Marquesas/Nuku Hiva: Umu aka Marquesan Pig Roast Feast

Umu is a massive Marquesan traditional pig roast that happens once a week and over 200 people get together to partake in the festivities. The pig is roasted in the ground on hot rocks underneath banana leaves for many long hours. Besides the pig, plenty of other local specialties are served buffet style – poisson cru (raw tuna with coconut milk), various raw fish, crabs, shrimp, taro, manioc, breadfruit, umara (sweet potato), several types of bananas, and tons of sauces and mashed stuff. It’s a total taste bud overload. And then there is fafaru (but that’s worth a separate, next post)…