The coconut palm: King of the Tuamotus

For visitors to French Polynesia, the characteristic silhouette of the coconut palm symbolizes a vacation in a tropical paradise. At the same time, one should never forget the inestimatable value that Polynesians give this tree. To them it is the king of it's kind and is often called the "tree of a hundred uses." While not only valuable for it's delectable flesh and sweet juice, the coconut palm is also known for its wood, fiber and fronds. These substances are used in arts and crafts as well as to make daily objects, construction and clothing. For this reason, the coconut palm is at the heart of Polynesian daily life, particularly for the Pa'umotu, the people of the Tuamotu Archipelago. Here the people have held on to their ancestral knowledge and still make the most out of the tree - it is a source of life on the fragile atolls. In the Tuamotus, the coconut trees or tumu hakari, as they are known in the local language, surround the inhabitants like pillars which symbolizes the strong link between the people and the tree. To delve into the culture of the Tuamotus is delving into an art of living, built in many ways around the coconut palm, which is a even a symbol of life itself out on these magnificent rings of coral.

© Tahiticommunication – ll rights reserved / Translation: Celeste Brash
© Lucien Pesquie

Sailing through the Leeward Islands

Bora Bora is called the "Pearl of the Pacific," Raiatea the "Sacred Island" and Taha'a the "Vanilla Island." These are the three islands that make up the dreamy itinerary for the internationally recognized Tahiti Pearl Regatta. For four days the participants of the regatta enjoy seascapes of the open ocean and calm, emerald lagoons. While remaining a real challenge, the nautical event also basks in Polynesian warmth and hospitality. From this May 8th to 12th, over sixty crews, both Polynesian and international will come together to compete and approach the Leeward Islands by sea. Certainly these will be unforgettable moments with the horizons dominated by steep silhouettes of high islands rising out of blue water and fringed with white sand islets. Encompassing an area as large as Europe, French Polynesia's islands with their varied and spectacular landscapes make the country an ideal location for ocean cruising.

© Tahiticommunication – ll rights reserved / Translation: Celeste Brash
© Marine Nationale-PM Boudard Sabine

In search of the ultimate escape: Tikehau

Of all the atolls that make up the vast Tuamotu archipelago, Tikehau is arguably the most perfect. Here, everything you'd hope for can be found: a turquoise lagoon, abundant and healthy marine life, virgin rose-colored and white sand beaches and a delicate ring of low-lying, palm fringed islets.
From the center of this coral ring that floats in the middle of the immense South Pacific, you'll find a the view of the lagoon looks like a giant, natural swimming pool. The landscape is magnificent but it also is a place of abundant life that is one of the most fish-filled regions in Polynesia. Visitors to Tikehau can expect to swim amongst Manta rays, sea turtles and parrotfish.
With a surplus of beauty and calm, Tikehau offers the perfect compromise between a Crusoe-esque experience and one of modern comfort - on one of the atoll's private islets is a high-end resort offering luxury and isolation. Less than an hour's flight from Tahiti, Tikehau is simply an inimitable destination.

© Tahiticommunication – all rights reserved / Translation: Celeste Brash

A dual with Polynesia's ocean going giants

Encompassing an area as vast as the European continent, French Polynesia is a playground for amateur sport fishermen. French Polynesian fishermen head out armed only with a fishing pole and a harness to the great blue where they confront species known for their fighting qualities: tuna, swordfish and of course the Marlin (Haura,in Tahitian). The largest of the catch can weigh over 500 kilos!
The fact that Polynesian waters harbor so many of these giants, draws in many sport fishermen. At the end of March, the 11th Tahitian Billfish Tournament will bring together over 60 fishing boats and expects to attract many foreign crews. During the four-day tournament, the boats will search out these huge fish along the coasts of Tahiti for a truly adrenalin charged experience.

© Tahiticommunication – all rights reserved / Translation: Celeste Brash

Preserving what nature made perfectly

With its sloping lagoon of infinite blues and string of coral islets, Bora Bora really is this magnificent Pearl of the Pacific that has been waxed on about by so many writers and travelers. Situated 270 km northwest of Tahiti, Bora Bora welcomes over 100,000 visitors each year who come from around the world in search of true paradise.
Preserving the natural beauty of the island is a constant preoccupation of the local government and population. For leading a good example and innovatively solving problems, the island was given "La Marianne d'Or," a national French award. The prize was given for acheiving environmental preservation goals and also for putting in place long-term development plans. More than ever the Pearl of the Pacific is an example of a good balance between tourism and environmental protection.

©Tahiticommunication – Tous droits réservés
Crédit photo - DR

Celebrate Chinese New Year in Tahiti

Kung Hi Fat Choi! Around the world everyone is wishing each other a happy new year in Chinese. The Chinese calendar isn't fixed to the Western calendar and so each year the new year falls on a different day - although it is always in the month of Februrary.
This major holiday for Chinese in every corner of the globe is also celebrated on Tahiti where there are over 15,000 Polynesian of Chinese descent. Chinese have been in Tahiti for over a century and a half and are of course at the forefront of the new year festivities. In the center of Papeete there is a lion dance set to the music of drum beats and exploding fire crackers.
Visitors can also explore other Chinese traditions such as consulting oracles at the Chinese temple or enjoying the lantern festival. Tahiti is a perfect place to celebrate this occassion since it is enlivened with the mix of Chinese and Polynesian cultures.

©Tahiticommunication – Tous droits réservés
Crédit photo - G. Boissy

The treasure of Raiatea

In the heart of the Leeward Islands, Raiatea is home to the tiare Apetahi flower, a natural treasure that is unique in the world. The white flowers have five petals and look like an extended palm when open. To see the flower you'll need to hike the flanks of Mt Temahani, the highest summit of the island.
Today only an estimated five hundred plants remain and thus the flower has become a protected species. Many people have tried to cultivate the flower elsewhere, without success - the Tiare Apetahi it appears will eternally be linked with its birth island, its only place of refuge.
Polynesian legend states that the goddess Tiaitau, the guardian of time, climbed Mt Temehani to mourn the departure of her lover, the warrior Tamatoa. Filled with despair she cut her arm to plant it in the earth - it grew into the Tiare Apetahi. Today the flower is the symbol of the sacred isle of Raiatea.

© Tahiticommunication – all rights reserved / Translation: Celeste Brash
Photo Tahiti Tourisme - S. Kobayashi

January 29th to February 3rd 2008

Every year on Tahiti the International Oceana Documentary Film Festival (also called Fifo - an acronym taken from the French name) presents a competition for documentary films made about the Oceana region. Each festival has become a not-to-miss event for those impassioned by the beautiful images of this area and for anyone who wants to learn about the incredible natural and cultural richness of the islands of the Pacific.
During the four days of the festival the screenings and debates draw in thousands of spectators. For this, the fifth annual festival, the jury will be presided by writer Laure Adler who will have fifteen films to judge. This event is not only unique in the region, one of the most vast on the globe, but it is also a rarity within media throughout the world.

© Tahiticommunication – all rights reserved / Translation: Celeste Brash

December 16th to 20th
The Marquesas Archipelago—“Ua Pou”
Theme: “Te Tuhuka,” carriers of knowledge

The first festival of Marquesan arts on the island of Ua Pou was organized in 1986 by the cultural association “Motu Haka o Te Fenua Enata.” Well aware of the fact that as time passed by, the memory of the old “Tuhuka” was in danger of being lost, the members of the organization encouraged young Marquesans to draw knowledge from their traditions and to learn from the last carriers of ancient knowledge.

Henceforth this festival is organized through careful and enthusiastic preparations every fourth year, and is held on one of the four most populated Marquesan islands. Bringing together more than 1,800 participants from all four corners of Polynesia—from Hawaii all the way to New-Zealand—the festival has become one of the most highly regarded cultural celebrations to be found in the South Pacific. Visitors and participants alike come to share cultural heritage through a number activities, such as dancing, sports, singing and so on. This festival is a must-see for visiting travelers who are anxious to discover the less known aspects of the Marquesan culture and at the same time take pleasure in the beautiful surroundings of the Marquesan Islands.

© Tahiticommunication – all rights reserved / Translation: Celeste Brash
Photo E.Bonifait

The Polynesian Festival of Abundance

In ancient times Polynesians followed the movements of constellations to mark the changes of the seasons. Each year around mid-November, the rising of the Pleiades constellation (also called the Seven Sisters constellation) announced Matari’i i ni’a, the beginning of a six month period of abundance which put the less fruitful season of Tau Matari’i i ni’a to an end.

Matari’i i ni’a corresponds to the beggining of the Austral summer and it's a time of an incredible explosion of nature. This is the period when trees go into fruition, vegetables ripen and plants flower. During the first two months of this season the entire country celebrates in dozens of ways: traditional art shows and sports competitions, the arrival of special guests from Hawaii and Rapa Nui, singing, dancing and more. These celebrations offer visitors a unique chance to experience the strong link between Polynesian culture and its natural environment.

© Tahiticommunication – all rights reserved / Translation: Celeste Brash
Photo Tahiti Tourisme - S. Kobayashi

Diving to the heart of the “Avatoru” pass

Situated in the Tuamotu archipelago, the atoll of Rangiroa has been identified as one of the ten best scuba-diving destinations in the world. Warm, crystal-clear water and with a diverse marine fauna, the discovery of the underwater world of Rangiroa is a must-see for visitors.
The months of November and December offer ideal conditions for scuba-diving as the waters are known to be swarming with fish during that period. Since it is at the height of summer in the southern hemisphere, the ocean is warmer, which leads to the growth of algae. At the same time it is the reproductive season and the fish take advantage of the growth of algae to feed their offspring…
Diving in the “Avatoru” pass is an adventure that is highly recommended. Once in the water, there is an instant change of scenery. In total silence, the diver is carried along by the current, and is able to marvel at sharks, schools of barracudas and huge manta rays along the way.

© Isabelle Bertaux - Tahiticommunication – all rights reserved / Translation: Celeste Brash
Photo Eric Cheng

The 3rd “Tattoonesia”

Without a doubt one of the most ancient forms of expression of Polynesian culture, tattooing owes its name to the Tahitian word “Tatau,” which means to “hit” or “strike,” or to “mark” or “label.” For the past three years Tahiti has held a big international tattoo convention dubbed “Tattoonesia” bringing together more than fifty Polynesian and international tattoo-artists from New-Zealand, France, the United States and more. More than 5000 people are expected to visit this prestigious conference, an event that contributes to the international recognition for the art of Polynesian tattooing. Polynesian style tattoos have become increasingly admired around the world because of their original and authentic style.
The event will take place at the exhibition hall “Aorai Tini Hau” in Pirae, on of Papeete’s neighboring districts. With creation, competitions, concerts and fashion shows, Tattonesia will be an animated event, and will also give the public an opportunity to be get a tattoo by some of the world’s best tattoo artists, in completely sanitary conditions of course.

© Isabelle Bertaux - Tahiticommunication – all rights reserved / Translation: Celeste Brash

Islands of Artists

The Marquesas Islands are spectacular, culturally preserved islands some 1,400 km to the northeast of Tahiti. The inhabitants here seem to live somewhere between the sea and the sky, between their traditional way of life and the modern world, and yet they continue to follow their undisputable know-how that has been passed to them by their ancestors. These islands produce the most reputed arts in Polynesia.

Magnificent tiki, pahu (drums), umete (plates or bowls), penu (mortars), vaka (outrigger canoes) and more. Pieces range from creative modern carvings to replicas of ancient objects in rose or sandal wood, volcanic stone or bone, and are invariably impressively artistic. Women string together shells and seeds to make necklaces in island bright colors. More than a souvenir, to bring home a piece of Marquesian art is to have a piece a myth or a symbol of a place that evades time itself. In nearly every village there is an artist market where the locals present and sell their works of the highest quality.

Of course art isn't the only reason to visit the Marquesas; there's mysterious archeaological sites, hiking, horse riding, fishing, great food and a wonderful sense of well-being all around.

©Isabelle Bertaux – Tahiticommunication – All rights reserved / Translation : Celeste Brash

A foot race in a dream setting

Athletes and nature lovers: on your mark! For the last six years the Te Moorea Club, on Tahiti's sister isle of Moorea, has organised a foot race around Mt Rotui, the second highest summit of Moorea (899m). The distance around the mountain is 15km. The race has become a favorite for athletes of all levels who come to sweat it out in a paradaisical setting and good company. It's the perfect opportunity to discover the island of Moorea, its turqoise lagoon, mythc bays and profound beauty. When sport is combined with nature, the result enhances each experience.

©Isabelle Bertaux – Tahiticommunication – All rights reserved / Translation : Celeste Brash
Photo Philippe Bachet / Tahiti Tourisme

XIIIth Taapuna Master competition, the 1st to the 28th of September in Punaauia, Tahiti

For the last 13 years, the Taapuna Masters has been one of the most important surfing competitions in Tahiti. For three successive weekends, the best Polynesian body boarders and surfers can be seen gliding along the powerful waves that break over the coral reef some hundred meters off the coast of Punaauia.
Hollow, forceful and sometimes several meters high, these translucent waves make for some spectacular surf viewing. Grouped en masse at anchor points only meters from the breaking wave, the public gets front row seats for some high entertainment surfing maneuvers. The ambiance is sporty and festive out on the water with views of Moorea and Tahiti in the distance.
Between competitions Polynesian shows and activities can also be enjoyed.

©Isabelle Bertaux – Tahiticommunication – All rights reserved / Translation : Celeste Brash
Photo Shigeo Kobatashi Taapuna Master 2006

Whale watching on the island of Rurutu in the Austral Archipelago

From the months of July to October each year, humpback whales pass by the island of Rurutu (in the Austral Archipelago) to reproduce, give birth and take a rest after their long journey from the Arctic. In the last few years Rurutu has become one of the most renowned place on the planet to view these imposing marine mammals.
The conditions around Rurutu are ideal: there is no coral reef so the mammals pass close to the coast, the water is exceptionally clear and the water temperature hovers around 24C° throughout the year. Geared up with only fins, a mask and a snorkel, visitors can swim in relative security only meters away from the whales.
The effect is like being in a giant aquarium where often mother and baby whales can be observed swimming side by side. Imagine a moment of pure happiness. . .

©Isabelle Bertaux – Tahiticommunication – All rights reserved / Translation : Celeste Brash
Photo Philippe Bachet