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Whoever thought that drinking was primarily a western thing got it wrong - when it comes to Atuians anyway! The Tumunu, with its chequered and hilarious history, just proves that you can't keep a good man down..
Before missionaries arrived, islanders traditionally gathered for their kava drinking ceremony on a regular basis. But with the arrival of the Europeans who would change their belief system, such important meetings were frowned upon and eventually banned. Well.. publically anyway.
The numbing and non-alcoholic drink prepared from the kava root (Piper methysticum) and with it the ceremonial gathering were not ,according to the zealous, something the islander's new God would take too kindly to. But the Atiuans sorely missed their chance of joining in happy company, discussing trivial and important matters and so invented the home-brewed "orange beer".
Their barrel was the hollowed out bottom part of the coconut trunk, or in Cook Islands Maori language tumunu. Naturally this had to be done secretly hidden away in the bush. Up until quite recently, the old laws had not been abolished and drinking there remained illegal. There are many hilarious stories that the men at the tumunu will tell you about their old people's ingeniousness to disguise their clandestine drinking parties.
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Atiu these days has seven tumunus, still outside the villages, but no longer hidden away from view. Some even have sign boards, telephones, generators, tiled floors and members are aspiring to making their "hideaway" as comfortable as possible.
But it is still tradition that one needs to be a member or invited guest to go drinking and, though it is no longer a rule that women are not accepted, the local women gather at home, if they want to drink in company. Some tumunus, however, enjoy occasional visits by travellers such as "Are Tou" or "Teponui". Unlike in a pub, everyone gathers around a barrel, often no longer of coconut wood, but of plastic. The barman serves the bush beer to the participants individually in a small coconut shell, one after the other. It is emptied and returned to the barman for refill and passing it to the next person.
The tumunu members will not be offended, if you want to skip a round or don't like the taste or don't even want to drink, but just be there for the experience. Be warned, today's home brew is mostly made of hops and malt, yeast and sugar. It is drunk relatively young and can have a much stronger effect than its juicy taste reveals! When the barman taps his coconut cup against the barrel everyone falls silent. The leader of the tumunu then says a short prayer and afterwards introduces his fellow drinkers to one another.
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The Polynesian people are great orators and everyone is required to introduce himself in a short speech. It is a great opportunity to learn about each other's country and custom (hence the word school), and for our men sharing some happy time with visitors is a window to the rest of the world.
An invitation or organised tour should always precede a tumunu visit. You will not openly be asked to pay for your drinking, but it is quietly expected that you compensate your hosts for their expenses with a minimum of NZ$ 5.00 or the equivalent in sugar.
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