STORY POLES

                          No Longer Totem Poles

     Spanish explorers thought North American Native Peoples, who they called Indians, worshiped their poles and called them totems, which in Spanish means idol. Of course none of that was true. Totems tell a story and often record family history, so today story poles is the correct terminology.

     In Canada the term First Nation’s Peoples has replaced the use of Indian, aborigine, and indigenous, all words used in the past to describe the nation’s first inhabitants.

     Story poles are more common in some places than others, as the custom of carving was common among certain tribes or bands of people. The giant red cedar tree is the most common tree used for carving a story pole, so proximity to them was a big factor influencing the craft/tradition. The tree with the stringy bark can grow 200-feet tall.

     Story poles depict the relationship between man, animals, celestial bodies, plants, and landscapes and how they intermingle and change. A person, clan, band, or trib differs from another the same way a dog differs from a cat.

     To say, “I am a Raven” means I am from the Raven clan/band.  The Raven ranks high on the story pole as he oversees man and the creatures below. He also is the guardian of the carver.

The Raven’s strong beak is feared by both man and other creatures.

     The Eagle is the symbol of the Haida tribe, and his flight honors the past while soaring into the future. He is the strongest of all creatures because he has the largest wings, sharpest eyes, controls the sky and can cause storms, thunder and lightning.  Sometimes he is called the thunder bird.

     This is no more than an awareness and introduction to story poles. It’s a fascinating subject. There is a large story pole in a square in Seattle, Washington. Stanley Park in Vancouver, British Columbia has numerous poles. I happened to be at the Capilano swinging bridge complex when a carver was in residence. The friendly fellow was most generous with his time answering questions and educating my friend and me.  Story poles are often seen in the western U S and Canada.

     I bought a book somewhere in my travels so I’ll go more in depth on the subject another day.

JUNGLE TREK

                                         Pa and the Jungle

     When in the Cook Islands on Raratonga, the largest of the islands, I learned its interior was rugged, mountainous and covered with dense, lush green vegetation---in other words jungle!  The narrow valleys and steep hills make it difficult to populate, and it is an area few visitors venture into.

     However, in spite of my age, I thought I was fit enough and brave enough to trek into the jungle with Pa, who billed himself as a medicine man. The 58 year old native Raratongan sported blond dread locks and wore a tie dyed pareu wrapped around his middle resembling a diaper. It hung to his knees and I wondered if he might have left a load in it.  Looking at him I had a moment of pause—did I really want to do this trek?  

     Only one other fellow from our boat was among the 16 of us brave souls willing to go into the jungle. Pa told us he had hiked into the mountain  over 1000 times. He pointed out several plants and trees  used by natives for various ailments. This was my area of interest.

     Passing some old plantation ruins deep in the valley we followed a stream into the lush greenness. It was up and over fallen trees, down on the other side, balancing on rocks in the stream to get on the other side and then repeat the same process again, and again and again. Although Pa was several years younger than I , he certainly was agile and none of the young people in our group could keep up with him.

      I wore long pants, long sleeves and a hat, then doused all exposed areas with mosquito juice. The pesky mosquitos were insistent and I was glad the repellent smelled a lot better than it did in my youth.

     A couple miles in to the jungle we arrived at a marae. Before we could step on it Pa had to talk to his ancestors and bless the site. Because he was a high ariki (kahuna, priest) he could do that.

     A marae is an open air temple in a clearing used for investiture of a new tribal chief.  Carried by warriors onto the marae, the chief sits on a stone at the head of the temple. A pig is brought to him and he is required to chew off an ear and eat it; after that the celebration begins.

     We all did step on the marae for a short rest. At that point when asked if we wanted to continue that much farther to the needle it was an unanimous decision to turn around! We returned to the stream to an area where there was a small but picturesque waterfall.  We settled in for lunch surrounded by dinosaur ferns. It was quiet and peaceful with only the sound of rushing water to break the silence. Thankfully the mosquitoes went elsewhere for lunch!

     Raratonga was the last stop on my Tahiti/Cook Islands adventure so we had disembarked from the ship to a hotel for a couple of days. Getting back to the hotel after the jungle trek neither I nor the fellow from the same ship could hardly walk. We both made it to the pool to soak our sore leg muscles. The next day was a Sunday and the entire island was closed  so we hung out at the hotel which was probably a smart move as the following day we would be coping with airports. This gave my small group a chance to visit with each other and to relive our fantastic trip.

DRINKS---AN ADVENTURE

                    A Few of my Interesting Drinks

     Traveling all over I have had many interesting drinks, some I liked and some not so much. When biking in Germany and Austria, I drank many a spezi, and I often drink one at home. A spezi is easy to make as it is a mix of half cola and half lemonade. A lot of people put a dash of lemon in their cola, but a spezi is special to me as it brings back lots of pleasant memories,

     A tundraccino is a take-off on the popular cappuccino. This was a welcome warming drink when riding in the tundra  buggy in the cold Canadian sub-arctic. Simply mix 3 parts instant cocoa to 1 part instant coffee and add boiling water to mix. It was a pleasant change from either hot cocoa or coffee.

     In  the English Cotswolds I learned a Lemon Shanty is a drink of equal parts  beer and lemonade. I understand it is a popular drink for women, but not being a beer drinker I cannot vouch for it.

     In Regensburg, Germany, at the oldest coffeehouse in the country, I ordered iced coffee. It was good but rather different. Cold coffee was poured into a tall  glass and  topped with two scoops of chocolate chip ice cream.

At the same time a couple  elderly German ladies  arrived and ordered blond angels. This was a combination of orange juice and vanilla ice cream---perhaps their answer to our root beer floats. They must have been good as they drank a second one before leaving.

     In Vienna kaffehouses, there is no such thing as  a plain cup of coffee. It comes in many forms, each with a different  name. In one such establishment we were served by a tux clad waiter.

     In England don’t even think about ordering a cup of coffee, it leaves a lot to be desired for a coffee lover.  The one exception to this might be large American chain hotels where their coffee makers use pre-measured coffee filters to cater to the American palate. The English drink tea and there are specific rules for doing so and drinking it with a meal is a definite no no!

     In Europe coffee and tea are served in china or porcelain cups, and of course there is no bottomless coffee cup. I concede to one advantage to an overseas fast food establishment and that is one can get a drinkable cup of coffee in a take away cup. Otherwise it’s consume on the premises. A young girl in the Copenhagen airport brought that to my attention.

     This is just the beginning as there are many more drinks but we’ll save them for another day.

WHAKAREWAREWA

                             Rotarura, New Zealand

     Whakarewarewa is a mouth full and I don’t even try to pronounce it. Locals call it Whaka, which is pronounced Faka , as in the Maori language wh is pronounced like an f.

     Whaka, located in Rotarura, is one of the most accessible thermal areas in New Zealand. From my hotel room the steam rising from the vents, beyond the  fence, gave  a very mystical feeling to the area. The village gives one an extensive insight into Maori culture, which has fascinated me ever since I lived so many years in Hawaii.

     The earth bubbles, boils and spits everywhere, and the air is  pungent with a hydrogen sulfide aroma. The Maori cook in a natural steam oven called a hangi. Strategically placed, the Maori never worry about building a fire because they have steam twenty-four hours a day. Vegetables are wrapped in cloth then covered in burlap and securely tied before being submerged to cook in boiling pools.

     Pipes lead from the cooking pool down to large communal bathtubs. The clear water flows by gravity to the lower tubs, The pools are filled each morning so that by evening the water is cool enough for bathing. The tubs are drained each evening then scrubbed and cleaned.

     The geyser, Pohutu, meaning ‘big splash’ shoots 80-feet into the air several times a day. I was lucky to see Pohutu show off with a spectacular display.

     The cemetery of this village was above ground because one finds himself  in hot water if he digs very deep into the ground.

      We saw several ti trees in the village and learned that the wood has been used for many years for medicinal purposes, for a dye, and for durable fence posts. Authentic Maori woodcarvings have only three fingers on the hands as the Maori believe only in birth, fertility, and death.

     Rotarura is a lovely little city and Whaka is a fascinating  and interesting place to visit. The Maori are friendly and love to teach about their culture.

HOT AIR BALOON EXPERIENCES

                                     Fun Exciting  Rides

      The hot air balloon ride in Kenya over the Masai Mara was not my first balloon ride but it was certainly an exciting one. We were awakened in what I call the middle of the night for the early morning flight.

     The balloon rose up into the sky just as the sun peeked over the horizon. Floating over the Mara the only noise breaking the incredible silence was the occasional swoosh of the helium being pumped up into the balloon. The swooshing noise did not seem to bother the animals below. We floated right over their heads so the animals were not dwarfed by height. One gets an entirely different perspective in the air than on the ground.  It was wonderful just watching the wild animals doing their thing in the wild.  

     With no roads, the support van could follow the balloon to the landing site shortly after the balloon descended into an open field. In record time the galley appeared and a delightful champagne  brunch, including eggs to order, was enjoyed. What a delightful morning!

     In the Australian Outback the wake up call came at 3:15 AM—again  the middle of the night for most people. We rolled out of bed, dressed quickly and loaded the van for the short ride to the field where our balloon waited  for us, deflated on the ground. This time we all pitched in to pull out and arrange the balloon so it was ready to be inflated. Once it was upright we stepped up into the basket ready for an early morning take off.

     At daybreak we floated over browsing cattle and wild horses running on the plain below, Mobs of kangaroos were hopping everywhere. We were considerably higher on this flight. We floated under a cloudless sky.  Away from civilization the silence is incredible.

     I tried to capture a spectacular sunrise on film but was not successful. As the day lightened we spotted several other balloons in the air.

     All too soon it was time to desend. After a safe landing everyone helped to fold the  big balloon and pack it away in its compact holding case. Instead of a field brunch we headed back to town to a tavern that had opened early just for us. We all enjoyed the traditional champagne brunch  in a nice atmosphere.  We drank and ate as lively conversation flowed. The comfortable patio chairs were conducive to relaxing on the that clear warm morning. What a fun way to start a day!