The Islands of Tahiti Ia Ia ora n na e Maeva! CHAPTER 4 CULTURE - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

DESTINATION TRAINING

The Islands of Tahiti

‘Ia Ia ora n na e Maeva!

CHAPTER 4 CULTURE & TRADITIONS

The People

• People in The Islands of Tahiti are

genuinely nice and welcoming

• They have kept this “joie de vivre” that

is shared in their daily lives through music, dancing, parties (known as “bringue”)

• With the different migrations, 3 main
• rigins can be found in the islands: the

Tahitians of course, French and

• Chinese. A lot of Polynesians are

now of mixed origins (or what they call

“half” or “afa” in the islands)

The Food

• Cuisine in The Islands of Tahiti is very

diverse thanks to the inhabitants’ different origins

• Tahitian cuisine is strongly fish based

along with tuber produce such as sweet potato, taro, manioc

• With the French and Chinese

influence, food has become more diverse and travelers will find exquisite cuisine, from the simplest culinary options to the most interesting gourmet experiences

Local Specialties

• Coconut milk and vanilla are used

in a wide range of Tahitian cuisine

• One of the specialties is the

“Poisson Cru,” a salad of marinated raw fish and vegetables with lime juice and fresh squeezed coconut milk

• Coconut bread is delicious at

breakfast and try Tahitian vanilla and freshly squeezed coconut milk in your coffee

Local Specialties

• The Ahima’a is the big Tahitian feast,

usually prepared for special events or family reunions or weddings. The food is cooked underground and includes pork, breadfruit, fish, “poe,” chicken, “taro,” manioc. All of that with coconut milk of course and “mitihue” (fermented coconut)

• It takes a few hours to cook and

requires a lot of preparation

• In the Marquesas islands, they

would call that a “Kai Kai”

Things to Buy

• Colorful hand painted or

hand dyed pareos

• Tahitian vanilla
• Tahitian cultured pearls
• Monoï, women’s beauty

secret, excellent moisturizer

• Noni juice, the miracle

product, great for your health

• Tamanu oil, great skin healer
• Local liquors or Rangiroa’s

Coral Wine

• Tifaifai, Tahitian patchwork

serving as a bed spread or wall decor

• Tapa painting, typical from

the Marquesas

• Necklaces, purses from shells,

mother-of-pearls

• Creative wood or stone

carvings

Religion

• In the ancient times, Polynesians did not

have any religion and believed in different gods

• The missionaries settled into the islands

and imposed their religions

• Nowadays, religion plays a major role in

people’s daily lives ; protestant and catholicism are the main religions

• Sunday in the islands is church day and

most stores are closed on that day

Way of Life

• Life in the islands moves at a nice and

relaxed pace

• Travelers do not choose The Islands of Tahiti

for the nightlife but for the breathtaking beauty of the islands, the kindness and warmth of the locals, the amazing weather and to find that true island paradise

• A trip to Tahiti is a beautiful way to

reconnect with the simple things in life; you can then choose to do tons of activities or just relax

Things to Know

• Tipping is not customary in the

islands and is left at everyone’s discretion; there is no minimum amount and no rule really when it comes to that

• Most stores close on Saturdays,

Sundays and public holidays

• Bottled water is recommended as

water is not drinkable everywhere

Fun Facts

• The Islands of Tahiti receives as many visitors in a year than

Hawaii gets in 7 days!

• The Islands of Tahiti altogether have fewer rooms than

the MGM Grand in Las Vegas

• If you put all of the islands together, the land mass is about

the size of the state of Rhode Island

• The Islands of Tahiti gets less rain and more sunshine than the

Hawaiian islands per a recent study conducted by the National Center for Atmospheric Research