PA and the JUNGLE

WHAT WAS I THINKING

Rarotonga is the largest of the Cook Islands, its capitol, and spectacularly beautiful. Shaped like a small round bean it is surrounded by a protective reef which is broken in 5-6 places. There are four atolls in the lagoon on the east side of the island. The well known white beaches nearly surround the island which is fringed with coconut palms. The turquoise blue lagoon is full of colorful tropical fish.

The interior of the island is rugged and mountainous, covered with dense lush green growth. The narrow valleys and steep hills make it difficult to populate. The Needle, a rock pinnacle, in the center of the island stands 2000 feet above the fertile valley. It is the highest point on the island and a vigorous hike over a razorback ridge, one few tourist attempt.

I took one look at Pa, the medicine man and silently wondered what I had gotten myself into. However, I did trek into the jungle with him. Pa was a 58 year old native Rarotongan whose head was crowned with blond dread locks. He wore a tie-dyed pareu around his waist wrapped sort of like a diaper. He told the 16 of us brave souls who were  waitingto follow him, “I’ve hiked into the mountain over 1000 times.”

On the walk to where the lush vegetation began we saw chestnut trees and wild pumpkin/squash vines. As we walked through the forest he pointed out the tapioca plant, a candlenut tree and the no no plant.

He told us, “Oil from the candlenut was used to light lanterns before the days of kerosene. The fruit of the no no plant with two nuts, some of the leaves and mixing it all with green coconut milk was used for prostate or kidney problems."

We passed by several old plantation ruins deep in the valleys. We followed a stream into the lush greenness. It was up and over fallen trees, down on the other side, cross the stream by balancing on rocks, then repeat it all over again. The climb was often steep and I swear we crossed that stream a hundred times. It was a pretty rugged hike.

Pesky mosquitoes buzzed in thick swarms. Long sleeves and pants completely covered me except for my face and hands and they with my clothing were doused with bug juice.

Pa got us to an ancient marae which I’m guessing was a couple of miles into the jungle. It is very hard to judge distance on this type of a criss-cross, up and down hike. Arriving at the site Pa said, “Before we can step on the marae I will talk to my ancestors and bless the marae. Since I am a high ariki (kahuna, priest) I can do this.”

The marae is an open air temple in a clearing and when Pa was finished we could step on it to rest a bit.

He continued, “Today the marae is  used only for investiture of a new chief who is carried by warriors onto the marae. He sits on a stone at the head of the temple. Then a pig is brought to him and he is required to chew the ear off the pig and eat it. Then the party of celebration begins.” (I’m not sure if the pig is alive or dead, cooked or raw.)

There was some conversation when Pa asked if we wanted to continue on. Since we had been hiking and swatting mosquitoes for several hours it was a quick consensus to not continue any further. Most of the hikers were about the age of my adult children.

We returned to the stream where we had passed a pretty waterfall and settled in for lunch surrounded by dinosaur ferns. Pa told us, “These ferns only grow in three places in the world, here, Hawaii, and Costa Rica. It was extremely quiet and peaceful with only the sound of the waterfall breaking the silence.

The hike was really tough on the knees and thighs. The next couple of days my legs and body were not very happy with the abuse I had given them. At any rate the jungle is really beautiful and I’m glad I trekked it. It was an interesting experience, although I would like to have had more information regarding the edible and medicinal plants.