Our Umu

Our neighbors got a brilliant idea to to an umu. A palagi umu, basically. That means that we bunch of white people prepared a Samoan style dinner baked in a pile of burning rocks and leaves. (When I say "we" I mean "they" because I didn't help at all. I was at a school meeting half the day.)

Damien was our resident Samoan giving instructions and techniques. Ephraim drew from youthful experiences to scrape and strain the coconuts until his hands couldn't handle it anymore. Then James took over. Then Damien finished the job.

Frankly doing an umu is WAY too much work to do regularly. And many people here do it every week. They basically spend all day cooking for lunchtime. When I say "they" I mean the young people. When you reach a certain age you don't have to do that work anymore. Age has its perks.

The boys took their fish prep job very seriously.

Good training for their future at Starkist cannery.

We were nervous when the rain threatened our umu; when you cook outside the weather reigns (get it?).

In the end it turned out to be an amazing feast. My personal favorite: palusami. Young taro leaves baked in coconut milk and onions. Luscious. Dinners with our neighbors are ALWAYS a delicious success. We talked about our next umu... It's like giving birth, after awhile you think labor wasn't THAT bad. So, yeah, we'll see about next time. And when I say "we" you know I don't mean myself.