Roy was up bright and early again to head ashore for more freshly baked goodies and, after breakfast, he helped Neil from YouNevaKnow again to go up the mast. Elaine took the opportunity to get some cleaning done and give the cockpit and helm station a detailed cleaning as it had not been done since the Marquesas. Then it was time to spend the afternoon relaxing and reading.
After dinner we walked in to Vaitape to enjoy the festivities of the annual Heiva. Tonight's lineup was the traditional singing and dance competition. Other activities of the Heiva include outrigger racing, the coconut husk removing competition, tropical fruit races amongst others. The Heiva is basically a month long competition that takes place on all the Society Islands, but we arrived too early on the other islands to see them. Fortunately we're in Bora Bora at the right time.
Tonight's competition was excellent and definitely worth seeing. The lovely thing
about the Heiva is that it is not "staged" for the tourists. It is something for the locals, supported by the locals and tourist can attend if they please. It is a rare opportunity to see the authentic traditions, which is simply priceless!
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