Namba 2 Lagoon BBQ

Nakamal Visited
This one place which is really nice called Felix (not pronounced "FEELIX") right out on the water just past Coleman Stadium, great chairs, good kava, quiet, I definitely plan on going back there.  Had a couple shells there, then filled up a plastic bottle with 1,500vt and took it back to Apeslom's house.

Kava Kwaliti
Good stuff, first shell made some work.  I didn't investigate too much, not sure where the kava was from, I just know it was good.

Company
Had a BBQ at Apeslom's house, joined by Tawian Samson and Papa Lani.  And, of course, the rest of Apeslom's family (his woman, his woman's first daughter, their daughter, his woman's mother, and other randoms I couldn't quite figure out).  His tawi Michelle joined us later for kava, he is a singer in a band her called...yeah, I think I forgot, Ruff Boys??  Apes lives in Namba 2 Lagoon on the land of wan of the Dinh brothers who used to be in politics.  Here are some photos from the day:

Apeslom cutting up everything he can find to use as firewood

Papa Lani prepping the kumala

Tawi Samson and Papa Lani in mid-story

Fat little wood-eating larvae that kids collect and sometimes eat...these are small ones

Apes ripping the guts and teeth out of the larvae before roasting it for me to eat

Amusing Observation
Apes told a story about this guy he works with.  He liked a house girl from Fiji who was working close by the construction site, and would ask her every day for a roll in the bush.  She always said no.  Then, sometime last week I think, he told her that he likes her so much he could eat her shit.  He then lifted a pile of dog crap off the ground and, while looking at her, rubbed it all over his face in some kind of comedic seduction act.  This, it was said, was done to impress the lady.  She ran away.  They now call this guy Dog Shit.  Great nickname.

The man who owns the property we were hanging out on used to be a politician, and he told me that what this country needs is more factories.  And, he said the women that live in town are lazy bitches.  He is not an ethnic Melanesian.  Not really sure where he fits in here, actually.

My tawi Samson wants to go back to the island, but my uncle won't let him because his brother is there and he doesn't want the added burden.  It's a sign of the times.  Samson has never asked his papa that he stays with in Eratap for anything, he works for his money and stays out of trouble.  Well, mostly.  They did end up naming the road he lives on "Breakem Ass Street" partly (mostly) because of him.  "Breaking Ass", on Paama anyway, is something that is done for fun by the young dudes (rarely girls, but that does happen sometimes), where one will walk ahead, and then drop their shorts, bend over and spread their ass cheeks and call out to you so you look, followed by laughter and swearing.  Breaking ass is a form of swearing, horrifying and hilarious all at once.  Sorry, no photos of that to post.

That night, Apes beat up his woman a bit (black eye, broken hand, I think he worked a kick in there somehow too) because he asked her to buy biscuits at the store and she came back with bread.  Me and wan Samson reprimanded him, but only after protecting him from his woman who came screeching down to the pier with a machete ready to cut off his money maker.  Domestic problems in Vanuatu are complicated.  He later tended to her wounds and talked to her, maybe even said he was sorry I'm not sure I wasn't in the room, while her mother came down to apologize on behalf of her horrible daughter.  I'm still kind of confused by that whole mess.  That episode aside, it was a great day with family.