THE WEDDING CONCH BLOWER I WAS DIVING IN KANAPALI LOOKING FOR DINNER WHEN SHE APPEARED. SHE LOOKED TAHITIAN, COCOA BUTTER SKIN AND HAIR WITH COCONUT SLATHERED ON IT. I COULD SMELL IT FROM MY ROCK. SHE WAS DEAD STILL WITH A HAND SLING. HER GAZE WAS INTENSE TOWARDS AN EDDY OF WATER. SHE STAYED SO STILL UNTIL A SPLIT SECOND SHE MOVED AND SPEARED AN ONO, PRETTY BIG ONE. I SAY, MAMA, LET'S COOK UM UP. SHE SAY YOU CRAZY, THIS FOR MY KIDS MAN. I TOLD HER I'M HER KID THEN. SHE NOT LAUGHING. SHE STERN FACE. SHE EATING SOUR FRUIT. I SAY MAMA, YOU COOK THE ONO, I COOK THE REST, I PERFUME SOME RICE, SOME POI, A CUP OF RUM OR TWO, WE BE FREINDS. SHE COCKED THE SLING. POINT AT MY PINGA. SO ChICKIE BACK AWAY. NO LIKE WOMEN WITH SPEAR AT MY PINGA. EVERYDAY I COME SEE HER. SHE NO TALK. SHE NO LOOK, SHE CATCH FISH EVERYDAY ONLY ONE. SHE CATCH ONE SHE GO HOME. SHE MOVE SO FAST, I NO FIND HER. BUT I KNOW WHERE SHE FISH. ONE DAY I BRING MY CONCH SHELL AND PLAY AND PLAY, I PRACTICE FOR WEDDING. SHE ACT LIKE SHE NO LIKE, BUT I SEE HER EYES GET LITTLE SHINY. SOMETHING GOING ON IN HER HEART. SHE NO TALK, CAUSE SHE THINK I CRAZY AND LAZY TAHITI BOY. I WORK HARD, I TAKE CARE OF MAMA, SISTER, SISTER KIDS, WHEN SHE LEAVE I FISH ALL DAY, I CUT THE COCO, I CUT THE LEAVES TO PATCH THE HOUSE GOOD, NO WATER IN BAD STORM. I BRING THE HERBS HOME AND COOK THE FOOD FOR THE FAMILY AND I RUB THE MAMAS FEET, THEy SWOLE UP. SHE BIG KAHUNA IN MY VILLAGE. EVERYONE GIVE HER SWEET TO EAT, MAYBE SHE HAVE TOO MUCH SUGAR IN THE BLOOD, THE SILLY PREACHER MAN TOLD ME. WE GOT DOCTOR, PLENTY GOOD, I WORRY THOUGH AND SHE WORRY, CHICKEE SHE SAY, YOU NO GOT A WOMAN, MAYBE YOU LIKE THE MAN. NO MAMA, I'M LOOKING, BUT NO ONE LOOK BACK. ONE DAY SHE SAY CHICKEE, THE GIRL WHO FISH SHE NO LIKE YOU? NO MAMA, SHE MAD AT SOMETHING. MAYBE SHE HAD BAD MAN. YEAH CHICKEE ONE BAD MAN MAKE YOU SCARED. YOUR DADDY GOOD TO ME. MAKE PLENTY PINEAPPLE. HE WORKED TO DEATH TO FEED US. I KNOW MAMA, MY EYES RAINING. SHE SAY COME TO ME CHICKEE, I FIX YOU, YOU TOO DUMB ABOUT WOMEN, I TELL YOU NOW AND SHE TOLD ME, THEN SHE RUB PLUMERIA OIL IN MY HAIR AND SHE TOLD ME TAKE THE CONCH SHELL TO THE FISHING LADY AND PLAY FOR HER. YOU TAKE MY SPECIAL LEI OF ORCHIDS TOO. SHE COME WITH YOU THEN. I SAY MAMA, SHE VERY MAD. SOMETHING MAKE HER MAD. NOT ME. CHICKEE, YOU NO CHASE HER, YOU RUB THE OIL IN YOUR HAIR AND CLEAN UP IN THE FRESH WATER AND OIL YOUR TATTOOS. AND BRING THE LEI, JUST LEAVE IT BY HER, DON'T TALK DON'T BE SMART AND SLY. YOU DO WHAT I SAY. I DO WHAT BIG MAMA SAY AND YOU MUST GUESS THE REST. THE LEI WAS GONE BY THE SUNSET. THAT'S ALL I TELL. I AM HONORABLE, I TELL NOTHING. WRITTEN BY CHICKEE, PAINTED BY MIGUEL COPYRIGHT BY MICHAEL FORBUS SHE MOVE SO FAST, I NO SEE WHERE SHE LIVE. SO CHICKEE