Nederends Plot

Reading this novel, I found myself in constant worry that I was somehow missing the point or larger meaning of the work. I understand that it is meant to be satirical and that the humor is meant to illuminate some deeper message, but there were many times when the nature of the thing being described, mostly farts, just got in the way for me. I found myself wondering why the author decided to choose such a distracting motif to write about. Interestingly, however, as the story progresses the gruesome activity of the bodily functions take a back seat and readers are able to learn a lot more about the pacific culture where the story takes place. I think the effect of using such a potentially distracting motif is that most times I wasn’t aware that I was being taught about a culture. It is less didactic than Achebe and Wendt. In my mind, it is trying to communicate the same things, but achieves it differently as it does not make the culture itself the subject of discussion.

            In many ways, I found myself thinking about the oral culture and how it operates in this story as I felt that it did indeed read silly, but if I were happening to hear this story, I can’t help but think that I’d be enchanted. We are told this silly little story about a man with an anus that farts musical tunes, but through this simple story we learn so much about the pacific culture. We learn about the effects of  colonization and modernization of the land and the booming tourist industry, as well as about the conflict between the doctors and dottores. I believe that the novel's plot allows it to more organically unfold the tensions that arise when two cultures clash. Instead of prioritizing the world of colonization as the subject of exploration, I think that Hau'ofa usefully unfolds the reality of the daily lives of people existing in that environment, the ways in which they are both aware and unaware of, as well as defiant and compliant of their own colonization. 

Warts and All

After half a semester of works that propagates an intense respect for the culture of native peoples, a comprehension of how little is understood of their struggle in the face of colonialism and some of a glance at how unscathed these cultures emerged from carnage of colonialism into the brave, new post colonial world, Kisses in the Nederlands comes as something of a shock. Initially, it seems to treat the natives of the Pacific Islands, as buffoons. Superficially speaking the characters (endearing and fascinating as they were) struck yours truly as almost primitive individuals who illogically rolicked their way through a medical issue,morphing it, because of their ignorance, into a life threatening crisis. This characterization seems to be given weight by the trajectory of the piece which culminates with Oilei’s malady being solved by the intervention of modern (read:western) medicine.

But that can’t be what Hau’ofa is trying to say because that’s bigoted and absurd. However, I think what he’s saying is a little more nuanced than the tried and true cliche: cultural compromise/adaptation is necessary for continued cultural growth. Rather, he presents yet another dynamic to the ongoing conversation swirling around these cultures. This new dynamic forces the reader (at least it forced yours truly) to cringe and deal with imagery (such as Ninongs growing succulent in the swampy wetlands of everyone’s anus) and situations in this culture that are a little absurd and don’t have the austere dignity that is so easy to relate to and talk about from a western perspective. To date, there’s been something of an anguished hagiographical nature to the depictions of once colonized people. But Kisses in the Nederlands destroys that paradigm and brings a low brow sense of humor to the party with jokes about the nether regions galore. By focusing so intensely and funnily on so unseemly a topic Hau'ofa humanizes the cultures. The outsider need not speak in hushed, increasingly reverent tones about them any longer. One can see them warts and all and come out the other end still fond and full of respect for the characters involved. One can even come out a quasi believer in anal kissing for peace.

Comedy and Misunderstanding

            In Hau'ofa's Kisses in the Nederends, misunderstanding of humor and comedy, allows the reader to see the distinct differences between the Western culture and the Pacific Islander culture, the characters' character, and the satirical undertones. Hau'ofa's humor is meant to make the reader laugh out loud; he uses puns, satire, and conversational humor. However funny the novel may be, however, the satire is meant to evoke more serious undertones about inequality and corruption. The comedy, although apparent on every page of the novel, is not Hau'ofa's main point; he uses wit and satire in order to attack humanity and society's problems and faults. He does this by disregarding the social injustices as a joke throughout the novel. 
       The novel begins with a humorous action scene in which Oilei is relieving himself (in a pig-like manner) and his dog pees on his foot. This reflects how animal-like and disgusting Oilei is from the beginning.From this moment on the reader knows that this novel will be humorous. Yes, their exists puns such as calling Oilei a prostate or a pig, which is funny because he has a medical problem with his prostate and he actually acts like a pig. When Oilei is meeting with the Christian Reverend, Masu Lasu, he tells him to "take your arse out of my house, and don't bring it back here again. Oh shit!"(which was one of my favorite lines in the entire novel). Oilei and the Reverend don't see eye to eye and therefore they can't understand each other fully, especially each other's humor. One obvious difference between them is that the Reverend speaks as a reverend would, in a very respectful way while Oilei curses regularly. The difference between Western ideas and Pacific traditions and ideas is shown here.
      It is obviously hysterical that Oilei can't stop farting but that is not what is truly important (though entertaining) in this novel. Through his journey we sees the outrageous society and the many problems of corruption and social justice that exist in his community. 

The Effectiveness of Satire

Sometimes the best way to understand something you are unfamiliar to you  is through comedy. If someone is able to relay information by using satire and are comfortable enough to do so then it makes the readers feel just as comfortable. Hau’ofa’s Nederlands introduces a Pacific island culture by using satire in a particularly unique way. The focus on the anus and bodily functions kind of takes a less serious look on the culture shift which the Polynesian characters experienced throughout the novel. Interestingly the language is familiar to non-Polynesian readers which is also important in the understanding of the culture.

Although hilarious that Oilei’s farting is out of control it is important that Hau’ofa still addresses how important Oilei is to the community. Through the satire you begin to understand the tension within the village and how the community collaborates. Compared to other books we have read so far this one is definitely less serious but still manages to teach us about the culture in a rather successful way. Comedy is attractive and often people can learn from it, from this novel you learn the dynamics in the village and how individuals are affected by the changes within their community. 

Cultural Transition and Discrepancies

Epeli Hau'ofa's Kisses in the Nederends contains themes that parallel those of similar post-colonial works. Potiki and Kisses both utilize the Maori tribes of New Zealand to depict the inevitability of cultural alteration as a direct result of colonialism. Virtually every novel discussed thus far conveys themes of cultural transition facilitated through the actions of characters based on historical colonial figures. Their influence on the various native cultures is always dynamic in nature and frequently prompts an alteration of cultural values and practices. Although the Maoris discussed in both works demonstrate the changing influence of white colonial characters, their inherent cultural values remain vastly different. This is most clearly exemplified through the Maori's conceptualization of nature. Maori culture and religion holds nature in high esteem and reverence. The tribal characters redundantly describe their sense of connectedness to nature. They regard death as not malicious and worthy of fear, but rather as just another step in life's sacred process. Numerous discrepancies exist between the white and Maori outlooks respectively. Potiki's white characters are referred to as "Dollarmen"due to the lack of reverence they demonstrate towards nature and their desire to exploit the land as a means of generating profits. The correlation most evident between these two works is the Maori's reverence towards nature. Unlike other aspects of native culture relinquished to colonial figures, their relationship with nature is too profound to be altered by colonial influence.

Logic (or Lack Thereof) in Kisses in the Nederends

                In Kisses in the Nederends, Epeli Hau’ofa depicts the bizarre mechanisms of human behavior and logic in a comedic light through his cast of eccentric characters. One example of the twisted logic Hau’ofa presents the reader is Oilei’s preference of dottores over the hospital because he detests the idea of nurses looking at his anus, but he allows dottores of all kinds to examine him, and they spread word of his affliction as surely as any nurse would. Eventually, Oilei’s problem is common knowledge across the country, but he still refuses to seek medical attention at a hospital. The dottores themselves entertain similarly flawed logic – they all come up with completely unfounded explanations for Oilei’s ailment. Marama explains her theory of “lecturer fart,” Losana claims that a wayward demon causes the distress, and Seru concocts the extremely convoluted notion of warring tuktuks wreaking havoc on the body (11, 34, 86). None of these theories are founded in science or sense, but the dottores express them with such certainty that Oilei readily accepts them. By following the advice of these dottores and favoring their traditional treatments over professional assistance, Oilei renders the necessary surgery completely impossible. Oilei is too easily convinced by others, regardless of how poorly formulated their arguments are. For instance, Babu’s simple proposal that all parts of the body are equal quickly dissolves into madness as he suggests that by kissing each other’s anuses, world leaders will achieve “eternal peace” (104). Babu persuades Oilei to accept this notion by “kissing his ass,” which raises the point that those with questionable logic convince others of their causes by ingratiating themselves with them. Throughout the novel, characters make ridiculous mistakes and poor decisions based entirely on ill-conceived rationale, and blindly follow others without considering matters for themselves. This is evident even in the tourists which populate the background of the story – they gladly pay money to experience Amini’s turtle shell con, and deceive themselves into thinking it successful (51). The entire novel is a testament to people’s naivety, particularly concerning matters of which they know very little.

Colonialism as a Projection of Culture and Values

Epeli Hau'ofa's Kisses in the Nederends continues a trend of readings that we have examined this semester in which colonization results in the diminishment of native culture for the benefit of the colonizing power. After reading this book, I struggled to grasp the various concepts of home and culture that were being presented in the novel, and I decided to resort to my own outside research. While “Seru saw the human body as a world in itself,” my outside research continually pointed to the fact that Hau’ofa is doing the opposite and likening the world to a human body (Hau’ofa 86).  In this analogy, the Pacific Islands are equated to Oieli’s aching backside—a place from which great pain is being generated, but an area that few people like to talk about. Thus, the novel satirically examines how colonizing powers seek to fix problems in the colonized world by Westernizing the area further. This is seen in a literal sense early in the story, as at the first International Conference on the Promotion of Understanding and Co-operation Between Modern and Traditional Sciences of Medicine, it is announced that there would be the “imminent opening of the International School of Traditional Medicine…where established and rising dottores will go to study for periods up to two years to bring them up to date and to broaden their fields of competence” (30).  In response to the problems that the Pacific Islands face, colonial nations feel that it is best for their doctors to be reeducated and modernized. This strategy diverts the focus of traditional “witch-doctors” away from custom and instead, indoctrinates them with Western techniques that are assumed by Western powers to be superior to traditional practices. This same idea is seen allegorically in the obvious, when Oieli finally undergoes an anus transplant and receives the backside of a white woman. His body’s rejection of the transplant is symbolic of the fact that the projection of Western values upon colonized nations may not always be the best solution to the problems that they face, as these solutions may not always be compatible with existing (traditional) cultures and ways of life. This idea is visible in Patricia Grace’s Potiki. When the “Dollarmen” arrive seeking to purchase the Maori’s land, they are shocked that they cannot be persuaded with promises of jobs or conveniently located apartments. While these solutions may have persuaded other Westerners, the Maori do not share these same materialistic values, and thus have no need for the things that they are offered. These two novels, as well as others that we have examined so far this semester, underscore the sanctity of individual cultures, and how it is impossible to utilize a one-size-fits-all approach to solving problems within different societies.