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…

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 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…

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…

In Tahiti from November 7th to 11th 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…

Diving to the heart of the “Avatoru” pass work at home moms 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…