet massaged at the same time? It is orgasmonic!!! You just do not know if you should focus on the pleasure down there or up there… you just get lost in a limbo status… with birds singing, waterfall gorging, waves breaking and the wind shaking leaves all around you… what an experience!
Giovanni totally spoiled me, trying to accommodate any of my wish. You see how far a deck of Italian cards can take you? Here a poetry he wrote for me, in honor of my eyebrows… ;)
“quando leggerai le mie righe, le tue sopracciglia saranno ormai foresta pluviale....
torna da me,
odessa dei mari,
sperduta nei meandri
di una terra a me ignota....”
Knowing that he and Dora (his sister) are right next island suddenly makes me staying so much more delightful! I really hope they will make it over in AS for a gnocchi night!
(the 3 ________ ________ (blank blank) italians of the Samoas. Myself, Giovanni and Dora)
Back to Apia, Paul took me to a canyon next to his house… wonderland…
Saturday…. Da-da-dan!!!
I have never been much of a tattoo person. I never found it like something attractive, on the opposite, I knew the difficulty I would have taking home a guy with a tattoo. But after living here for so long, having a tattoo seems like something so natural, honorable…
Since Samoa is the only place in the Pacific where the tradition continued uninterrupted by the missionary, it seemed to me it would be that, if I were ever to have a tattoo, this would be the perfect place, done in the traditional way, naturally.
The traditional way consist of the teeth of a board, fingered, immersed in the ink, and tapped into your skin, as 2 other guy stretch your skin. Now, I have no idea why on Saturday morning this seemed a very good idea to me.
We (Paul, myself and Jeff, Paul’s momentarily roommate until I showed up) drove to Sulu’ape village. He did not explain us how to get to his house, he just said to drive to the village and then ask for direction. So we did. The first direction we got where useless: “after the church, next to the ulu tree”… like if these were unique features. Then… we asked a lady in a shop… she tried for a moment to give directions, but soon she surrended, called her 6-8 years old son and told him to jump in the car with us and show us the way. We left with the kid as if it was something normal. Soon after we though “is the mam calling the police right now saying that 3 palagis kidnapped her son?”. And “if I were a mother, would I have tell me son to jump in the car with 3 foreneirs?”. But this is also the magic of this place. Small island, small village, fast gossips… it does not take long for everybody in the village to know who you are and what you are doing there… We soon arrived to Sulu'ape house. His son his doing a traditional samoan tattoo on a woman... he had a t-shirt saying "If you knew what I was thinking, you would not be smiling"...
Sulu’ape Pepelo is a master tattooist. More. He is the master. He is the one that taught to many, the one which the chiefs and kings go to.
Tattoes masters have been in his family forever. He learned from his dad, which learned from his grandfather, same way his sons learned from him. One of his sons uses the modern tattoing gun, but he still tattoo exclusively in the traditional way. It is an honor for all of us to get a tattoo from him.
Jeff was the first one to get his tattoo. A band around his arm. From his facial expression it did not seems like something that painful. “Nothing can be worth than the dentist” I kept on thinking not worrying too much… 
My turn... I guess I tryied to buy time... I asked Sulu'ape how he cleans his toold. He replied that he has an infra-somethings machine on the top of that fale. I looked out. I saw a pig roaming... am I screwed?
I told Sulu’ape I wanted a band on my feet, something with the “malu” that in the samoan symbology means “shelter, protection”.
I though it would be great if my steps would be protected on their way to the… unknown. Then I asked for fish as I am an oceanographer, and birds, as I am a pilot. And because it seems like my life is moving from the ocean to the land.
He looked at my foot, draw few spots with a marker and asked me to lay down. Two guys, sitting at each side of my foot, stretched the skin so that Sulu’ape could start. “WHAT THE F!@!!!” I did not say it out loud. In fact I did not say anything out loud during the all process, but my mind was running fast … “This is worth that the dentist! No way, I need to find a way out of this! Oh my god, did something that tusk just got stack on my anklebone? Is my pinky toe still attached to the feet? What is he hitting? I have a nerve there! I swear!!! Is he done yet?”…. He did finished after ½ hour of pure continue pain.
(Thinking: "was it yesterday that i was lying on a SPA bed? my happy place...")
(Trying to keep busy and distracted..)
I looked at my tattoo and I liked it. I loved it. The pain goes away fast, the beauty stays there… I told Sulu’ape: “I love it! Can you now do the other foot before I change my mind?” and in my mind “F@*K!! Did I just say it out loud? I am screwed! How do I get out of this…” and so on, as I was lying down on the other side, and through the next ½ hour it took to complete the second tattoo.
Paul was next. He got a big band following his shoulder plate on his back. He was clearly in pain, and that gave me a bit of comfort as I felt such a wimp. If Paul shows pain, they I am totally allowed to be bitchy about it!!! IT HURTED!!! I am leaving with the knowledge now that the dentist… puff! I am not scared of them anymore!!!
After the tattoos were done (Sulu’ape worked no-stop for 4 ½ hours!) we won a late lunch with him and his family, and then we went to drown our pain in alcohol. Full day.
Sunday… no walking please… but the island is huge and there are many opportunities… We just went to a nice tourist resort on the South, bought a bunch of meat and had a tasty bbq! My biggest revelation was the discovery of the Hash House Harries, a drinking club with a running problem. It is very active in Apia on Mondays, and I am planning to make it to same of their meetings… More to be told after I experience it on my skin!!!
After dinner, I had the chocolate and movie Paul promise me, and slept once more like a baby… The taxi came monday morning at 5.30 to take me back to Neverland... and ironically, straight back to work and reality...
well, with only 10 hours holiday, I had a great weekend!!!
I link to Sulu’ape…
http://tongan_tattoo.tripod.com/TonganTattoo/id9.html
1 comment:
If I was going to get a tattoo, it'd be something like you got. Very awesome.
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