French Polynesia, Nuku Hiva and the Marquesas

Polynesia (meaning roughly the many islands) is a large cultural and geographical region in the Pacific Ocean consisting of a variety of islands, archipelagos and nations where the people share the same origin and speak one of the many Polynesian languages. Polynesia is bordered by Hawaii (to the north), New Zealand (to the southwest) and Easter Island (to the southeast). The area is sometimes referred to as the Polynesian Triangle.

French Polynesia is part of Polynesia and is almost as large as Europe and consists of 118 islands and atolls, of which 67 are inhabited. The islands are divided into different archipelagos; Marquesas Islands, Tuamotu Archipelago, Society Islands, Gambier Islands and Austral Islands. There are long distances between the archipelagos with the Gambier Islands and Austral Islands being the southernmost. We will probably not be able to visit these two southern archipelagos. Further north, from east to west lie the Marquesas, Tuamotu and Society Islands, where Tahiti with its capital Papeete is perhaps the best known. We plan to visit a few islands on each of these archipelagos before heading further west to other Polynesian islands/nations.

The islands in French Polynesia have all been formed from volcanoes and the youngest are about 1-5 million years old, such as the islands in the Marquesas. The oldest islands are in the Austral Islands and Tuamotu and are around 50 million years old. The oldest islands are no longer real islands, but millions of years of erosion have transformed them into atolls where only some parts protrude from the sea surface.

The islands in French Polynesia were first settled by Austronesian-speaking Polynesians, who probably originated from Southeast Asia (Taiwan-Philippines) and migrated east via Samoa and Tonga. This migration was part of the great Polynesian expansion across the Pacific. In French Polynesia, it began in the Marquesas a few hundred years BC and the last islands colonized by Polynesians are believed to have been the Gambier Islands, which also became the islands from which a group of inhabitants probably emigrated and continued the long journey to Easter Island and later Hawaii, which began to be populated around the 11th and 13th centuries AD. A prerequisite for this strong expansion, despite the great distances in the Pacific Ocean, was the sophisticated navigational skills that the Polynesians had developed. They navigated with the help of stars, ocean currents and bird migration patterns. They used the characteristic wooden canoes with an outrigger (additional hull) attached to one side of the canoe. These canoes were very stable and could be both paddled and sailed. Today, the same type of canoe is still used, but made of more modern materials.

The first time Europeans came into contact with the islands was in the 16th century when the Portuguese and Spaniards noted that the islands existed but they probably had little contact with the inhabitants. In 1767, the British Samuel Wallis landed on Tahiti and declared the island British. Protestantism was then introduced to the island. The French eventually took over Tahiti after disputes and battles with the British and the population of the islands under the then Polynesian regent Queen Pomare IV. In the early 20th century, all five island groups belonged to France and Catholicism became the official religion. Today, French Polynesia has more autonomy but is still considered one of France's so-called overseas collectivity where France retains control over defense, foreign policy, justice and law enforcement and currency/economy (the CFP franc is tied to the euro). French Polynesia now controls its own laws, economy, budget, health, education (partially) and internal security. From what we understand, there no longer seems to be majority support among the population on the islands for complete independence from France, but instead they are trying to make better use of their own old culture and have, with the help of historians and archaeologists, begun to rediscover and embrace parts of it, such as dances, crafts and food traditions.

The Polynesian indigenous culture and its traditions vary between the islands but have a common core. Before European colonization, the population was organized into hierarchical chiefdoms ruled by Ari’i (chiefs). Below the chiefs there were several different social classes and the lowest were the slaves who were often convicted criminals or captured enemies. The Polynesians could build impressive structures such as marae which were sacred temples for religious and social purposes. They lived on what the sea could provide and cultivated and planted many different crops such as breadfruit and fruit trees of various kinds which were harvested and stored in various ways to last longer than the harvest season. Fermentation was used as a method. For example, mahi or pōpoi as it is also called was made. It is breadfruit that has been mashed and left to lie in a low-oxygen environment in a leaf-lined pit where it eventually fermented (by lactic acid bacteria). Mahi could be stored for several years and is said to be both nutritious and healthy. When the Polynesians colonized new islands, they brought with them many of the important fruits and seeds and some domesticated animals such as pigs and dogs that they needed to survive on the previously uninhabited islands.

The Polynesians were very trade-oriented but were also warlike and fights between the islands/kingdoms occurred. They practiced a complex polytheistic religion that was intertwined with daily life and social structure. Their spiritual beliefs revolved around atua (gods), ancestors, mana (spiritual power) and tapu (sacred restrictions). The word taboo comes from the Polynesian word tapu.

Mana was a supernatural force that existed not only in all living things but also inanimate things such as objects and places. Chiefs and priests had strong mana, which gave them divine authority. Women's mana was usually greater than men's because they could give bearth (give life). Losing mana, through defeat in battle or breaking a tapu, resulted in dishonor and loss of status. For example, it was tapu for a woman to step in a canoe because her mana was much more powerful than that of the canoe and the canoe would lose its power. This was especially important to consider when the canoes were to be used in battle. Similarly, it could be tapu to step over a chief's shadow if one was lower in rank. Serious violations of a tapu could sometimes be punished by death.

Polynesians believed in a balance of masculine and feminine energies, rather than fixed gender roles based on physical appearance, and some myths describe gods or spirits who change sex or are androgynous. Mana was therefore not strictly tied to biological sex, but rather one's role in society. French Polynesia, like other parts of Polynesia, had a recognized "third sex" known as māhū. These were people who embodied both male and female characteristics. They were biological males who took on female gender roles, including clothing, speech, and occupations. In some cases, there were also female māhū who took on male roles. Māhū had several important roles in society. They could often be priests, healers, teachers or artists, specialized in oral traditions, dance forms and were responsible for the care of children and the elderly. They were seen as guardians of knowledge, and were a kind of cultural bearer of information about different lineages, old stories and religious customs that they passed on between generations. Chiefs could turn to a māhū for advice before important decisions. After European colonization and the introduction of Christianity, māhū were seen as an abomination and Western gender roles were introduced and many māhū were subjected to social oppression and avoided showing their identity. Today, however, māhū are still present in Polynesian and Hawaiian culture and are more accepted, although their role has evolved and adapted to today's way of life. Many today work in various service professions, for example.

The Polynesians were also known for their tikis, human-like anthropomorphic figures carved from stone, wood or bone. According to Polynesian mythology, the tiki is sometimes considered to be the first human created by the gods, but interpretations vary between the different island groups. In the Marquesas, tikis primarily represent ancestors and protective spirits. They were often designed as half human and half animal or God with enlarged heads and eyes. One interpretation of the large eyes (which almost look like glasses) is that through the eyes one comes into contact with the spirit world. Tikis are also often connected to spiritual protection, strength and guidance.

We have now been anchored for just over two weeks outside the capital Taiohae on the island of Nuku Hiva, which is also the main island of the Marquesas. As soon as the hurricane season (cyclone season) ends in April, the actual tourist season begins and many boats and tourists come to the islands. We are early in the season so there is plenty of space in the bay and few tourists on the island, except when the cruise ships dock, when Taiohae is packed with people for a day. The lady in the tourist office next to the port has all the information of when the cruise ships arrive and makes sure to book the local ensemble of dancers and drummers who have their shows for the fascinated cruise tourists. The trade in crafts, fruit and vegetables is flourishing and the small local cafes are full. It is understandable that tourists are an important source of income for the islands.

The clearance process was painless. We rang the doorbell of the French gendarmes and even though we arrived outside office hours, they received us and the procedure was completed in 10 minutes. We had prepared ourselves by filling in our details digitally in a system used on the islands and had our passports and boat papers with us. As EU citizens, the rules for visiting and staying in French Polynesia are incredibly favorable.” This is how easy it should be to get to France. Welcome!”, one of the gendarmes said in broken English. Or, to be more precise. The guy started speaking in English but as soon as he noticed that we knew a little French he switched to his native language. 😊After customs we took out some cash, got ourselves a local SIM card and topped up with data. Finally connected again!

Nuku Hiva is a very beautiful island with high mountain peaks and steep cliffs towards the sea with fantastic views. There are several bays with good anchorages around the island. The second highest (longest?) waterfall in the world is also said to be here. We rented a car and drove on the few roads that exist. First, we went east and came to some smaller towns with small fishing ports, shops and restaurants. The mango trees along the road were full of half-ripe fruits and we took the liberty of picking some. The island is lushly green and along the roadsides you can see pigs, horses and goats and the occasional cow wandering around freely. Roosters and chickens can be seen running around everywhere. Some horses are kept tethered and you can see fenced areas, but there are just as many animals outside as inside the enclosures.

In the small town of Hatiheu we had a fantastic meal. A stew made from goat meat and coconut milk served with cassava, fried breadfruit and rice. What we couldn't finish we then had to throw into a small stream, right next to the restaurant where two large eels appeared and feasted on the leftovers. The eels were "regulars" at the restaurant and part of the experience the restaurant is known for.

Outside Hatiheu is one of several historical remains from the time before European colonization. The place we visited is called Kamuihei and is one of the largest archaeological excavations on the island. Here there are sacred places, rebuilt houses and areas for various social purposes and we saw tikis, sacrificial pits and small pits carved into rocks similar to those we can see in rock carvings in Sweden. In addition, there were several petroglyphs on large stone slabs with depictions of animals, gods, people and symbols that are also found in the many tattoos of the Polynesians. Since the Polynesian culture was a culture that was carried by oral stories and lacked written language, interpretations are difficult to make and the meanings are said to vary somewhat between the island groups, but archaeologists believe that they almost always involve representations of gods, ancestors, travel, celestial bodies and protective symbols. There was also a gigantic banyan tree at the site that is said to be 600 years old!

The last part of our drive went west towards the airport. Now we came to higher mountain areas, deep valleys and in the distance, we could see a very long and very narrow waterfall. Instead of palm trees and fruit trees, the road was lined with pine plantations with a species of pine that originally comes from the Caribbean. The pines have been planted mainly for the sake of the wood but have, of course, also changed the conditions for the native species that lived there before.

On the beach in Taiohae almost every day we saw young guys riding back and forth on their horses. Sometimes they competed along a given distance to be first. It was impressive to see because they were riding bareback (without a saddle) at a fast gallop with only a blanket to sit on. They looked mighty proud when we wanted to take pictures. However, we never saw a girl riding. Horses now seem to be an integral part of Polynesian life but the origin of horses is somewhat unclear. The most likely is that the Europeans introduced different animals like horses, goats and cows to the islands.

The waters around the Marquesas Islands are rich in life. The local fishermen come into the harbor almost every day with fine catches of fish that they sell directly on site. The leftover fish after cleaning is thrown into the harbor to the delight of the sharks. The sharks are of the species (greater) blacktip reef shark. Not all residents in the area are delighted with the spectacle in the water when the sharks fight over the leftovers, but it is a good tourist magnet… 😊 In addition to the sharks, which are not particularly dangerous to humans, we have also seen many manta rays swimming around our boat. Unfortunately, we have not been able to get any good pictures of them and when we snorkeled in the bay and tried to film, the visibility was too poor. Hopefully there will be more opportunities. One morning we heard a terrible splash behind the boat and when we ran out onto the deck to see what had happened, we saw a sea turtle trying to free itself from the dinghy's mooring line that it had managed to wrap around its neck. After a few fruitless attempts to untie the rope, we were forced to cut it. As soon as the turtle felt it was free, it took a big, loud breath before diving into the water and disappearing. How it managed to get tangled up so strangely, we could never figure out…

On Valentine's Day we took the opportunity to have a three-course dinner at a restaurant in Taiohae where local musicians performed languid ballads. The next day we were also able to take part in a Valentine's Day party where both locals and tourists were welcome. The meal was accompanied by a show that was over an hour long and was more like a long danced story. We showed up later in the evening but still saw parts of the show. Later we were able to dance a little ourselves to deafening Polynesian popular music 😁

In recent days, we have been stocking up on supplies at the local store and buying a souvenir in the form of a mini-tiki made of wood made by a local artist on the island.

Now we are waiting out some rough weather before we can set off for the Tuamotu atolls. Since these are shallow reefs with few entrances or exits and where the currents are strong, we have to adjust to the tides so that we enter when it is slack water. We hope to be able to practice on a simpler atoll with more room for the boat to enter, before we set off to reach the Fakurava atoll where we hope to see pearl farms!

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