Life is hard. Sometimes it is harder than at other times. This was not one of those times. Here I am leaving my bungalow over the water chalet for another day in my French Polynesian paradise.

In less than 40 minutes, I arrived on tiny Ra’iatea Island and was welcomed by the Mayor of Taputapuatea, Thomas Mautame and an entourage of Tahitian drummers and dancers. It was a little funny walking through doors that read “Ra’iatea Airport!” Who would have guessed that I could leave Moloka’i one day and then a week later be on Ra’iatea?

In Tahiti, the refreshments come in their own containers, like my coconut milk here. After a wonderful tour of the Taputapuatea Marae, I was treated to a fabulous traditional lunch under the trees by the beach. We had poisson crue (raw fish dressed with vegetables and coconut milk), taro, rice and an assorted array of fresh fruits. In the midday sun, the heat was unbearable. But in the shade of the tree, the cool sea breeze felt like natural air conditioning. You haven’t lived until you eat on the beach.

After a nice day off celebrating Bastille Day, here I am a day later at work at the Sale Manuiti Theatre. My guys, Kamuela Kimokeo, on guitar, and Sonny Kalua III, on bass, and I had a blast. The theatre held about 1,000 people and the guy in the front row was Vice President Antony Geros! How do you say “Lavender is my favorite color in Tahitian?

Who said beauty was only skin deep? On Bastille Day a bunch of us were invited to the Office of the Governor of French Polynesia and there under the welcoming shade sat the beautiful Teura Bauwens, who was crowned the First Miss Tahiti back in 1960! We had such a wonderful talk and as anyone would quickly discover, Teura is as beautiful inside as she is outside. Which only goes to prove that there are exceptions to every rule!

All Hawaiians, it has been said, first came to the Hawaiian Islands from the Marae called Taputapuatea. Because of that claim, it is also known as the “Navigators Marae” and it is a special, sacred place. Here I am thinking about what it meant for those ancient Tahitians to leave everything they knew for the open sea.

My mom named me after she had a dream. It was a high place on an island and that island is in Tahiti. Not many people know that my name means “Far Away Heaven” in Tahitian and my first CD was named “Ra’iatea.” This year I was lucky enough to perform two concerts in Papeete, Tahiti and I took the chance to go and visit the island that shares my name.

I have spent a lot of 4th of July’s with my family and friends but this year I not only spent the Fourth in Hawaii but also Bastille Day in Papeete, Tahiti. To the French, July 14th each year has the same meaning as the 4th of July does to Americans. So I did what the French and Tahitians do; I went downtown to watch a parade and found this tall handsome Frenchman. He didn’t seem like he was celebrating much but I knew he was laughing inside.

There is no better way to spend an evening than singing to the moon! I want to send a huge Mahalo! to the Bishop Museum, and especially Linda Chock for inviting me to perform on the Grand Lawn for their famous “Moonlight Mele.” The crowd was huge, the weather warm and the moon was full! I even did a hula!  And pictures don’t lie … it was so much fun!