Got out of town on a boat goin' to Southern islands
Sailing a reach before a followin' sea
She was makin' for the trades on the outside
And the downhill run to Papeete
Off the wind on this heading lie the Marquesas
...
You understand now why you came this way
'Cause the truth you might be runnin' from is so small
But it's as big as the promise, the promise of a comin' day
Southern Cross by Crosby, Stills & Nash
As a child
reading Nat Geo magazines, I dreamed of becoming an anthropologist traveling to
some mystical place learning about new
cultures and perhaps, myself, in the process. 
Almost 40 years
later I’m standing on the deck of a ship that has carried me across the South
Pacific Ocean for over six weeks. Although I had already seen incredibly
beautiful islands, as the sun rose through the mist while approaching Nuku
Hiva, an inexplicable excitement stirred within me.
On one side of
the ship lie untamed mountains with jagged edges and indentations forming
ominous faces and figures in the shadows. On the other side, the partially
submerged rocks collectively resemble a fat man lying on his back exposing his
chin and belly toward the sun. The sun’s rays poke through the clouds, highlighting
parts of the mountain and the moored sailboats sprinkled throughout the harbor.
The air feels
electric with anticipation.
And then I feel
the drums--deep, carnal, visceral, tribal, and hauntingly familiar.
They rattle my
bones and stir my blood as if an untethered cord within me has been waiting
until this visit to connect me to my roots and my story. Here, in this wildly beautiful
island, I have found one of the few places that I feel rooted.
Arriving on shore
I wondered what the explorers must have felt hundreds of years ago when they
first arrived if they received the same welcome. The massive drums, carved from
tree trunks and covered with animal or sharkskin, resonate in your bones. The
dancing lifts your spirits, and the singing shifts from playful to wailing.
Nuku Hiva, the
largest island of the Marquesas, has natural majestic beauty in its soaring
spire-like mountain peaks, secluded valleys, and waterfalls. It also has an
interesting heritage. Some studies suggest the earliest discoverers came from
Samoa 2000 years ago. Over time the population exceeded the available
resources. Notably, cannibalism was observed and documented by the
missionaries, and different theories have attempted to explain why many
Polynesian tribes adopted the practice.
Like many other
ports, the churches re-directed part of the island’s history. Nuku HIva,
though, still has many ancient sacred sites with petroglyphs—remnants of their
previous beliefs carved into stone. Other parts of the island are currently
being excavated for the ancient relics from sacred sites.
At one such site,
I could see and hear powerful waves slamming into the rocks. Then, as the water
receded over the lava rocks and pebbles I could hear a soft little melody. This
contrast offered a beautiful metaphor for the ebb and flow of life. As ancient
as the petroglyphs are, a visible spiritual reverence appears in the stones, as
well as in the other tikis and carvings observed throughout the island. Spirituality
speaks to our soul’s connection to heaven and earth, and each other, through our
heart. Regardless of location or time, we are spiritual beings having a human
experience. We are all connected.
People here
appear happy and peaceful, acquiring all they need from the land and sea. The
tales of their life and their values, their connection to the earth and each
other can be seen permanently memorialized in the designs of their tattoos. As
I walked along the black sandy beaches sparkling with mica-like gold flecks, I
observed one man washing his horse under a palm tree and another playing with
his dogs in the ocean. I saw families
swimming and barbecuing by the ocean, and musicians hanging out playing the
Tahitian ukulele. At the market craftsmen displayed their hand-carved woodwork
and women sold handmade shell and pearl jewelry. People laughed and shared
papaya, mangoes, and coconuts. And everywhere there were flowers. The women
wear fragrant flowers like frangipani or tiare (gardenia) as garlands and head
bands, and the vibrant colors of flowering trees can be seen everywhere you
walk.
The lyrics of
CSN’s Southern Cross ring true: I
understand now why I came this way. 