French Polynesia… South Sea Islands Dreaming
Just the words French Polynesia conjure up images of swaying palm trees, lush landscapes, expansive white coral sand beaches on remote islands, grass-skirted dancers, the bold colors of Gaugin paintings, black pearls and the descriptive and entrancing narratives of Robert Louis Stevenson. Five archipelagoes, five connected, but different island cultures… the stuff dreams are made of.
We entered French Polynesia (Te Ao Maohi as the Polynesians call it) at Rikitea, Mangareva in the Gambier Islands.
Capital: Pape'ete, Tahiti
Population: ~ 250,000
Area: French Polynesia is comprised of five great archipelagos (Australs, Gambiers, Tuamotus, Marquesas and Society
Islands). This overseas French territory, consists of lots of ocean and not much land. There are 35 islands and about 83 atolls for a total land area of 354,287 hectares.
Currency: CFP (Cour de Franc Pacifique) $1US = 85 CFP
Language: French, Polynesian dialects (each archipelago group has its own dialect)
Time: -10 GMT (Marquesas & Gambier -9 GMT)
We entered French Polynesia at Mangareva in the Gambiers and subsequently explored the Tuamotus and both the windward and leeward Society Islands. French Polynesia only allows a 90-day stay for most visitors, but had they allowed, we could have stay indefinitely. Come with us for a quick tour.
Black pearls can be purchased in all of French Polynesia, but the key producing areas are the Tuamotus and the Gambier. We found the highest quality in the Gambier and, of course, in the show-rooms in Tahiti. Key criteria for judging pearls: size, shape, color, luster and surface perfection. The "Pearl Museum" in Pape'ete is the only museum in the world dedicated exclusively to pearls.
It’s common to put a tiare, Tahiti’s
national flower, behind one’s ear. This fragrant white blossom or an hibiscus behind one’s left ear signifies you’re taken and behind the right ear means you’re available.
Taifaifai is a large piece of fabric on
which are hand-appliqued different
patterns (not so different than the molas of Panama, but much larger) to form something comparable to a patchwork quilt. in fact, taifaifai in Tahitian translates to "repair or patch".
Of the 104 species of birds found in French Polynesia, half of the 30 species of land birds are endemic, i.e. found only here in the whole world. Other species visit during their annual migratory move. Above, a visiting lesser yellowlegs in the tuamotus. There are no poisonous snakes or insects in French Polynesia. There are, however, nonos, mosquitos and centipedes that are quite a nuisance.
The word tattoo originated from the Tahitian, tatau. The legend of Tohu, the god of tattoo, describes painting all the oceans’ fish in beautiful colors and patterns. In Polynesian culture, tattoos have long been considered signs of beauty, and in earlier times were ceremoniously applied when reaching adolescence. Some cruisers considered getting a tattoo as a "rite of passage" for having traveled through FP.
If you want to enjoy more of the distinctive cultures and sights of the South Pacific, head back to our Oceania/South Pacific page for more exploring.