Breadfruit

Breadfruit is the first novel by Tahitian author, Celestine Hitiura Vaite and the first book in the Materena Mahi series. Having lived with her man, for twelve years, certain things, including a drunken proposal from Pito himself, are making her think about a wedding. And she is starting to like the idea. But although Materena begins making tentative plans, no further mention is made, and she eventually gives up on the idea. Or does she? As Materena makes various wedding-related enquiries, she also learns a lot about her family’s history.

As she navigates Materena’s life towards the longed-for union, Vaite weaves together a collection of seemingly unrelated anecdotes about life and love, Tahiti-style, as well as Tahitian legends and gossip about friends and family (the many aunties and cousins one has in Tahiti) that often ends up on the Coconut Radio. She touches on topics as diverse as brooming, totems, mother-in-law’s cake, the shape of the nose, new carpet, mattress allergy, mosquito coils, private property, gendarmes, a transvestite girlfriend, a birthday frying pan, religion, politics, words of love, family diplomacy, birth of babies and she also describes a novel form of Tahitian caller ID. A light-hearted look at life in Tahiti. 3.5 stars