Intromission

Tradition rules each step of the way; the ovens are dug in the right kind of soil, the right kind of wood is chosen, the heat regulated by its judicious application, the right stones are heated in the flame-filled oven.

Olaf Ruhen, 1978, The Tongans

Before we approach the cooking of meats island-style (in the following chapter), it will be helpful to examine the cooking method/apparatus both central and common to all cooking in the Pacific Islands—the earthpit oven. It is the technological equivalent of Esperanto but of more significance to pan-Pacific culture than either the tandoor (oven) to India or the barbecue to the Americas. It is the sine qua non of an island feast or celebratory meal.