Once upon a time long ago, on an island far, far away, I knew a girl. She was the wife of a good friend and famous, in her own way, as the girl just about every visitor to Tahiti saw topless.
Now, Tahitians are a playful people and, in their own way, unaware of their reputation for "casual" attire. After all, if you had spent all of your life in a land with endless tropical heat and the daily humidity of the South Pacific, you would probably dress in as light a style as you could, too, AND not understand why visitors were so interested IN your apparel (or "lack of" as it would seem). Most Tahitian women grow up having very limited options for any type of recognition or advancement in their lives. The few that are lucky enough to be good dancers and attractive enough to become the lead dancers in the locale dance troupe, find that they get endless attention and can use it to their best advantage. But, there are the rare few, that not only simply do not care but also find the financial reward of posing topless for the photographers that make a living with these photos used in calendars and postcards. They "get" that there are people out there that will pay them VERY good money just to take photos of them, as they are naturally anyway!
I had seen these postcards and realized that a majority of the time, one girl seemed to stand out for her beauty and sheer number of cards with her image. On my 4th or 5th visit to Tahiti, I was surprised to have that same beauty walking toward me at my hotel bar one night. I had met the hotel manager and become quick friends with him but was not aware that the wife he had spoken of was this same famous face. I was introduced to Lena. She not only spoke very good English but, though shy (as Tahitian women can be), she seemed to have a good sense of humor to go along with her natural beauty.
Most Tahitians that I had met very simply did not believe a word you said to them. Centuries of people coming to their island and promising to return or simply promising ANYTHING had taught them to distrust everyone. And the women were very aware of the lies told to them for one reason only----the centuries of rumors of their casual sexual promiscuity. I was VERY aware of this and made it a point to NOT show any signs of having that same interest. Was I interested? Of course! But I also wanted to have them as friends so that I could come back and return to people that knew me AS a friend.
So, it was a very slow process of establishing a lasting trusting friendship with ANY of them, but especially with a woman like Lena. I repeatedly would ask her to go fishing with me or to show me where the best fruit trees were on the island. She was very hesitant at first but with some reassurance from her husband and repeated excursions that ended up all about having fun and simply wandering, we became fast friends. She could scamper up the tallest tree as quickly as a monkey and toss down to me mango the size of footballs. We would make a whole meal out of them and laugh at each other as the juice poured down all over our faces and necks. She knew the best spots to fish from a canoe or even in her unique style---which was standing on a coral head with mask on to see below water level but with a fishing pole to dangle the bait just in the right spot before the fish she was after. She had a great smile and loved to giggle and joke, but would occasionally roll her eyes in disbelief at things I would say. Some old habits never die. We spent endless days wandering and talking and dozing off in the sun together.
On one visit, there was a photographer from California that was staying at the hotel. I had become the VIP liaison for the hotel when I visited in exchange for room and board. All that meant was that I was to meet and greet any important visitor or to, at least, make sure visitors were comfortable and had someone to ask questions to that (hopefully) spoke their same language. I showed this photographer my jewelry brochure (my jewelry was for sale in the hotel boutique) and he admitted that he was becoming frustrated trying to take photos of the local girls. I explained some of what I mentioned above and told him that he would have a tough time convincing any of them to pose for him. Most were not only naturally shy but well aware of the "I'll make you famous" lies told. At some point during his stay, he had seen me talking with Lena and asked if we could arrange a shoot with her. She said that she would do it ONLY if it was with my jewelry AND I was there. AND---no nudity. He agreed and we arranged a time and locale.
I went to Lena's house to meet her and walk to the location we had selected. The photographer was to meet us at the beach we had chosen. She stated again that she would not do this topless. She wanted to move beyond her "postcard" days and also thought that there would be no need for any nudity if this was all about my jewelry. She was correct and I assured her that I had spoken with the photographer about it. She gave me one of her "you are SO naïve" looks but we continued on. As we walked, she kept gathering flowers and palm fronds and leaves from the assorted plants along the side of the road. By the time we got there, she had an armful of a wide variety of plant life. The photographer was there to meet us, and while he arranged everything, Lena sat down and, using her toes to hold one end, began to braid all of the flowers and leaves into a gorgeous "couronne" or crown. Now, again, I knew what this photographer did not----Tahitian people are experts at not only knowing what people are REALLY after but "playing" with them, too. Lena seemed to be in to the whole shoot but she never seemed to position herself perfectly for the light or wind or angle.
I knew that some good photos were taken but I also was aware that the photographer was getting a bit frustrated. And, sure enough, he finally got to his point---would Lena take off her pareu? I stepped in and angrily told him NO and said that this had already been discussed and he was out of line by asking. He backed off and Lena had a scowl on her face. I told him that we could take a few more and then wrap it up.
I was standing just over his shoulder when Lena said "One more" and as the photographer aimed, she said to me (in French) "Pour vous! (For you!" and, looking right into the lens-----gave me the picture seen below. She smiled at me and I realized that, with her long experience of dealing with photographers, she knew EXACTLY what she was doing all along and had waited till the last to give me the one shot I needed. I have it enlarged and framed on my wall and laugh at those sparkling eyes of hers every time I look at it. She is still my friend and knows just how much I love her for her friendship and kindness. As we walked away that day, she took off the couronne of flowers and, laughing, tossed it into the lagoon........
Most Tahitians that I had met very simply did not believe a word you said to them. Centuries of people coming to their island and promising to return or simply promising ANYTHING had taught them to distrust everyone. And the women were very aware of the lies told to them for one reason only----the centuries of rumors of their casual sexual promiscuity. I was VERY aware of this and made it a point to NOT show any signs of having that same interest. Was I interested? Of course! But I also wanted to have them as friends so that I could come back and return to people that knew me AS a friend.
So, it was a very slow process of establishing a lasting trusting friendship with ANY of them, but especially with a woman like Lena. I repeatedly would ask her to go fishing with me or to show me where the best fruit trees were on the island. She was very hesitant at first but with some reassurance from her husband and repeated excursions that ended up all about having fun and simply wandering, we became fast friends. She could scamper up the tallest tree as quickly as a monkey and toss down to me mango the size of footballs. We would make a whole meal out of them and laugh at each other as the juice poured down all over our faces and necks. She knew the best spots to fish from a canoe or even in her unique style---which was standing on a coral head with mask on to see below water level but with a fishing pole to dangle the bait just in the right spot before the fish she was after. She had a great smile and loved to giggle and joke, but would occasionally roll her eyes in disbelief at things I would say. Some old habits never die. We spent endless days wandering and talking and dozing off in the sun together.
On one visit, there was a photographer from California that was staying at the hotel. I had become the VIP liaison for the hotel when I visited in exchange for room and board. All that meant was that I was to meet and greet any important visitor or to, at least, make sure visitors were comfortable and had someone to ask questions to that (hopefully) spoke their same language. I showed this photographer my jewelry brochure (my jewelry was for sale in the hotel boutique) and he admitted that he was becoming frustrated trying to take photos of the local girls. I explained some of what I mentioned above and told him that he would have a tough time convincing any of them to pose for him. Most were not only naturally shy but well aware of the "I'll make you famous" lies told. At some point during his stay, he had seen me talking with Lena and asked if we could arrange a shoot with her. She said that she would do it ONLY if it was with my jewelry AND I was there. AND---no nudity. He agreed and we arranged a time and locale.
I went to Lena's house to meet her and walk to the location we had selected. The photographer was to meet us at the beach we had chosen. She stated again that she would not do this topless. She wanted to move beyond her "postcard" days and also thought that there would be no need for any nudity if this was all about my jewelry. She was correct and I assured her that I had spoken with the photographer about it. She gave me one of her "you are SO naïve" looks but we continued on. As we walked, she kept gathering flowers and palm fronds and leaves from the assorted plants along the side of the road. By the time we got there, she had an armful of a wide variety of plant life. The photographer was there to meet us, and while he arranged everything, Lena sat down and, using her toes to hold one end, began to braid all of the flowers and leaves into a gorgeous "couronne" or crown. Now, again, I knew what this photographer did not----Tahitian people are experts at not only knowing what people are REALLY after but "playing" with them, too. Lena seemed to be in to the whole shoot but she never seemed to position herself perfectly for the light or wind or angle.
I knew that some good photos were taken but I also was aware that the photographer was getting a bit frustrated. And, sure enough, he finally got to his point---would Lena take off her pareu? I stepped in and angrily told him NO and said that this had already been discussed and he was out of line by asking. He backed off and Lena had a scowl on her face. I told him that we could take a few more and then wrap it up.
I was standing just over his shoulder when Lena said "One more" and as the photographer aimed, she said to me (in French) "Pour vous! (For you!" and, looking right into the lens-----gave me the picture seen below. She smiled at me and I realized that, with her long experience of dealing with photographers, she knew EXACTLY what she was doing all along and had waited till the last to give me the one shot I needed. I have it enlarged and framed on my wall and laugh at those sparkling eyes of hers every time I look at it. She is still my friend and knows just how much I love her for her friendship and kindness. As we walked away that day, she took off the couronne of flowers and, laughing, tossed it into the lagoon........
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