Greenpeace

Every so often someone comes along who is special to everyone he meets.  He brightens up a room, makes people smile and leaves the world a better place in his wake.  And as life would have it, sometimes these people are taken from us before we're ready to lose them.  Hayhow Nanoto was one of these people.

Six years ago, Hayhow died from a heart attack while on the Rainbow Warrior during an action in Equador.  Hayhow was from Pohnpei.  While we were here during our stop with the Esperanza, we wanted to take the opportunity to see his family and let them know we haven't forgotten him.

On Friday, three of us from the ship drove to his mother's house to say hello and invite the family to a reception on board the ship the next evening.  As we drove through the unfamiliar neighborhood looking for the house, we were able to locate it thanks to a large Greenpeace banner featuring a rainbow, which was prominently displayed on the front of their home above the porch.

When we offered the invitation to her and the extended family, Hayhow's mother started to cry.  "I'm not crying tears of sorrow", she explained in her thick island accent.  "I'm crying tears of joy that Hayhow's other family is here".

The reception was a who's who of Pohnpei decisionmakers, highlighted by the country's Attorney General and the Ambassador from Australia.  It also included several of our non-profit allies we work with in the region.  But the guests of honor were undoubtedly Hayhow's family - his mom, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles and cousins.  During the formal presentation on the back deck on a beautiful evening, after Attorney General Marstella Jack had stated her support for our work and thanked us for our collaborative efforts to publicize and stop illegal fishing in the Pacific, Lagi Toribau, our onboard oceans campaigner from Fiji, welcomed the family and spoke movingly about Hayhow and how his memory inspires our work.  Hayhow's uncle Mitchell thanked us for our hospitality on behalf of the family and for having meant so much to his nephew.  At one point, Mitchell said with a laugh the true beauty of Hayhow was the fact that he was so different from the rest of the family.  A laugh went up from the Greenpeace contingency in the crowd.  It's something we can all relate to.

Then last night Hayhow's family invited all of us from the ship to their home for dinner.  They laid out a large spread of food on a long table, cooked in the traditional style of Pohnpei that involves wrapping the food in leaves and cooking it on hot stones.  To see Hayhow's family extending themselves to us in this manner was again a stark moment that was moving to all of us.  The food was delicious, followed by the passing of the Sakau cup.  Sakau is a traditional island brew made from Kava root, which has very relaxing properties - like alcohol to some degree without the impairment, negative physical impacts or hangover.  It is a very thick and viscous drink, with a bitter taste.  Drinking it in such settings is part of the communion in Pohnpei, and was part of them welcoming us into their home.

As I was saying goodnight to Hayhow's mother at the end of the evening, she reached over, pulled me to her with a certain gentle strength and gave me a hug I will not soon forget.  "Thank you", she said, "for keeping his memory alive through your work.  Greenpeace meant so much to him".

 Hayhow was a true Warrior of the Rainbow", I replied.  "Both of his families miss him dearly."