History and Culture of French Polynesia

Most Polynesian cultures lived near the ocean and never traveled very far inland. There are, however, many facinating ruins on the island of Moorea dating back to the thirteenth century A.D. which are inland. These ruins are generally known as marae. The inland tribes abandoned their land and moved to the coast when missionaries arrive at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Captain Cook was the first westerner to see Tahiti and Moorea in 1774. He estimated the population of Tahiti to be around two hundred thousand. While he was here he saw a flotilla of two-hundred war canoes with about ten thousand warriors set out for Moorea. In 1777 he returned to discover that the assault had been unsuccessful. Chief Mahine of the Moorea clan Marama allowed him to drop anchor in what is now known as Cook's Bay. We visited the Marae Ahu o Mahine on Moorea. No one knows the original name as it is lost in history but local tradition names it after the great Chief Mahine who ruled the area at the time of Captian Cook's voyages. Marae Ahu o Mahine Marae were open air sancuaries that were used as social, political, and commercial gathering points for the Polynesians. New maraes were built around the stones of older marae or stones carried in from other marae. When a chief died a sacred war canoe was brought up from the coast and burned at the marae. The best time for burning was either the summer or the winter solstice as that was considered the gateway time to the stars. Many of the wars fought by the ancient Polynesians had to do with stealing the women of other tribes. The isolation of these islands poses many problems for sustaining stable populations. The ancient Polynesians appearently dealt with these problems by abducting women and assimilating them into their tribes. In 1947 Thor Heyerdahl sailed from Peru to Polynesia in a reed raft of his own making. Learn more about Kon-tiki. In 1788 the infamous Mutiny on the Bounty occured in Tahiti. Traditions Today the traditional way of life is kept alive by many Polynesians living on Moorea today. You will find many musical and dances shows if you visit the island. On the west coast of Moorea is the the Tiki Village where many people live life in the ancient way. There you will find fishermen, dancers, and fire breathers. To History Page 2 | On to the Islands