Tahiti Discovery #02 by Tahiti Discovery

刊头 summary

©tim-mckenna.com

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《发现大溪地》第二期 TAHITI DISCOVERY N°2

A publication of 大溪地文化传播公司出版 N°Tahiti: 758 268 Tahiti - FrenchPolynesia 大溪地-法属波利尼西亚 Postal box :42242 Fare Tony Papeete Phone :(689) 40.83.14.83 tahiticommunication@mail.pf

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出版主任 Editor 卢多维克•拉尔迪埃 Ludovic Lardiere 电话：（689）89 72 87 13 出品人 production manager 恩佐•里索 Enzo Rizzo 电话：（689）87 74 69 46 广告网络策划 advertising 塞巴斯蒂安•马特 Sébastien Mathé 电话：（689）89 72 19 73 公司联系/航空公司联系 Airline contact Torea Colas，Vanessa Shan Sei Fan, Jessica Lion 电话：（689）40 46 02 75 此刊合作编辑人员 Collaborated in this edition 马丽•勒鲁、帕特里克•瑟罗、克洛德－雅克•布尔雅、玛丽•迪费、劳伦斯•亚历克斯•瑞兹诺夫、米歇尔•沙勒 Marie Leroux, Patrick Seurot, Claude Jacques Bourgeat, Marie Dufay, Alexandra Sigaudo-Fourny, Michel Charleux

12 大溪地：天堂美景

Tahiti: images of paradise

30 波利尼西亚岛屿的命运和秘密

The destiny and secrets of our islands

44 夏威基努依舷外浮杆独木舟比赛（Hawaiki Nui Va'a）：波利尼西亚划桨手的梦幻坐骑

Hawaiki Nui Va’a : the fantastic ride of Polynesian oarsmen

56 Tahiti Ora：激情与完美

Tahiti Ora : Insistence on perfection

平面策划 Graphic design 大溪地文化传播公司 Tahiti Communication

66 大溪地珍珠的史诗

英文翻译 English translation 卡瑞瓦•马特阿塔•阿兰 Kareva Mateata Allain

78 探索Vahine 神话之源

中文翻译 CHINESE translation 宋展、Miranda Hung Zhan Song, Miranda Hung

90 大溪地的华人

印刷 / Printed in A Impresores印刷8000册版权保护自初版之日起 Legal deposit at the release

www.airtahinui.com

The Epic of the Tahitian Pearl

To the roots of the myth of the vahine

从首批移民到加入法籍－1865/1973

Chinese-Tahitians: The first naturalized immigrants - 1865/1973

社论 editorial

米歇尔·蒙瓦森首席执行官大溪地努伊航空公司 Michel Monvoisin President and CEO Air Tahiti Nui

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们非常荣幸地欢迎您乘坐本次航班，并希望您能够渡过一次难忘的旅行。在大溪地努伊航空的陪伴下，登上飞机那一刻，您的大溪地之旅就已经开始了！机组人员的亲切微笑和细微的照顾；大溪地风情的制服；精致又优雅的机舱；在尤克里里的琴声中，我们用传统的“Maeva”欢迎礼仪为您献上芳香扑鼻的蒂亚雷花，所有这些细节都是为了让您享受与众不同的服务，也期望这次对大溪地努伊航空的体验，将成为您假期的一部分。从成立到现在，18年来，大溪地努伊航空全心全意地给来自五湖四海的游客，提供最舒适的环境，方便他们通往我们的各个岛屿。我们也开通了从欧洲，南美洲，亚洲和大洋洲出发的定期航班。通过与合作伙伴联运，我们通航国外40 多个城市。今天，大溪地努伊航空很自豪地承载波利尼西亚70% 的外国游客，也致力扬名我们的群岛。相对而言大溪地的岛屿都非常遥远，它们在很多大陆的6000多公里之外。然而距离并不减小公司的卓越成就和在它在国际上的信誉。作为先锋航空公司，大溪地努伊不断地努力完善其服务，令新的游客能够访问神秘的大溪地天堂。比如我们竭力为中国游客服务。我们鼓励和邀请他们前来发现大溪地的宝藏：独一无二的绿松石泻湖的环礁岛屿，或是被葱郁植被大面积覆盖的高势岛屿。这是一个保存完整的，远离游客群的大自然。在这里人们会觉得自己是唯一且第一位踏足于这片迷人的沙滩的游客；置身于五光十色，让人惊叹的海洋动物之中时，他们会一起翩翩起舞。

在这本航空杂志中，我们给您揭开了目的地部分宝藏的面纱。它的魅力不仅仅因为美丽的风景，也存在于它的灵魂当中。这是一个波利尼西亚的灵魂，一份浓厚的文化，几个世纪的历史的产物。凑巧的是，历史始于亚洲的南部。大概3000年前，南亚的人们离开家园，开始了一场漫长的往东迁徙的移民历史。他们从一个海岛迁移到另一个海岛。乘坐着大型独木舟，他们到达了构成今天法属波利尼西亚的群岛。这次移民造就了波利尼西亚，也赋予了它今天重要的身份的象征。人类的历险记不会就此止步，因为我们的群岛一直都是好客的大地。在这里混血的人们相互影响着，因为历史原因也有相聚于此的群体。从人类定居到法国殖民，再到现代移民，群岛的民族和物种异常丰富。今天，她接纳了自150年来，给波利尼西亚这个家园，添砖加瓦的华人群体。他们是您将在此刊内发现的男人和女人们。发现将会接踵而来。

e are thrilled to welcome you onboard our flights for what we trust will be an unforgettable voyage. With Air Tahiti Nui, your journey towards Tahiti and her islands starts the moment you board. Our flight crew members greet you with personal attention and smiles. Their outfits, the elegant and refined style of the cabins, the sound of the ukulele and the intoxicating perfume of Tiare flowers offered as a traditional Maeva (welcome), are all signs that distinguish our unique service so that your experience on Air Tahiti Nui becomes an integral part of your stay in our islands. Since its inception 18 years ago, Air Tahiti Nui continually strives to make our islands comfortably accessible to visitors from all over the world. In this vein, we have created regular connecting flights from Europe, North America, Asia and Oceania. Thanks to our partnerships with other large carriers, we serve more than forty cities abroad. Today, Air Tahiti Nui is proud to transport more than 70% of French Polynesia’s visitors through facilitating access to our isolated islands situated at more than 6000km/3728 miles from the closest continent. However, these distances do little to diminish their splendor and popularity around the world. Air Tahiti Nui considers itself a pioneering airline that works to improve services and to provide new tourists with the ability to access this mythic Tahitian paradise. It is within this spirit that we direct our energies towards our visitors from China. We encourage and invite them to discover all of Tahiti’s riches, a place where magnificently colored atolls lay against spectacular majestic high islands enhanced by luxurious vegetation. A preserved environment away from mass tourism gives visitors the impression that they are the first and only people to have ever walked along the stunning beaches or swam in lagoons resplendent with abundant marine life. In this flight magazine, we will reveal some of the treasures of our destination. Its beauty is not just limited to its landscapes, but also to its soul—a soul that is above all Polynesian due to a strong culture and many centuries of history. In fact, this history started in Southeast Asia around 3000 years ago when people left that region of the world to begin a long island-to-island migration eastward. They arrived in the islands now known as French Polynesia on large double-hulled voyaging canoes following a migration that forged a great part of their current cultural identity. However, the odyssey did not stop there, since our islands have always been lands of welcome that have blended influences and communities brought together throughout the walks of history. From the very first settlers to French colonization to contemporary migrations, our islands are rich in diversity. Today, they are home to a large Polynesian community of Chinese descent that have contributed to the fabric of Polynesian society for over 150 years. You will discover the stories of these men and women throughout the pages of this magazine. This discovery will certainly not be the only one.

大溪地努伊航空

聚焦波利尼西亚航空公司自十八年来，大溪地努伊航空一直保证着大溪地的航空业务服务。作为衔接波利尼西亚和世界各地的主要航空公司，她是这个海外国家旅游业的心脏。

离远离欧洲大陆1万8千公里，波利尼西亚这个法国海外领土处于太平洋的心脏，它离最近的大陆6 千公里。旅游业是波利尼西亚的首要自主资源，拥有定期和持久的航空服务便成为了其发展的先决条件。这个经济社会群体拥有27万人口，分布在十多个岛屿上（总共有118个岛屿，其中67个被居住）。其它数据同样证实了法属波利尼西亚的不同之处，其所有的岛屿分布在几乎和欧洲面积一样大的，550万平方公里的领域上。

大溪地努伊航空承担了该国70%的客运量。它是波利尼西亚群岛旅游业——领土的主要自主资源的心脏。大溪地及其岛屿于2015年接待了大约20.4万游客，其中5万为邮轮乘客，15.4万酒店和民宿游客。2013年旅游业的收入（不含客运）超过420 亿太平洋法郎（约3,5亿欧元），它使2700企业（饭店，酒店和其他住宿和交通服务）得以生存，并提供了近10000个就业机会，占法属波利尼西亚总就业人口的15％以上。

多年来，不少航空公司试图在这里落户，但是终究因为经济不景气和破产而告终。时至如今大溪地努伊航空公司始终是衔接主岛大溪地和世界各地的主要航空公司。它每年运营2200次航班，年平均载客量为42000人次，每日提供巴黎-洛杉矶-大溪地航线的航班。她还运营飞往奥克兰和东京的航班。通过和其它航空公司的合作，它通航40多个城市，有与法国SNCF共享代码的悉尼、纽约和马赛，美国的美国航空公司，太平洋地区的澳洲航空和新西兰航空，亚洲的日本航空和大韩航空。

自1988年来，它是确保法属波利尼西亚航空服务的主要航空公司

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自1984年以来，法属波利尼西亚就正式成为共和国内部的海外自治领土。1996年它的内部自主权得到了加强。为了挑战远离大陆的这一不利条件，它于 1996建立了自己的远程航线公司。波利尼西亚政府联合当地私人投资商成立了大溪地努伊航空，公司的首要任务是维持目的地充足的座位量，以确保法属波利尼西亚旅游业的良好发展。

1998年11月20日，大溪地努伊航空实现其帕皮提洛杉矶航线的首航，紧接着使用其第一架飞机进行了从帕皮提至东京航线的运营。如今，它的机队包括5架A340-300空中客车，使她得以运营欧洲（巴黎戴高乐机场）、美国、日本和新西兰航班。2008 年，为了更好地集中服务每周两班的东京枢纽航班，ATN停飞大阪。大溪地努伊航空也和世界各地超过60家的公司签订了联运的合作协议

法属波利尼西亚的主要经济动力之一自运营以来，大溪地努伊航空为这个见证了其出生和成长的国家的发展作出了决定性的贡献。其年营业额为2,6亿欧元，其中10％的货运业务，5％的包机业务。该波利尼西亚公司发挥其领导企业的的核心作用，尤其在旅游业带动的的经济活动方面。她也是法属波利尼西亚的第二大私企。大溪地努伊航空面临的挑战是巨大的，其现任首席执行官米歇尔•蒙瓦森（Michel Monvoisin）明确到，众所周知大溪地努伊航空是“太平洋上的一家小公司，漫长的航程，稀疏的航空流量，这更需要精细化管理”。大溪地努伊航空牵涉着国家的社会和文化生活，除此之外，作为“大使”的她也支持（文化，体育等）多个领域的波利尼西亚人才。她也是许多重要事件的赞助商。最后，该公司成功地赢得了一批忠诚的波利尼西亚客人，公司的航班是他们出行的首选。每年，大溪地努伊航空和波利尼西亚旅游局合作，投资近10亿太平洋法郎（约840 万美元）来促进这个旅游目的地的发展。

享誉国际的高质量服务大溪地努伊航空公司拥有一支由空客A340/300组成的机队。众所周知这种机型具有不同的舱位，机舱舒适且空间大，舱内噪音小。在安全性方面，大溪地努伊航空拥有由国际航空运输协会颁发的，每2 年审查一次的国际认证“IOSA国际航协运行安全审计”。至于保养，它得益于专业的汉莎技术。大溪地努伊航空只和欧洲航空安全局EASA引荐的专家合作。这些引荐专家和高质量服务是赢得认可的重要标准。2010、2011和2015年，大溪地努伊航空被“旅游+休闲”杂志的读者评为“南太平洋最佳国际航空公司”。总体得到乘客的一致好评，大溪地努伊航空公司机组成员的使命是让游客从登机的那一刻起，就感受到梦幻的旅游圣地大溪地。优雅和精致的机舱，无微不至的照顾，机组人员给每位游客送上芳香扑鼻的的蒂亚雷花（Tiare），它和“maeva”一样，是一项传统欢迎礼仪。这些与众不同之处更突出了大溪地努伊航空尊贵的空中服务。据透露，公司于2013年斥资22.4万美元用于A340300型飞机机舱和新的娱乐系统的重新配置。在 2015年，该公司宣布完成四架波音787-9的订单。飞机将于2018-2019年，正值航空公司成立20周年之际投入使用。

PICTURES : gregoire le bacon

TAHITI DISCOVERY

Air Tahiti Nui

ZOOM over the French Polynesian airline or eighteen years, Air Tahiti Nui has provided airline service for Tahiti. As the main airline linking French Polynesia to the rest of the world, it remains at the heart of the country’s tourist activity. At 18,000 km/11,000 miles from France, French Polynesia is an overseas territory located in the heart of the South Pacific, about 6,000km/3,700 miles from the closest continent. The establishment of regular permanent flights became necessary since tourism is the country’s main socio-economic resource for 270,000 inhabitants spread over 118 islands, of which 67 are inhabited. Another fact distinguishing French Polynesia, is that the islands are scattered over an area more than 5.5 million km2 (21 million sq. mi) which is a surface as vast as Europe. Today, Air Tahiti Nui (ATN) is the principal airline that links the main island of Tahiti with the rest of the world. With 2,200 flights annually, ATN carries an average of 420,000 passengers per year. The airline offers daily Paris/Los Angeles/Tahiti flights. It also provides service to Auckland and Tokyo. In collaboration with other companies, it services about 40 cities including Sydney, New York and Marseille through code-share arrangements with SNCF in France, American Airlines in the USA, Qantas and Air New Zealand for the Pacific, as well as Japan Airlines and Korean Air in Asia. Air Tahiti Nui provides transport for more than 70% of the country’s visitors. This puts it at the core of French Polynesian tourism strategy. In 2015, The islands of Tahiti welcomed approximately 204,000 tourists of which 50,000 went on cruises and 154,000 stayed in hotels and family-owned guest inns. Tourism sector revenue (excluding transporting passengers) was valued at over 42 billion CFP francs (approx. 350 million euros/$430M),

TAHITI DISCOVERY

helping support 2,700 businesses (mostly restaurants, hotels and other accommodation and transportation services). This sector represents almost 10,000 jobs, more than 15% of the employment in French Polynesia.

French Polynesia's Main Airline Since 1998 Since 1984, French Polynesia has been considered a French overseas territory with internal self-government within the French Republic. It has benefited from an enhanced internal status since 1996. In order to meet the challenges posed by its distance from other continents, French Polynesia developed its own long-distance airline in 1996. Created by the French Polynesian government in association with local private investors, Air Tahiti Nui's primary mission is to sustain its home base in order to ensure continued tourism development in French Polynesia.On November 20, 1998, the airline carried out its inaugural flight between Papeete and Los Angeles, and immediately thereafter, flew its first aircraft from Papeete to Tokyo. Today, Air Tahiti Nui’s fleet consists of five Airbus A340-300 that facilitate service to Europe (Paris-CDG), the United States, Japan and New Zealand. In 2008, ATN stopped service to Osaka in order to concentrate on its Tokyo hub with two weekly flights. Codeshare partnership agreements have been established with more than 60 companies around the world.

A Driving Force in French Polynesian Economy Since launching its operations, Air Tahiti Nui has made significant contributions to the development of the country that has witnessed its inception and growth. The French Polynesian airline plays a pivotal role as a leader in enterprise, particularly with economic activity generated by tourism. It is also the second largest private sector employer in French Polynesia. This company has quite a considerable challenge when considering that Air Tahiti Nui “is a small company in the middle of the Pacific with minimal air traffic and long routes that must be closely monitored,” explains CEO Michel Monvoisin. Further, Air Tahiti Nui is involved in the social and cultural activities of the country. One way is through the ambassadorship program that supports diverse French Polynesian talent (such as culture and sports). ATN also sponsors several events. In addition, the company has secured a loyal local following with French Polynesians who regularly fly ATN. In partnership with the French Polynesian tourism office, Air Tahiti Nui invests almost one billion CFP francs annually (approx. 8.4 million/$10M) to promote French Polynesia as a destination.

International Reputation for Excellence Air Tahiti Nui has a fleet of aircraft (Airbus A 340/300) renowned for comfort in each class, available space on board and low cabin noise. As far as safety, Air Tahiti Nui holds an IOSA certification (IATA Operational Safety Audit) issued by the International Air Transport Association that is reevaluated every two years. In regards to maintenance, ATN benefits from the expertise of Lufthansa Technik. Further, ATN works only with specialists referenced by AESA, the European Aviation Safety Agency. These endorsements and the quality of ATN’s service have resulted in distinguished acknowledgements. In 2010, 2011 and 2015, readers of Travel + Leisure magazine recognized Air Tahiti Nui as the best international airline in the South Pacific. A feature truly appreciated by travelers is that Air Tahiti Nui crews ensure that passengers feel as if they were already in their dream destination of Tahiti as soon as they get on board. Elements that especially distinguish in-flight service include cabins that are refined and elegant and an entire crew that pays close attention to details, such as offering each passenger the intoxicating aroma of a tiare Tahiti flower as a traditional welcome, known as maeva. In 2013, the airline unveiled a $22.4 million cabin reconfiguration and new entertainment system on board its fleet of Airbus A340-300 aircrafts. In 2015, the airline announced it has finalized an order for four 787-9 Dreamliners, which will go into service in 2018 and 2019 to coincide with the airline’s 20th anniversary.

Contacts - Air Tahiti Nui

联系－大溪地努伊航空 France / Europe

法国/欧洲

28, Bld St-Germain, 75005 PARIS

Tel : (33) 1 56 81 13 30 Tel : (33) 1 56 81 13 35 Fax : (33) 1 56 81 13 39 E-mail : info@airtahitinui.fr Web site : www.airtahitinui.fr Réservations 预定 Tel : (33) 08 25 02 42 02 USA / Los Angeles

美国/洛杉矶

1990 E. Grand Avenue Suite 300 El Segundo, CA 90245 USA

Tel : (877) 824 4846 (toll free) Fax : (310) 640 3683 Web site : www.airtahitinui.com Japan

日本

Shin-Yurakucho Building 2nd Floor 1-12-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0006 Japan

Tel : (81) 3 62 67 11 71 Fax : (81) 3 32 11 00 80 E-mail : info@airtahitinui.co.jp Web site : www.airtahitinui.com New-Zealand

新西兰

c/o Discover The World Central Park, Building 5, Level 2 660 Great South Road Greenlane / Auckland 2025

Mailing Address DX: EP82525 PO Box 39-366 Howick - Auckland 2145 Tel: (64) 9 972 1217 Fax: (64) 9 972 1257 E-mail : sales@airtahitinui.co.nz Web site : www.airtahitinui.co.nz

PICTURES : gregoire le bacon

大溪地和中国 Tahiti and China

大溪地－波利尼西亚：5 个群岛的118个岛屿分布在几乎和中国陆域面积一样大的海域上。 Tahiti, French Polynesia: Five archipelagoes containing 118 islands spread over an ocean surface area almost as vast as the Republic of China.

面积： 550万平方公里 Surface Area: 5.5 M Km2/ 2123562 sq. mi.

人口：27 万居民 Population: 270,000

天堂美景

波拉波拉岛，感受现代罗宾逊的沙滩和小屋 The Island of Bora Bora: beach and bungalows so you can feel like a modernday Robinson Crusoe. ©Tim-mckenna.com

隔着茉莉雅的秀景眺望大溪地 View of Moorea with Tahiti in the foreground. © Philippe Bacchet

软吉若阿环礁岛，被美誉为 “ 蓝色泻湖 ” 的整片小屿 A group of islets or motu on Rangiroa Atoll referred to as Lagon Bleu.

软吉若阿岛的高处 Mountains on the island of Raiatea. © Philippe Bacchet

TAHITI DISCOVERY

法卡拉瓦环礁岛的小屿 Motu at Fakarava Atoll © Benthouard.com

茉莉雅岛的泻湖内，一场没有危险而精彩的邂逅 A spectacular encounter that is fortunately not dangerous in a lagoon off the island of Moorea. © Timmckenna.com - Tahitiflyshoot

©Tim-mckenna.com 20

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大溪地半岛的海滨

Coastline off Tahiti’s peninsula ©Tim-mckenna.com

法卡拉瓦环礁岛 Fakarava Atoll. © Benthouard.com

守护波拉波拉泻湖的奥特玛努山峰 / Mount Otemanu overlooks the Bora Bora lagoon.

©Tim-mckenna.com

在绝美环境下的水上活动 Water activities in an ideal setting. ©Tim-mckenna.com

茉莉的暮色下，帕皮提的落日 Sunset over Papeete with Moorea in the background. ©Matarai.com 22

TAHITI DISCOVERY

极致法式生活艺术结合茉莉雅－波拉波拉－私人岛屿内在的美丽 French expertise in the art de vivre blended with the beauty of the islands of Moorea – Bora Bora – Private Island

我们的声誉坐落在茉莉雅岛和波拉波拉岛的3个与众不同的角落，索菲特奢华酒店邀请您前来发现生活无限精彩的法属波利尼西亚。在茂盛的热带植物花园和绿松石般的泻湖之间，享受小岛不可思议的美丽。精致、轻松、纯朴将是您假期的主题。用最贴心的照顾，我们的大使热情欢迎您的到来。

Our reputation With 3 exceptional addresses in Moorea and Bora Bora, Sofitel Luxury Hotels invite you to discover French Polynesia where Life Is Magnifique! Enjoy the unbelievable beauty of our islands from luxurious tropical gardens to turquoise-blue lagoons. Sophistication, relaxation and authenticity are the key words of an unforgettable stay where our ambassadors will greet you with a warm welcome and attention to every detail.

中式菜肴和美食快乐的本质是我们的价值之一。换句话说，有一种美妙的像在家里却又暂时离开的感觉。我们曾经和中国名厨共事过的厨师长，将确保用传统烹饪法准备您的菜肴。

Chinese cuisine & gastronomy One of our values is the essence of pleasure. In other words, it is this exquisite feeling of being at home while being away. Our Executive Chief works with highly specialized Chiefs in Chinese cuisine to make sure your meals are prepared in the pure tradition.

文化渗透和精彩活动茉莉雅岛和波拉波拉岛是大自然赐予的礼物。我们非常自豪地与您共享这份珍宝，犹如分享晚餐时的舞蹈表演，或是白天的传统活动。

Cultural immersion and exciting activities The islands of Moorea and Bora Bora are gifts from Mother Nature. We are proud to share their treasures with you such as spectacular dance shows during dinners or traditional activities during the day.

我们的中国专家发现我们的岛国及其文化是生命中激动人心的一刻。为了让您的假期更精彩，我们茉莉雅和波拉波拉度假村的中文管家将在您逗留期为您全程服务。

生活无限精彩

Our Chinese experts Discovering other countries and cultures is always an exciting moment in life. To make your stay even more magnifique, a Chinese speaking Guests Relations will be your dedicated contact during your stay with us in Moorea and Bora Bora.

w w w. s o f itel. co m

在瑞伊瓦瓦埃岛高山远足（南方群岛） Hiking in the mountains on the island of Raivavae (Austral Archipelago). ©P.Bacchet

TAHITI DISCOVERY

大溪地岛的冠形高地 Diadème mountain in the heart of the island of Tahiti. ©P.Bacchet

TAHITI DISCOVERY

小吸蜜鹦鹉，瑞马塔拉岛的特有物种 / The vini ura, a bird endemic to the island of Rimatara. 26

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©Benthouard.com

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在波拉波拉岛的一家豪华度假村 / A grand hotel on the island of Bora Bora 28

TAHITI DISCOVERY

©Tim-mckenna.com

波利尼西亚岛屿的命运和秘密

在环礁岛屿和高势岛屿之间：440万年的莫皮提 Between an atoll and a island: Maupiti: 4,4 millions years old

位于背风群岛的图帕伊环礁岛。在整个波利尼西亚总共有8 5 个环礁岛，这是最常见的岛屿类型。 Tupai atoll in the Leeward Islands. There are 85 atolls in French Polynesia where atolls are the most common type of island. photos : philippe bacchet

波利尼西亚的岛屿是怎样诞生的？它们将怎样演变？它们为什么如此特殊与美丽？答案就在这份穿越时空的旅行手册里。

我

迷失在浩瀚无边的太平洋中间，就

纳1912年的科学研究成果，以及基于他成果之上

我的地理位置而言，已经让人神往

的研究，不得不承认以上所有的理论都不切实际。

了……我孤孤单单一个人，被纯洁无

于是人们明白由巨大的板块组成的地壳不是静止

暇的沙滩镶嵌其中，椰树摇曳，沉浸在绿松石般

的，这些板块甚至大陆都做相对运动。板块漂移理

的恬静又温和的海水中，我成了所有人的幻想之

论——大陆的漂移，很大程度地得到了证实……我

地……当然，你们肯定猜到我是谁了。鲁滨逊漂流

们所有太平洋上的小岛和这理都论紧密相连。从诞

记、皮特凯恩群岛、拉帕努伊……但是还有大溪

生到消失，让我们来了解一下一个漂浮在浩瀚大海

地、波拉波拉、土阿莫土群群岛、马克萨斯群岛。

上的，无人知晓的地方的海岛的一生。

对了，被你们猜到了，我是……一个小岛。这些尘

最好是先画一张太平洋盆地的地理图。大部分太平

埃般大小的土地冒在浩渺的太平洋上。通常她们的

洋海床是由一块巨大的固体岩石圈板块构成：太平

面积都非常小：从几百平方公里到十几平方公里，

洋板块。这块地球上最大的板块，从数百万年前开

人们喜欢把它们叫做环礁岛。

始，就在位于东部所谓“大洋中脊”地方不断生

这些纸屑般的土地如何会出现在无边无际的大海

长。它的形成和新的玄武质熔岩的持续供应是有关

上？很早人们就提出这个问题，一些想像力异常丰

系的。脊背是地壳真正的断裂层，是一连串的海底

富的人认为这是大陆沉没的那部分。亚特兰提斯和

火山，玄武质熔岩从地幔冒出溢向两边，从而形成

那所谓的“悲惨”，姆大陆——“遗失的大地”或

大洋地壳。人们意识到越是远离大洋中脊，海床年

是被吞没的大地，随便你们选择怎么说！根据伟格

代越是久远。太平洋西部的海床有1亿8千万年。

TAHITI DISCOVERY

克萨斯群岛，法图伊瓦岛壮观的海岸线。法图伊瓦岛是一座只有16 0 万年的年轻高势岛屿。 Fatuiva’s spectacular coastline in the Marquesas. Fatuiva is a young island at only 1.6 million years old.

只有2 .5 － 7 . 5 万年的马黑提亚岛的火山锥，它是一个活跃火山热点的顶峰。 Volcanic cone on the island of Mehetia, which is only 25,00075,000 years old. This is the summit of an active volcanic hot spot.

photos : philippe bacchet

新的熔岩以滚动地毯的方式，轻轻漂浮在被称

块上升了将近600米）这种巨大的“水泡”源自于

为“软流圈”的上地幔，以此推动旧的熔岩。在

大量岩浆的堆积。这是南太平洋超级地幔柱，在

软流圈的中间，复杂的现象造成大量的热能，使

此之上人们发现了大量的火山和海底山。最常见的

得熔岩结合。于是形成了岩浆对流，就像一个置

是，岛屿以念珠的形状分布在长几百公里的范围

于火上的锅内沸腾的水。在新的熔岩带来的挤

内，它们组成了群岛：南方－库克群岛、社会群

压下和岩浆的对流下，板块慢慢地向西北方向移

岛、土阿莫土群岛、马克萨斯群岛等等。这些群岛

动。根据每个不同区域的年龄，人们得以判断它

很早就引起地质学家的注意了。因为它们就像被排

的发展速度。在不同的地方，板块的速度可以在8

列过的，而且都是朝着邻岛的方向排列。当人们能

到18厘米之间浮动。偶尔也会造成称为“转型”

够鉴别这些岛屿的岩石的年代时，他们发现越是往

的断层。于是太平洋板便有扩大的趋势……但地

西北方向的火山，年代越是久远。因此，位于社会

球并不是可以“延伸”的，在太平洋的另一端，

群岛南面的马黑提亚岛只有2.5到7万年，在群岛另

在最西面，大洋板块俯冲入大陆板块下的隐没

一端的莫皮提却被鉴定已有440万年的历史了。在

带，正如日本的东海岸或者新西兰的北岛。不幸

这两个极端之间，岛的年龄成阶梯分布：大溪地岛

的是在全球所有的这些区域，这些俯冲运动总会

100万年，茉莉雅170万年，胡阿希内260万年，波

带来碰撞，造成地震海、啸和火山喷发：这是地

拉波拉340万年。在马克萨斯群岛，我们发现同样

球上火山活动最活跃的环太平洋火山带。话归正

的现象：位于马克萨斯南端的法图依瓦只有160万

传，回到我们的岛屿来！在目前整个波利尼西亚的

年，但是怒库希瓦却已经有420万年了。位于马克

海底，海床的上升使地壳隆起了几百米高（海洋板

萨斯最北端的埃奥岛已经超过550万年了。

TAHITI DISCOVERY

我诞生于海底……

中只有3个是活跃的：在大溪地岛的南面是马黑提

地质学家们集中精力研究处于最东南端小岛的排

群岛的东南面是皮特凯恩火山；在南方群岛的最

列分布。在海底他们发现了一座还没升上海平面

南端，1988年发现的麦当劳海底火山到现在才在

的年轻火山。也就是说在呈念珠般分布的岛屿的

水下积累了十几米的高度。浮石的喷发已经有过

最南端，小岛是一个接着一个形成的。加拿大的

记录了。毋庸置疑，在“若干年”之后这座火山

地球物理学家图佐 · 威尔逊（ T u z o -W i l s o n ）于

将升出海面。过程将会像日本最近冒出深海面的

1963年提出了“热点”存在的假设。热点的位

小岛一样壮观。火山持续喷发，分娩发生在一束

置是固定的，岩石圈板块缓缓地从它们上面经

束滚烫的熔岩和蒸汽中。当海水碰到2000摄氏度

过。由于不知名的机械运动，一缕缕岩浆时不时

的的岩浆时，立即变成蒸汽，形成一大团白色烟

地穿透岩石圈，流淌在大洋板块上。一座火山就

雾。这是火和水的结合。这些在空中的喷发常常

这样诞生了。由于它被厚厚的水层覆盖，所以从

伴随着其他多种喷射物：火山弹、气体……小岛

水面根本无法察觉到火山的喷射。一次又一次的

诞生了。虽然火山是在火，熔岩和水的猛烈碰撞

喷发，大量的岩浆堆积得越来越厚，形成了火山

中形成的，但是它很脆弱。

锥。它需要用几十万年的时间才能生长到4千至5

地被汹涌的波浪卷走。然而如果排放量非常大，

千米的高度，然后山尖升出海面形成岛屿。对不

而且熔岩是很结实的的玄武岩，那么这个新生的

同群岛的研究证明，这座小岛的平均寿命也就在

小岛将拥有所有的运气来抵抗自然因素。目前来

1000万年左右。这些在大洋板块9千到1万2千米之

看或据记载，分布在马克萨斯岛，南方群岛的如

上的火山，从体积来讲，它们完全可以和陆地上

如图岛和拉罗汤加岛的热点还没有火山爆发的迹

最雄伟的火山媲美。波利尼西亚总共有6个热点其

象。当然，在太平洋底还存在着其它热点。

亚火山（最近一次喷发是在1986年）；在甘比埃

火山喷射物可以很快

土阿莫土群岛，阿纳岛的珊瑚圈。 Barrier reef on the atoll of Anaa, Tuamotu Islands.

TAHITI DISCOVERY

环礁岛上的果鸠，土阿莫土群岛的特有物种 / The Atoll Fruit-dove, a species endemic to the Tuamotu Islands.

photos : philippe bacchet

夏威夷群岛就是一个很好的证明。那里有地球上

分解之后带来的矿元素成为它们发芽和生长的必

最重要的火山冒纳凯阿火山，它高出大洋板块1

要元素。第一批蕨草，第一块地衣，第一批芽苗

万米。刚刚诞生的火山还只不过是一堆黑色赤裸

将慢慢地覆盖小岛，它们给某些海鸟的筑巢提供

的火山石乱石岗，在风吹雨打，海浪的冲击下，

了优良的环境……它们的粪便将使土壤变得更肥

摧毁的过程才刚刚开始。慢慢地，海岸线开始形

沃。冲刷着海岸的海浪能带来一些更大的漂浮种

成。海浪狂扯着整块整块的熔岩渣，它们沿着没

子，甚至还有蜥蜴、蚂蚁、蜘蛛和其它昆虫。这

在水下的山坡向海底深渊滚去。

些昆虫紧紧地附在因为涨潮从另一个岛，或者更远的大陆飘来的筏碎片上。风、鸟、海浪是传播

生命伊始

和定植的重要条件。更重要的植物，甚至是树开始生长，它们创造了一个动物和植被都非常丰富

生命开始一点点地在目前只是贫瘠的矿石世界出

和多样的环境。森林的形成，给栖息在那里的生

现。孤零零地矗立在茫茫大海中间，这块“大石

物们提供了食物和家园。这样的状态将会持续几

头”成了某些海鸟或者其它鸟类的落脚点甚至筑

十万年。由于长期隔绝，迁移之后的动植物会和

巢处。粘在一些海鸟爪子上的，混着排泄物的，

它们原来的种类略微不同。它们是在任何别的地

或是被风吹来的蕨类植物孢子，极轻的光草籽，

方都找不到的，小岛特有的种类。太平洋岛屿上

甚至是更重的种子将抵达这个小岛。有些死掉

的特有种类尤其多。一个平衡的自然生态环境即

了，有些会找到一个小缝隙，潮湿和玄武岩化学

将形成。

TAHITI DISCOVERY

在水面上，被洋流带来的珊瑚幼虫在火山上

侵占小岛。原有的生态平衡极有可能被打

壁坡上定居下来，并慢慢繁殖发展成珊瑚

破。这些人有意也无意地带来了一些动物：

圈。

珊瑚虫修建了这些巧妙的结构，因为生

猪、狗、老鼠、家鼠、蜘蛛和其它昆虫等。

活在需要阳光和氧气的藻类组织里，所以它

它们也会或快慢地找到一些小角落，毫不费

们宁愿定居在靠近水面的地方，充分享受咸

力地找到一个有利的生存环境，重获自由。

咸的氧气充足的海水。它们不生长在峡谷的

更何况，除了人类，它们没有多少天敌。

入海口，富含岛上有机物和矿物质的淡水流

一个世纪接着一个世纪，人类也根据自己的

会在那里经过：这就是泻湖的过道。

现状而改变生存环境：砍树木、火烧地、开垦耕地、灌溉等等。之后，欧洲人带来了更

人类的到来……

多品种的动物和植物。接着，借着进步和经济发展的名义，强劲的大型机器代替了小小

接着有一天，划着双体独木舟的人类第一次

的十字镐，先是小道，然后是大路，接着是

踏上了这片海岸：他们是波利尼西亚人。他

艺术建筑，小岛越来越城市化，各种大型设

们带来了新的植物种类：可以食用的；可

施的建立层出不穷，从400或500万年前出生

以建造住所的；可以做成炊具的；制成衣服

到现在，小岛完全改变了模样。但是这些天

的……还有其它不想要的，但是无意中带来

翻地覆的改变只不过是它生命旅程中的一个

的，它们可以找到最好的环境，充分利用和

小阶段，它还可以继续存在500万年……

A p et a hi 栀子花，赖阿特阿岛特美哈尼高原的特有物种 / Tiare Apetahi, endemic to the Temehani plateaux on Raiatea.

甘比埃群岛 Gambier archipelago

photos : philippe bacchet

诚然，在一两代人之间，小岛似乎没有什么变化。

大。随着大洋板块朝西发展，太平洋板块下沉：这

然而事实却是另一回事，因为小岛在变化，它在移

是下陷现象。一次很大规模的下沉，因为大洋中脊

动，在不可避免地走向生命的末端。首先这些自然

只是在海底2500米，而海沟从东到西的深度却可达

现象，如水土流失正在改变小岛的地貌。径流损坏

到6至8千，甚至是1万两千米，大洋板块冲入大陆板

和瓦解最坚固的岩石。受这些自然化学现象侵蚀的

块。板块的运动引起海岛下沉。

火山石开始开裂……一些植物的细小根须钻入细石

贪恋阳光的环绕着小岛的珊瑚圈幸存了下来，接着

隙里，石缝一年比一年大，大块的石头从火山体上

向上生长，形成了一个真正的珊瑚花冠围绕着垂危

分离坠落下来。有时候甚至是规模很大的山体滑

的小岛。很块，只有幸免于侵蚀作用的山峰还露

坡。日复一日，小岛降低了海拔和减小了体积。尤

出海面。正如我们今天看到的的波拉波拉和莫皮

其这几年，随着全球变暖和带来的效应，海平面日

提……在几百万年之后，这些最后的山峰也会因为

益上涨，海岸线也在前进，小岛的陆地面积慢慢减

下沉而消失不见。剩下的只有珊瑚圈。高势岛屿将

少……海潮，涌浪，台风，一切都在摧毁着小岛的

变成一个环礁岛屿，就像组成土阿莫土群岛的小岛

地貌。一块接着一块，一粒接着一粒，径流机械式

们。但是它也会伴随着承载着它的板块，朝着西面

的冲刷，涌浪的拍打，有时候人类自己……都在毁

移动和下沉，它被叫作“即将消失的”

灭着岛国。

只剩下一片白色的沙子，再接着一个沉没在海里的

……最后

山峰：这个平顶山在几十万年之后被大洋板块拖着

逐渐消失

被吞入隐没带……被岩浆吞没，然后融入赋予它新生的对流岩，小岛的最后一道遗迹消失堙灭。所幸

这种破坏很严重，但是还有更严重，更不可避免

的是，我们不会目睹这一切，令游客们感到欣慰的

的。逐渐远离洋中脊的大洋板块开始冷却，导致板

是，在几千年里人们还可以充分享受我们迷人的热

块变厚。在离洋中脊几公里远的地方，在伸入大陆

带岛屿。

板块隐没带之前，板块的厚度可以达到10甚至20万米厚。板块越来越厚，软流圈受到的压力也越来越

文/Michel Charleux

大溪地岛，法达吾阿峡谷的瀑布 Fataua valley waterfall, Tahiti

大溪地半岛的珊瑚圈 / The coral reef at Tahiti’s peninsula. © Benthouard.com

The destiny and secrets of our islands How did the Polynesian islands come into being? What will they become? How is it that they are so unique and beautiful? The answers are in this informative voyage through time and space.

I am lost in the middle of the immense Pacific, and already, by default of my geographic location, I am the thing dreams are made of…I am uninhabited and alone, bordered by a beach of immaculate white sand, having but a few coconut trees and bathed in deliciously warm turquoise water. I then become the place of everyone’s fantasy…of course, you have guessed by now what I am. Don’t tell me you need even more hints, such as Robinson Crusoe, Pitcairn, Rapa Nui as well as Tahiti, Bora Bora, the Tuamotus, the Marquesas. Yes, you figured it out ! I am …an island, a tiny piece of earth encircled with water. There are hundreds of these dustings of the earth poking out of the immense Pacific Ocean. They are usually small, ranging from a few hundred square meters—often called islets—to several dozen square kilometers.

The origins of the oceanic islands in the Pacific How did these tiny bits of confetti show up in the middle of this immense ocean? This question has been around for a long while and some with an overactive imagination believe they are what is left of a vanished continent, such as Atlantis and its so-

TAHITI DISCOVERY

called mysteries, or remnants of “Mu,” another lost or engulfed continent…you decide! After the work of German scientist Wegener in 1912 and the studies that ensued, it became evident that these theories were far-fetched. It was then understood that the earth’s crust was not static. It was formed of giant plates and that these plates, and even continents, shift. The theory of tectonic plates—the shifting of continents—came into being and has been largely corroborated ever since. Our Pacific islands are closely tied to this theory. Here, we will follow the life of one of these islands—that seemingly appeared in the middle of nowhere—from its birth until its death. First, it is a good idea to picture the geological situation of the Pacific basin. A solid lithospheric plate, known as the Pacific plate, comprises most of the Pacific floor. This largest plate on earth has been continuously shaping itself for millions of years at the level of a zone called the “mid-ocean ridge” that is situated to the east. It is created through a permanent supply of new basaltic substance. A ridge is a true fracture in the earth’s crust, a chain of underwater volcanoes where basaltic substance rises up from the mantle and pours out from two sides, creating an oceanic crust. We became aware that the farther away one gets from the ridge, the older the Oceanic floor…as much as 180 million years old towards the west of the Pacific!

Recent substance shapes the older substance into a type of rug that literally floats on the greatest part of the earth’s mantle called the asthenosphere. Within the asthenosphere, complex phenomena produce enormous quantities of heat, which fuses the substance. This in turn creates convection movements of the magma, somewhat like what occurs in a pot of water on the stove. Between the pushing that takes place by the supplies of new substance and convection movements, the plate slowly makes its way northeast. Based on the ages of the different zones, it is possible to determine the speed at which it progresses. Depending on the location, the speed varies from 8 to 18 cm per year (3-7 inches), sometimes creating what are called transform faults. Hence, the Pacific Ocean has a tendency to get larger. However, since the earth is not expandable, the oceanic plate disappears from one side of the Pacific all the way to the west through sliding under continental plates in the subduction zones, such as the east coast of Japan or New Zealand’s north island. Unfortunately for these regions of the planet, this sliding does not occur without friction. Sometimes they create earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. This is the Pacific Ring of Fire that has the most active volcanoes on earth.

During very ancient times However, let us return to our islands! In current-day French Polynesia, the rising seabed shows a several hundred-meter bulge in the earth’s crust (the ocean floor has risen almost 600 m/2000 ft). This type of immense “blister” results from a considerable accumulation of magma. It is the super-bulge of the South Pacific on which lay numerous islands and undersea mountains. Most often, these islands are spread in succession over several hundred kilometers and make up the archipelagoes of the Cook and Austral Islands, Society Islands,

the Tuamotus, the Marquesas and so on. For a long time, these archipelagoes have attracted the attention of geologists because all these islands are aligned in a neighborly direction. Once geologists were able to date the rocks on the islands, they realized that the more they ventured northwest, the older the islands. As such, Mehetia island south of the Society Islands is only 25,000 to 70,000 years old; whereas Maupiti on the other side of the archipelago dates to about 4.4 million years. Between these two extremes, the ages are staggered. Tahiti is 1 million years old, Huahine is 2.6 million, and Bora Bora is 3.4 million. The same phenomenon exists in the Marquesas. Fatu Hiva to the south of the Marquesan archipelago is only 1.6 million years old; whereas Nuku Hiva is 4.2 million and Eiao to the extreme north of the Marquesas is the oldest at 5.5 million years old.

I was born on the bottom of the ocean Geologists have concentrated their research on the extreme southeastern point of these alignments, and through conducting underwater research, they discovered the summit of young volcanoes still beneath the surface. In 1963, J. Tuzo Wilson, the Canadian Geophysicist, came up with his hypothesis about the existences of hotspots, which are areas with a fixed location which the lithospheric plate passes slowly over. From time to time, due to mechanisms we still know little about, a plume of magma perforates the lithospheric plate and flows onto the ocean floor. This causes the birth of an undersea volcano. Due to the thick layer of water that sits on top of it, this underwater eruption goes by undetected from the surface. Eruption after eruption, the magmatic mass grows into a volcanic cone. It takes several hundred thousand years for it to grow 4 or 5000 meters (13,000-16,000 ft), and for its summit to emerge out of the ocean to create an island.

赖阿特阿岛的山峰 / Peaks on the islands of Raiatea.

TAHITI DISCOVERY

马尼希环礁岛和它物种丰富的海洋生物 Manihi atoll pass and its rich underwater fauna. photos : philippe bacchet

The study of different archipelagoes shows that the lifespan of the island averages about a dozen million years. These volcanoes, 9,000m – 12,000m above the ocean floor (29,500 – 39,000 ft), rival in size with the largest continental volcanoes. French Polynesia has six known hotspots of which only three are active: Mehetia’s active volcano south of Tahiti (the last eruption was in 1986); Pitcairn to the southeast of the Gambier Islands, and the undersea volcano McDonald (1988) located to the extreme south of the Austral Archipelago. The tip of the volcano lays at only several dozen meters under the surface of the water. Pumice eruptions have already taken place. No doubt, that in a certain number of years, this volcano will emerge. This spectacle will be similar to the small island that recently emerged from the depths outside Japan. As the eruptions continue, birth of the island occurs through sheaves of molten rock and steam. The seawater vaporizes upon contact with lava at 2,000 °C (3,632°F), which creates huge white plumes. This is the marriage of fire and water. These aerial eruptions take place at the same time as various projections, such as volcanic bombs and gases. This is how an island is born. This island is fragile despite the fact its birthing takes place under frightening chaos that brings together fire, rocks, and water. Swells can quickly destroy the pyroclastic substances. However, if the emissions are abundant, and if the lava flow consists of strong, solid basaltic matter, then there is a chance that the newborn can resist the natural elements. The Marquesan hotspot, just like the ones by Rurutu Island in the Australs and Rarotonga, doesn’t have any recent volcanic activity on record. Of course, there are other hotspots in the Pacific. Hawaii is a perfect example. Mauna Kea volcano rises up at more than 10,000 meters (33,000 ft) above sea level and is one of the most significant volcanoes on earth. A young island is but a chaotic mix of black, raw volcanic rock beaten by the wind and ocean swells that must commence the slow process of development. Bit by bit, the coastal shores take form. The ocean rips entire sections of volcanic slag, hurtling them down the underwater slopes of the volcano into the abyss.

TAHITI DISCOVERY

Life takes form Bit by bit, life progressively settles on which is for the moment, nothing but a sterile mineral world. This isolated rock in the middle of the ocean presents an excellent stopover place for certain sea birds to nest. They transport spores of ferns and grains of grass that have clung to their legs and mixed with their excrement to the island. If some of the grains don’t make it, then others will find the moisture and the nutrients necessary for their germination and development in microcracks, which result from the chemical weathering of the basalt. The first ferns, the first lichens, and the first grasses will colonize the island over time, creating perfect nesting conditions for some birds. The droppings from these birds enrich the soil. Sea currents beating against the coast may carry larger seeds. They also bring lizards, ants, spiders, and other insects clinging to debris from another island or even a faraway continent. Wind, birds and sea currents play a critical role in dispersal and colonization. Larger plants, such as trees, will start to grow, creating a richly diverse environment for animals and vegetation. A forest will develop, providing food and shelter to its hosts. This situation will endure millions of years. Due to their long isolation and following an array of mutations, plants and animals will become slightly altered from their original species. Species found only on a certain little island will become endemic. The number of endemic species in the Pacific islands is particularly significant. A natural balance will start to form. Sea currents bring cup coral larvae from under the surface of the water that affix themselves to the highest slopes of the volcanic cone. They colonize and eventually build a coral reef. The tiny polyps that build these structures hide algae inside their matter that need light and oxygen. Consequently, they prefer to be close to the surface and benefit from water that is usually salty and rich in oxygen. They will not develop within the paths of fresh water charged with organic and mineral particles stripped from the island. These paths will become passes.

And then it became time for humans... Then one day, aboard double pirogues, the first humans set foot on its shores. The Polynesians arrived, bringing with them new types of vegetation—some for food, others to build houses and make tools and clothing. They inadvertently brought other types of plants that found excellent conditions to thrive and therefore invaded the entire island. The natural balance fell at risk. These human beings also brought animals, either voluntarily or not, such as pigs, dogs, rats, mice, spiders, and other insects. These creatures quickly settled throughout the tiniest corners of the island in an attempt to regain their freedom and find their ideal environments. Other than humans, they did not have many predators. Century after century, humans started to alter the landscape to suit them through chopping down trees, burning land, putting in agricultural terraces and irrigation ditches, etc. Later on, Europeans brought more species of animals and vegetables. Soon after, in the name of progress and economical development powerful engines replaced pickaxes and shovels. People built tracks, then roads, works of art, countless more urban buildings, and created various facilities. Our tiny island has indeed changed since its birth 4 or 5 million years before. However, this upheaval is but a stage of its life. It still has another 5 million years or so to go…

Unchangeable? Over the course of one or two generations, the island appears to be unchanged. The reality is entirely the opposite, because the island shifts. Importantly, it moves relentlessly towards its end. First, natural phenomena, such as erosion, alter the landscape. Running water modifies and decomposes even the hardest rocks. Moreover, volcanic rocks are subject to chemical reactions and disintegrate. Small vegetal roots infiltrate the tiniest cracks that they stretch open after time, plus blocks of rock split off during volcanic flows. Sometimes, these huge masses come loose. Day after day, the island loses altitude and size. Particularly during the past few years due to global warming and its consequences, there is a slow rise in sea levels that is evident through observing the change in coastlines and a loss of the islands’ surface area. Tides, swells and cyclones all compete to destroy the edifice. Block by block, particle-by-particle, mechanical actions caused by streaming water, swells, and sometimes human interventions, destroy the island.

Slow disappearance This destruction is significant, but there are more serious and inescapable issues. Through getting farther from the ridge, the oceanic plate gets cold, which provokes a thickening. A few kilometers from the ridge’s level, its thickness will attain 100 or even 200 km (60-125 mi) before subduction occurs, which involves sliding under the continental plate. Its mass increases even more, exerting significant pressure on the asthenosphere. As a result, when it progresses to the west, the Pacific plate sinks, which is an occurrence known as subsidence. This creates a significant depression, for while the ridge is at a depth of only 2,500 meters beneath the sea (8,200 ft); the depths

from east to west increase to 6, 8 or even 12, 000 meters (20,000 or 26,000 or even 40,000 ft) from the location of the gulf where the plate slides underneath the continental plate. Islands shifted by the movement of the plate also sink in. The coral reefs that surround them, desperate for light, survive through growing towards the surface, a true crown of coral encircling the island’s agony. Soon, only the island’s summits that escaped erosion will stick out of the water. This is what we see happening in Bora Bora and Maupiti. In a few million years, these last summits will have disappeared. Subsidence will have eventually dragged them away. Only rings of coral will remain. The high islands will have transformed into atolls, such as those in the Tuamotu Archipelago. However, even atolls will follow their path toward the west and join the sinking of the plate that carries it to its death. Only a sandbank will remain, then an underwater mountain, called a guyot, that several million years later will also be dragged away by the ocean floor, only to be swallowed by subduction. The final remains of our island will disappear, engulfed by magma and swept up by convection movements. Fortunately, we will not be around to witness this, and tourists can be reassured that they still have several thousand years to visit our beautiful tropical islands. Michel Charleux 法图伊瓦岛 / Fatuiva Island.

夏威基努依舷外浮杆独木舟比赛（Hawaiki Nui Va'a）：波利尼西亚划桨手的梦幻坐骑

照片 / Pictures : Julien Girardot

在出发点 On the departure line.

自24年来法属波利尼西亚每年都会举办声势浩大的独木舟比赛，人们采用的是一种叫Va'a的舷外浮杆独木舟。这是全年最重要的大型体育活动，也被公认为在此领域难度最高的一项比赛。Hawaiki Nui 独木舟比赛汇集100多支6人组的划船队。每年 11月初，参赛者们用3天的时间穿越胡阿希內岛，赖阿特阿岛，塔哈岛和波拉波拉岛，比赛全程总长为128公里。

像

一支安静地蛰伏在丘陵上的，准备

乐，这令人联想起单人穿越大西洋的兰姆酒之路

随时扑向敌人的军队，504个脑袋

的帆船比赛，或是旺迪单人环游世界帆船赛等著

仅仅伸出水面几厘米，他们排列成

名赛事的出发场面。为了更近距离地跟踪赛队，

线型，犹如一个独体人。铅灰色的天空把胡阿希

渔船老板詹姆士热情地把我邀请上了他的- poti

內Himo'o山顶上的棕榈树衬得格外的翠绿。此刻

marara——摩托艇独木舟，这是一种很典型的

为早上7点14分，不到一分钟Hawaiki-Nui-Va'a

波利尼西亚渔船。掺合和汽油味，在起伏的海浪

比赛马上就要开始了。拥挤在胡阿希內的主要建

中，我们在其他渔船、帆船、小汽艇和充气筏之

筑物－码头凉亭内的人们都屏住了呼吸。突然，

间曲折穿梭着。

直升机轰隆隆的声音和跟踪船队马力十足的马达声，让人们以为身临电影《末日启示录》传奇的

飞驰的速度

突击战中。起泡线犹如一个爆炸了的气球，在嘶

声裂肺的呐喊加油声中，在划桨下沸腾着的泡沫

看呐，壳牌队－地区和世界性比赛中的佼佼者，

中，84支6人组的船队冲了出去，开始了赛程为

已经超过了第一个浮标，在强劲对手的紧追不舍

44.5公里的第一阶段，直到胡阿希內的姊妹岛

下，它箭一般地朝着Avamo'a过道滑去。过不了多

赖阿特阿岛。毫无疑问，著名的华格纳歌剧中的

久，所有这些激烈的竞争对手将全部穿过泻湖，

《女武神骑行》简直就是这场迷人比赛的绝佳配

投入茫茫大海。

TAHITI DISCOVERY

在前四个小时之内，他们必须要保持飞驰的速度，

几句，同时不紧不慢地完成手上最后几道技术和行

在坚决不向疲劳，抽筋，脱水屈服的情况下，每分

政准备工作，他们呈现给人们的是满脸的镇静与安

钟要划50、60甚至是80桨。跟着规律的节奏，他们

详。小食铺卖着椰奶生鱼沙拉和烤鲯鳅鱼串（ mahi

相互配合，哪怕一秒钟的分心都会让整个团队失去

mahi ），置身于这种家庭节日气氛中，波利尼西亚

神奇的，让他们走向成功的和谐，可以将整整一年

人的纯朴和好客使我深深陶醉，但是毋庸置疑，一

的训练成果毁于一旦。不管是普通的小俱乐部还是

旦跳入于水中，这些亲切的人们将马上变成不屈不

常常占据奖台的佼佼者，对每一支参赛船队来说，

挠的战士。在比赛的开幕式上，有戴着鲜花的大溪

这不仅仅是对奖牌的挑战，也是一次体能极限的挑

地女人随着传统敲击乐的走秀，有年长的老者们的

战。因为没有人是怀着游客的心情来参加Hawaiki-

祈祷和祝福，桨手们整齐而庄重地席地而坐在棕榈

Nui-Va'a比赛的，为此最艰难的独木舟比赛也是最

叶铺成的地毯上，听着官员的发言，仪式在一顿异

为壮观的。

常丰盛的自助宴席中结束。

然而，昨天当我在迷人的胡阿希內码头散步时，看

大溪地的一位鼎鼎有名的独木舟冠军曾经给我仔

着孩子们一头扎入绿松石一般海水中，等待着独木

细地解释过独木舟比赛的基本要领。传统的独木

舟称重（在独木舟重量不达到150公斤的情况下必

舟是用木头做成的，现代的独木舟已经采用聚酯

须压舱），我无法猜测这些划桨英雄们的性格。

纤维或碳纤维制造了。为了优化水动力性能，在

他们平易近人，会微笑着主动地和好奇的人们闲聊

人们不断地探索下，近年来船体和船桨经历了很

比赛前桨手汇集仪式 Ceremony gathering the oarsmen before the competition.

大的演变。人们甚至记下了不同桨手的相应的名称。 fa’ahoro 或是1号桨手，一般都很魁梧健硕，

沸腾的和助阵呐喊的人群

他必须很具耐力，要保持团队节奏；2号桨手稳

人人为我，我为人人，这就是秘密所在。你们应该

稳地和1号配合；3号桨手（ le-tare -船长）和4号

看看这些太平洋火枪手用7节（大约14公里/时）

桨手是发动机；任务最轻的的桨手是5号和6号（ le

的速度飞驰的样子。他们强劲有力又规律地划着

peperu ），他们利用短桨进行掌舵。但是最让我吃

桨，当独木舟遇上大浪时大家同步停止划动，一旦

惊的是，这些运动员居然都是业余爱好者。他们每

滑过浪尖，他们又飞快地把短桨重新插入水中在船

天只是在上学或上班之前，或者下班后回家之前去

舷的另一边划动。整个船队就像一个运作非常流畅

训练一番。不管他们是属于由当地大型企业赞助的

的机器，配备了读得懂洋流的直觉和敏锐的战术，

团队，比如壳牌（Shell）、电信邮局（OPT）、大

是身体，动作，独木舟和所有元素的完美衔接。我

溪地电力（EDT）、大溪地航空，还是小型俱乐部的

从来没有在任何一项集体体育运动中看到如此整齐

成员，赛手们每个周末都马不停蹄地参加各种比赛

同步的节奏。飞鱼群擦着摩托艇独木舟而过，我也

以改善技术。社会群岛的桨手们的水平无人可及，

情不自禁地融入到这种人声鼎沸的气氛当中，扯着

不管是夏威夷、新西兰还是澳大利亚，或是加利福

嗓子喊加油。大雨直直地落下来，使能见度降低了

尼亚的桨手，没人能够跟得上他们的节奏。

一半，有些赛队甚至失去他们的方向，但是至少没

“练习是最基础的，”瑞迪•爱伯（Rete Ebb)——

有人会抱怨炎热之苦。大雨在赖阿特阿广阔的泻湖

独木舟的新星，当代人的偶像真诚地向我吐露，

上狂热地迎接着赛手们，这是祖先们“肥沃和神圣

“但最重要的还是团队精神。要赢，就必须完全相

的”岛屿，坐落在岛上的Taputapuatea神殿遗址是

信自己的团队，要和其他5个队友成为一体。”

太平洋地区一个举行仪式的最重要的场所。

TAHITI DISCOVERY

第二天的赛程至关重要，在分开赖阿特阿岛和她的

手们抵达一个使人难以忘怀的风景如画的世界。在

姊妹岛塔哈岛之间的泻湖上进行。植被丰富的塔哈

美丽的马蒂纳沙滩，我发现了大海赠予我的最美丽

岛因其闻名世界的香草而出名。一场26公里的短

的蓝色。与此同时千千万万波利尼西亚观众带着充

距离赛在铺满细沙的诗歌般的小屿前展开，但对人

满感染力的喜悦，不耐其烦地等待504位英雄凯旋

体神经却是一场严峻的考验。赛手们借助某些跟踪

而来（没有任何一个半途而废的赛队）。人们聚集

船开辟出来的水路来冲浪，以便更快前进。和昨

在终点周围，要么在他们的船里，要么站在水中。

晚一样，大溪地电力队冲当其首，抢在赖阿特阿的

船队们用尽最后的力气，肩并肩地争先恐后地追

Hinaraurea队和划桨连接队之前。

逐着。最后，精疲力尽的战士们终于可以在亲人们的怀抱中喘口气时，人们却已经把大把话筒凑到他

坚韧和谦逊第二天早上，我终于在太阳明媚的压轴赛中发现了波拉波拉。在泻湖和大海之间，从赖阿特阿岛到波拉波拉岛，赛程总长为58.2公里。 “这需要纯粹

的耐力，桨手们要有很坚强的毅力” ，菲利普•圣贝纳迪诺（Philippe Bernardino）告诉我。他曾经是独木舟比赛的一个传奇人物，现在从事教练和建筑行业。太平洋明珠上俊俏的青山连绵起伏，赛

们的嘴边，喜悦油然而生。作为三个赛段的冠军，大溪地电力队摘得2014年Hawaiki Nui Va'a的桂冠，胡阿希內岛最出色的俱乐部Matairea-Hoe继后。在颁奖典礼上，以所有团队的名义，比赛委员会给由一部分盲人组成的不列塔尼残疾人赛队也颁了奖。现在我明白为什么坚韧和谦虚是背风群岛的美德。和别处相比，在这里即使胜利是美好的，但是重在参与。文/Marie Dufay

瓦依米媂 · 莫阿妮（ V a i m i t i M a o ni ) ，女子独木舟比赛冠军 Vaimiti Maoni, female va’a champion.

独木舟比赛也是女人的故事

她顺理成章地站在所有冠军的奖台上，直到巴西的这一伟大胜利。

在Hawaiki-Nui-Va'a比赛期间，女人们也有自己的

“和加利福尼亚，新西兰和夏威夷等赛手们相比，

比赛：从赖阿特阿岛到塔哈岛泻湖内以及珊瑚圈之

波利尼西亚从事划桨的人数是最少的，但是他们的

外的24公里的女子赛。27岁的大溪地女孩瓦依米媂•

水平是最高的。很多女孩加入独木舟青少年俱乐

莫阿妮（Vaimiti-Maoni）和她的女子团队Ihilani

部，人们经常可以在那里发掘到具有很大潜力的桨

Va'a也参加了次比赛。她曾经获得2014年8月在里约

手。但是一旦成家立业，她们就很难找到时间来训

热内卢举行的国际独木舟比赛的冠军。她给我们讲

练和参赛了。为了改变这现象，我不断地争取。”

述女子独木舟比赛。

朵梨•哈特（Doris-Hart）解释道，作为第一个独

“我喜欢挑战，是因为我的家庭：我的父亲曾经是

木舟联合会的女主席，她深情地怀念祖母用独木舟

深海捕鱼冠军，我的叔叔曾经8次获得独木舟世界冠

载着她去捕鱼时的场景，她说从来女人们在所有大

军，同样我的哥哥也获得过两次世界冠军……在波

型波利尼西亚，法国国家或是世界性的比赛中都很

利尼西亚拥有此项目最高水平的女孩通常来自于一

出色，甚至是奥林匹克运动会上：比如Tua

个全家都划桨的家庭。看着家人整年锻炼，自己也

Sylvie Auger, Nicole Clark, Marie-Rose Bohl,

就有了参与的欲望。当你投身于其中时，你可以确

Évangélique Tehiva, Hinatea Bernardino…目前

信家人是无条件支持你的。在我银行的工作之余，

全世界有十几个大型的女子比赛，其中最负盛名的

我每周要训练8个小时，有了他们的鼓励完全不一

是莫洛凯（Molokai）舷外浮杆独木舟的世界锦标

样。” 作为家里第一个划桨的女孩，瓦依米媂从14

赛，全世界70多个女子团队在夏威夷进行较量。目

岁开始就不断囊括所有国际性V1（单人赛）、V6（6

前波利尼西亚赛手还没有在此赛上取得任何奖牌，

组人赛）、V12（12人组赛）的奖牌，甚至是2011年

但是美丽的瓦依米媂要让大家相信背风群岛的女桨

Hawaiki Nui Va’a的冠军。2014年是神圣的一年，

手可以和她们的男桨手一样令人生畏。

TAHITI DISCOVERY

Mere,

Hawaiki Nui Va’a

the fantastic ride of Polynesian oarsmen

For 24 years, there has been a fabulous pirogue rowing race, or va'a, in French Polynesia. The biggest sporting event of the year and considered the most difficult challenge in this discipline, Hawaiki Nui Va'a gathers about a hundred six-man teams in the beginning of November who rally for three days between the islands of Huahine, Raiatea, Tahaa and Bora-Bora over a 128 km/80 mi course.

Like an army crouching silently on top of a hill and ready to pounce on the enemy, 504 heads emerge a few inches above the water. They are aligned as one under the leaden sky that enhances the intense green of the palm trees of Himo'o Point on the island of Huahine. It is 7:14am, less than a minute before the departure signal for the Hawaiki Nui Va’a. The quay at Fare, the main town of Huahine, is teeming with a crowd holding its breath. Suddenly, the hum of helicopters and powerful accompanying motorboats sound like the mythic attack scene straight out of Apocalypse Now. The starting line clears out like a gunshot with the roar of the crowd as sea foam gushes under the power of the oars. The

TAHITI DISCOVERY

84 V6s (6 man va’a) just threw themselves into the first 44.5 km/27.5 mi leg of the race to the neighboring island of Raiatea. There is no doubt Richard Wagner’s famous piece, “Chevauchée des Walkyries” would work as a great soundtrack for this fascinating spectacle that is reminiscent of the departures of prestigious yacht races, such as la route du Rum or the Vendée Globe Challenge. James, the lead fisherman who took me onto his poti marara (a powerful motorboat typical in Tahiti) to closely follow the race, created a swell when he slammed on the gas and started to slalom between other fishing boats, sail boats, launches and Zodiac rafts

Infernal rhythm Already the Shell Va’a canoe belonging to the team with the most impressive wins in local and international races, has passed the first buoy and is racing in the direction of Avamo’a pass. The team’s most formidable rivals were on its tail. Soon, the entire horde of fierce competitors will have left the lagoon for the open sea. During the next four hours, they must maintain an infernal rhythm of about 50, 60 or 80 oar strokes a minute, without giving into fatigue, cramps or dehydration. With metronomic precision and attuned to each other, they must not lose focus for one

second, or they will lose their magic harmony; which is the result of an entire year of training that can lead them to victory. Whether a V6 sports the colors of a small club or one that regularly sweeps the podium, each oarsman gives all he has in a battle that is as mental as it is physical. There are no tourists on the Hawaiki Nui Va’a. This is perhaps why this most difficult pirogue races is also the most colorful. However yesterday, as I meandered around Huahine’s charming port watching children dive into the turquoise water while I waited for the va’a to be weighed (they are ballasted if their weight does not reach 150 kilos/330 lbs), I was far from estimating the heroic character of the oarsmen.

TAHITI DISCOVERY

Accessible, smiling and happily taking a few minutes to speak with onlookers all while finalizing the last technical and administrative preparations, their faces were serene. Still, I had no doubt these likeable men were going to change into uncompromising warriors once they hit the water. The authenticity and kindness of the Polynesian welcome was intoxicating in this familial and festive ambience surrounded by food stands with raw tuna in coconut milk and mahi mahi skewers,. The opening ceremony of the competition was fenced in by a gigantic buffet. In the middle, there were parades of flowered vahine moving to the sound of traditional drums, blessings from the ancestors, and speeches by officials in front of the oarsmen solemnly seated on the ground on palm mats. Some of the greatest Tahitian champions had gently explained the abc’s of va’a to me. This is how I learned that outrigger canoes, once made out of wood, now are often made out of polyester or carbon. In addition, the shape of the hulls and oars has considerably evolved in the past few decades due to the constant quest for hydrodynamic performance. I even memorized the terms used to designate the oarsmen’s spots. The fa’ahoro or #1 sets the rhythm and must have endurance; #2 props himself against #1. Numbers 3 (the tare or team captain) and 4 are the motors. The smallest oarsmen are numbers 5 and 6 (the peperu) who propel the va’a through using theirs oars as a rudder. What impressed me the most was that these athletes were all amateurs who went rowing before high school or work and got back in their pirogue in the evenings before going home. Every weekend, whether they were part of the renowned teams sponsored by big companies such as Shell, OPT (Post Office and Telecommunications), EDT (Électricité de Tahiti), Air Tahiti, or more modest clubs, they relentlessly competed in order to improve. The

TAHITI DISCOVERY

level of the oarsmen in the Society Islands has gotten to the point that the Hawaiians, New Zealanders, Australians, or Californians can keep up with their pace. “Training is fundamental,” Rete Ebb told me. He is a young va’a phenomenon who has become an icon for his generation. “More importantly,” he added, “is the spirit of the team. In order to win, you must have total confidence and be in complete symbiosis with your other five team members.”

Bubbling excitement and cheers from the crowd All for one and one for all, that is the secret. You should see these Pacific musketeers fly at 7 knots (almost 14km/h – 9 mph), as they row with regularity and power. They pause for only a moment in sync to surf over a wave before plunging their oars into the opposite side of the canoe. This is a well-oiled machine, coupled with an intuitive reading of the water and a keen sense of tactics; perfect cohesion between bodies, movements, the canoe and the elements. I had never seen such synchronization in a team sport. Bobbing around on my poti marara while flying fish brushed against it, I gave into the excitement of the crowd and started cheering. The rain was falling so heavily that visibility drastically reduced to the point that some of the pirogues lost their direction; but for once, no one was suffering from the heat. The rain will certainly not detract from the delirious reception the teams will receive once they arrive in the vast lagoon of the island of Raiatea, the "fertile and sacred island" of the ancestors, whose Taputapuatea marae is one of the most important ceremonial sites in the South Pacific.

Va'a is also for women

Tomorrow’s stage of the race is critical and takes place in the lagoon that separates Raiatea from her little sister Tahaa, a luxuriant island celebrated for its vanilla reputed to be the best in the world. This 26km/16mi sprint occurs in front of idyllic fine sand motu, yet it is grueling. Competitors surf waves created by hundreds of accompanying boats to gain ground. Just like the day before, team EDT wins ahead of Raiatea’s team, Hinaraurea and Paddling Connection.

Tenacity and humility On the last day of the race in the high point of a radiant sun, I finally get to see Bora Bora. This is the toughest course at a distance of 58.2 km/36 mi between the lagoon and the high sea from Raiatea to Bora Bora. Va’a legend Philippe Bernardino, who is now a trainer and va’a builder, told me, “This one is about pure endurance. One must have a will of steel.” The pack’s arrival under the jagged high green mountains of the “pearl of the Pacific” takes on an unforgettable dimension in this setting. While reaching the beautiful Matira beach, I saw the most incredible blues that the sea had ever revealed to me, as well as the contagious joy of thousands of Polynesians crowded at the arrival line. They were either in their boats or up to their waists in the water, impatiently waiting for their 504 heroes (not one crew dropped out of the race). With one last effort, the pirogues burst into view, elbow to elbow. Once the canoes are empty, the warriors can at last catch their breath in the arms of loved ones as microphones are thrust under their noses and the jubilation of the crowd gets louder. EDT, winner of all three stages of the race, took the 2014 Hawaiki Nui Va’a just ahead of Huahine’s leading team, Matairea Hoe. Then in the names of all teams, an award is presented to the disabled team from Brittany, composed of visually impaired oarsmen, I understood that in the Society Islands, tenacity and humility are what validate a man. Here more than anywhere else, even if victory is beautiful, the important thing is to participate.

During Hawaiki Nui Va’a, women had their own race: the Va’ahine, 24 km/15mi inside the lagoon between Raiatea and Tahaa, then over to the coral reef. Twenty-seven year old Tahitian Vaimiti Maoni, world va’a champion in Rio in August 2014, participated with her women’s team from the club Ihilani Va’a. She tells us about the vahiné experience: “I get the taste for competition from my family. My father was a world champion in deep-sea hunting. My uncle was world va’a champion eight times, and my brother was world va’a champion twice. In French Polynesia, girls who attain a high level in va’a competitions usually come from rowing families. To see your close family members training all year round makes you want to do it, too. Once you throw yourself into it, you can rest assured that your family will support you unconditionally. With my job in a bank in Papeete plus ten hours of weekly training, knowing they are by my side changes everything.” As the first female rower in her family, Vaimiti has been racking up medals since she was 14 on all the international circuits in V1 (individual), V6 (6 person) or V12 (12 person). She won the Hawaiki Nui Va’a in 2011. 2014 is her year for recognition, and she systematically finds herself on the top step of the podium in all the championships, most notably with her great win in Brazil. Doris Hart, the first female president of the Tahitian va’a federation, explains, “In comparison to Californians, New Zealanders, and Hawaiians, there are few female French Polynesians who row, but the ones who do are at the highest level. Many of them join clubs when they are adolescents and the extent of their potential is quickly detected. However, once they marry, become mothers and start professional careers, it becomes difficult to find the time to train and compete. I am fighting for this to change.” Hart recalls her grandmother taking her fishing in the va’a with much emotion. She reveals how women have always raced in the huge Polynesian competitions, taken part in the world and French championships, and even competed in the Olympic Games: Tua Mere, Sylvie Auger, Nicole Clark, Marie-Rose Bohl, Évangélique Tehiva, Hinatea Bernardino… Today, about 12 major women’s races take place around the world. One of the most prestigious, the Molokaï, gives 70 women’s teams the chance to test their skills in Hawaiï. No woman from French Polynesian has won the title yet; however, beautiful Vaimiti will give it her all for 2015 to show that the vahinés from the Society Islands are to be as feared as much as their male counterparts.

Marie Dufay TAHITI DISCOVERY

Tahiti Ora：

激情与完美

ÂŠ matarevaphoto.com

Tahiti-Ora——大溪地最著名的大溪地舞蹈团之一，曾经荣获2014年海伊瓦（Heiva）歌舞大赛的冠军。这是一场精彩绝伦的演出可以获得的最高荣誉奖项之一。由严厉的大师图马答·罗班（Tumata Robinson）一手带领的Tahiti Ora舞蹈团当之无愧地拥有这桂冠。相遇与发现。

让

我们回到2014年7月17日，在帕皮提图阿塔广场举行的海伊瓦歌舞大赛颁奖晚会现场。是轮到公布高级水平组舞蹈冠军的时候了，评委团主席宣布： “Tahiti-Ora!” 舞蹈团的团长和灵魂图马答·罗班起身上前领奖，她极力控制激动的情绪，但是灿烂的微笑挂在脸上，在观众的热烈掌声中，她挥舞着奖杯。这一激动人心的时刻给一年半前开始的故事画上了句号。这一年半是Tahiti Ora用来写剧本，编舞蹈，设计服装和排练的时间。这是件很让人“精疲力尽” 的工作，图马答·罗班总结到。但是对于大溪地传统舞蹈（'Ori Tahiti）的爱好者来说，大溪地海伊瓦伊（Heiva I Tahiti）是个不能不参加的比赛。所有著名的舞蹈团为了赢得第一名而争锋相对。对于团长和整个团队来说，这是一次拼命的长跑比赛。首先要找到主题，不仅仅是舞蹈，而且要在舞台上讲述和演绎一段故事。演出的展开需要配合必须的

TAHITI DISCOVERY

基本舞步；同台共演的舞者人数可达160人，最后还要设计舞蹈服装。“所有的工作都是交迭的”图马答·罗班保很确凿地说到。 Tahiti Ora选择了《诅咒》（大溪地语 Pīfao. ）作为2014年Heiva-I-Tahiti上的新节目。 Pīfao .的意思是为了迷惑某人或对某人施法而下的咒语。故事如下：两个从小分开长大的双胞胎兄弟，在一次战争中相遇。其中一个死于没有认出他来的兄弟的刀下。死去的男孩由祭司抚养大，为了惩罚杀人凶手，她召唤地狱邪恶的力量，甚至想把她的孩子从死神手里救回来。在舞台上，表演以战争和双胞胎相互残杀的那一幕开场。节奏强烈而野性。舞者们唱出他们的仇恨。破布风格的舞台装以灰色和棕色为主调，暗示着斗争。战争和死亡的阴暗立即紧扣全场观众的心弦。表演没有停顿过，舞蹈和朗诵（ 'ōrero）贯穿整场演出，使观众们根本无法分心。

以自己名字命名的舞蹈团。那么年轻就立业一点都不在她的意料之外。这是“自然而然”的事，她解释，这是在她学有所成之后的一个很“逻辑的发展”。那时候她还是大溪地大型舞蹈团（Grands ballets de Tahiti）的合作创始人。该团在全世界巡演，使大溪地舞在国外发扬光大。2007年她退出舞蹈团，1个月后，数位舞者前来请求她重新创立一个新的舞蹈团。“要是一个人来找我也就算了，但先是10位，接着15位舞者向我提出同样的要求……”于是图马答·罗班重新投身于舞蹈。 Tahiti-Ora于2008年初成立。每一个舞蹈团都有自己的身份，Tahiti-Ora的宗旨是生命之喜悦，家庭和忠诚。“有些人从一个舞蹈团跳到另一个，我不是很主张这种游牧方式，我觉得这样会失去身份的象征。40多位艺术家组成的了Tahiti-Ora的基座，而且我们很团结”就像一个公正由坚决的母亲，她确保，“只要我的舞者完成我对他们在舞台上的要求，只要他们演出时的衣着无可挑剔，我绝对不干涉他们的私人生活。我对他们在舞台上的表演要求很苛刻，要有很高的严谨性。”绝对不会让什么意外发生。一切都被精确估算到1毫米范围之内，图马答·罗班不喜欢用太多的言语和夸奖来累赘自己，为了做到最好，对她来说是没有过度的。

“当我策划一场演出的时候，我喜欢把它想象成一部电影，我把它当电影的剧本来展现。我也不知道灵感来自于哪里……”图马答·罗班解释到。无疑这是一个使Tahiti-Ora有别于其他舞蹈团的，使之脱引而出的一个创意。舞台上，祭司诅咒着杀人凶手。她的语调使如此强烈以至于震撼了某些观众。接着回到光明，黄色和橙色在舞台上交错着欢笑、喜悦和宽恕。为了把这段传说搬上舞台，图马答·罗班得到她最好的团队的支持：约翰·马伊瑞伊（John Mairai），剧作家和大溪地有名的导演，他用大溪地语写下了剧本；莫瑷妠•美奥杜伊（Moena Maiotui）和马塔·特乌乎（Mata-Teuru）共同进行了女舞者的舞蹈动作设计；维克多儿（Victor）和卡勒·特瑞塔希（Kaley Teriitahi）给男舞者编舞；弗雷迪·法古（Freddy Fagu）设计一部分服饰。“我不太喜欢多说我做了什么，因为这是整个团队的劳动成果。”图马答·罗班坚持说到。她喜欢保持低调，尽量避开摄影师的闪光灯。就在6-年前，还是舞者们找到了她，让她创立Tahiti-Ora舞蹈团。从 7岁起，图马答·罗班就接受舞蹈老师保莉娜·摩根（Paulina-Morgan）的启蒙。从此她从来没有丢弃过这一嗜好。20岁的时候，她成立了第一个，

有付出就有收获，继2011年的冠军之后，2014年 Tahiti-Ora又站在了领奖台的最高处。舞蹈团在 2011年已经获得5个奖项了：弗雷迪·法古的最佳植物服装，高级组最佳舞蹈团，最佳女舞者莫瑷妠•美奥杜伊，最佳ra'atira（相当于召唤民众的一种朗诵），最佳创意演奏团。2014年Tahiti-Ora又囊括了5个奖项：高级组最佳舞蹈团，弗雷迪·法古的最佳植物服装奖，最佳女舞者第二名，最佳朗诵，最佳男舞者第三名。

"马拉松长跑 " 她是在电视上看到演出的！作位舞蹈团的团长，当 Tahiti Ora登台表演时她居然不在观众席，却在后台“马拉松长跑”，就像她自己形容的一样。“我在后台和工作人员一起，可以使舞者换场时更容易换衣服。我们不用几下就跑了几公里。”她笑着说。直到演出在电视上转播的时候，她才松了口气：她的目的达到了。“当看到一切都很完美的时候，我感到非常高兴。我已经赢了，因为在我脑中的构想已经实现了。我的计划是坚持到最后，演出就像我想像的一

TAHITI DISCOVERY

样，舞队排列得整整齐齐。能摘得Heiva-I-Tahiti 的冠军，相当于得到了蛋糕上的樱桃。这是最精彩的压轴戏，是一种认可。”为了达到如此完美，需要有很多的精力和忘我的精神。“我是工作的酒鬼。” 在继续解释前她承认，“但是对我来说，这都算不上是工作。”尽管他们受到观众的青睐，图马答·罗班 “退居二线”。“只要船还没抛锚，就不知道会发生什么，就不能说明已经到达。”她说这是借用她船长父亲的话。评委团明智地选择了Tahiti Ora为最佳神圣舞蹈团。持续了几个月的激动过去了，怀旧情绪在舞蹈团中弥漫开来。“曾经特别忙碌，一夜之间，没有了服装，没了排练，没了交换……我们又恢复了正常的生活。我们不仅自问：现在我们该做什么？” 图马答·罗班承认似乎头脑变空了，“我进入了枯竭期”她用手划了一个形状，大脑萎缩的样子。直到有一天，在一家小店，一块映入眼帘的织布就激发了她的灵感，让她思如泉涌。舞蹈比赛结束后的伤感还没来得及把他们完全占据时，Tahiti Ora已经准备投入下一场演出的排练中了。文/Marie Leroux

photos: matarevaphoto.com

Tahiti Ora: Insistence on perfection This dance troupe took first place during the Heiva i Tahiti 2014 dance competition. Tahiti Ora owes its success to Tumata Robinson's artistic direction. This demanding director likes to imagine that her performances are like scenes in movies, in which nothing is left to chance.

is the evening of July 17, 2014, on stage at the place To'ata performance space in Papeete for the dance and singing Heiva awards. The moment has arrived to announce the winners in the confirmed dance group category. The head judge exclaims, “Tahiti Ora!” Tumata Robinson, the director and soul of the troupe, rises and advances with self-control and a beaming smile before accepting the trophy and brandishing it while the audience applauds. This moment concludes a story that started a year and a half ago. This was how much time was necessary for the group Tahiti Ora to write the theme for the performance, to choreograph it, create the costumes, and to produce it. Tumata Robinson says it was exhausting work. However, the Heiva i Tahiti is a key event for Ori Tahiti (Tahitian dance) enthusiasts. The largest dance troupes compete for first place. The amount of work is extensive for directors and the entire troupe. They must come up with a theme, for it is not only about dance, but also about telling a story interpreted on the stage. They must also produce an entire show that includes basic dance steps, direct up to about 160 dancers, and create all the costumes. “And everything comes together,” Tumata Robinson asserts.

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Powerful, wild rhythms For this new performance presented at the 2014 Heiva I Tahiti 2014, Tahiti Ora chose the theme of “the curse”: Pïfao. This Tahitian word refers to sorcery within the context of captivating someone or casting a spell. Twin brothers, who grew up apart, find themselves face to face during a war. One twin is killed by his brother, whom he never knew. The high priestess who raised the fallen twin invoked the forces of evil to punish his killer and she even tried to bring her child back to life. On stage, the performance opens with war and the twin brother’s murder. The rhythm is wild and powerful. The dancers sing their hatred. Torn costumes, in gray and brown tones, symbolize the battle. Right away, the audience is immersed into the darkness of war and death. There is no pause. The dances and 'ōrero (oratures) are back to back, and spectators are enthralled. Tumata explains, “When I come up with a show, I like to imagine what it would be like as a film. I have it play out like a screenplay. I don’t know where this inspiration comes from…”

This is a concept that without a doubt sets her work apart from other troupes, and distinguishes Tahiti Ora. On stage, the priestess curses the murderer. Her words are so powerful that they shake up some of the spectators. Then it was a return to light. Yellow and orange hues burst onto the stage. It is time for laughter, joy, and forgiveness. To produce this legend, Tumata Robinson surrounded herself with the greats. John Mairai, well-known director and playwright in Tahiti, wrote the theme in Tahitian. Moena Maiotui and Mata Teuru came up with the female choreographies. Victor and Kaley Teriitahi created all the men’s choreographies. Freddy Fagu designed some of the costumes. « I don’t like to talk about what I do, because it is all a team effort, » insisted Tumata Robinson, who prefers to remain discreet and avoid the spotlight.

A passion she never gave up... Dancers came to ask her to put the Tahiti Ora dance troupe together about six years ago. When she was seven, Tumata Robinson first started Tahitian dance under the tutelage of Paulina Morgan. She never let go of this passion. When she was 20, she created her first troupe that was named after her. She wasn’t surprised to have done this so early in life. It was normal, she says, a logical progression of her apprenticeship. She co-founded Les Grands Ballets de Tahiti that performs on world tours and promotes Tahitian dance abroad. In 2007, she left Les Grands Ballets , and a month later, several dancers

approached her about creating another troupe. When one person approaches me, then I can turn it down. But once ten or fifteen have the same request…” so Tumata Robinson threw herself into it once again. Tahiti Ora came into being at the beginning of 2008. Each troupe has its own identity. Tahiti Ora’s encompasses the joy of living, family, and loyalty. “Some dancers jump from troupe to troupe. I don’t agree with this nomadic spirit. I find we lose our identity. About 40 artists make up the foundation of Tahiti Ora and we are very close.” Like a firm yet fair mother, she assures that, “as much as my dancers do what is asked of them on stage with flawless presentation when they dance, I do not interfere in their personal lives. I have very high standards for what they must accomplish during a performance and I require a lot of precision.” There is no room for chance. Everything is calibrated to the minutest detail and Tumata Robinson does not want to be weighed down with embellishment or indulgences. She has no mercy when it comes to trying to be the best, and it pays off. For the second time, after obtaining first place in 2011, Tahit Ora once again takes the highest step on the Heiva i Tahiti podium. The troupe already came away with five awards in 2011 for best vegetal costume created by Freddy Fagu, best dance troupe in the confirmed dance category, best female dancer (Moena Maiotui), best ra'atira (the orator who appeals to the audience), and best creative orchestra. She leaves with five awards in 2014 for best dance troupe in the confirmed dance category, best vegetal costume again for Freddy Fagu, second place for best female dancer, first place for ra'atira and third place for best male dancer.

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"Running a marathon" Tumata Robinson saw the performance on television. As a good director, she wasn’t in the audience when Tahiti Ora was on stage, but was behind the scenes, “running a marathon,” as she calls it. “I was backstage with wardrobe assistants, helping with costume changes between scenes. I ran at least a few kilometers,” she laughed. It is only once the performance was broadcast on TV that she relaxed. She had reached her goal. “It gives me such pleasure to see that everything looked perfect. I was already a winner because all my ideas became manifested on stage. My project ran its course and the performance was as I had imagined it with impeccable lines. To win first prize at the Heiva i Tahiti is the cherry on the cake. It was the high point and it was recognition.” To arrive at such perfection takes a lot of energy and selfsacrifice. “I am a workaholic,” she admits before adding, “but for me, this isn’t a job.” Despite Tahiti Ora being at the top of its game, Tumata Robinson remains humble. “One never knows. As long as the anchor is not attached to something, one can not declare that one made it,” she explains, using the words of her father, who was a navigator. The jury has indeed bestowed Tahiti Ora with the honor of best dance troupe. After all the stress of the past several months, nostalgia took over the team. “There was such a flurry of activity. Then from one day to the next, there are no more costumes, no more rehearsals, no more sharing those moments…but life keeps on going, and the question is, what is next?” Tumata Robinson admits that she is clueless, “I am going entering an unproductive phase.” She points to her head to show that her mind is blank. Then one day, in a store, just seeing a piece of material will inject her with new inspiration and she will become inundated with new ideas. The melancholy that accompanies the end of the dance competition hasn’t had time to completely overtake their spirits, for Tahiti Ora has preparations underway to again step onto the stage. Marie Leroux © Stéphane Mailion

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Privacy comes naturally.

ÂŠ G. LE BACON

s o c i e t y i s l a n d s | t u a m o t u i s l a n d s | g a m b i e r i s l a n d s | m a r q u e s a s i s l a n d s | au s t r a l i s l a n d s

土阿莫土群岛：大溪地养殖珍珠的主要生产区域 / Tuamotu Archipelago: the main area for the production of the cultured Tahitian pearl.

大溪地珍珠的史诗如今的波利尼西亚和珍珠是分不开的，以至于让人觉得它们息息相连的关系是与生俱来的。的确，早在17世纪的时候，一颗因自然而偶然因素产出的天然珍珠足以让首批欧洲航海家们好好炫耀一番。至于大溪地养殖珍珠，人们才开始庆祝它50岁诞辰。

大溪地养殖珍珠的收获 / Harvest of a cultured Tahitian pearl.

让马力 · 多马得（Je a n -Ma r ie Doma rd）团队的工作人员之一，他正在展示波拉波拉养殖珍珠的收获成果。 One of the members of Jean-Marie Domard’s team showing part of Bora Bora ‘s cultured pearls crop.

在

长达几个世纪，甚至是几千年的时间里，流传着关于珍珠最怪诞的传说：玫瑰的露珠、女神的眼泪、闪电的结晶……自公元1世纪，中国人就懂得把雕刻成形的模子放到淡水珍珠牡蛎的贝唇内，以产得珍珠母贝饰品。然而直到16世纪，欧洲人还认为珍珠是最珍贵的珠母贝所产的卵……要等到1710年，自然科学家瑞尼·瑞欧莫才总结出来 “珍珠是当一个异物进入动物

体内时，受到刺激之后，动物分泌珍珠质把异物包裹起来时所形成的贝壳粒”。

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photos : © Domard

为了模仿天然珍珠的形成，人们一心想了解珍珠是从哪里来的，是怎样形成的。在1880年左右，澳大利亚的威廉·萨维尔肯特（William-Saville-Kent），波利尼西亚的日耳曼·布松·布兰德（Germain-BouchonBrandely）和日本的御木本幸吉（Kokichi Mikimoto）开始进行珍珠养殖试验和半圆珠，即马贝珍珠的生产。但最终由日本的御木本，见濑辰平（Tatsuhei-Misé）和西川藤吉（Tokichi-Nishikawa）研究养殖出球形养殖珍珠。自1920年起，日本珍珠占据了全世界的珍珠市场。1961年，有一个叫让马力·多马得（Jean-Marie Domard）的人，为培育出第一批波利尼西亚养殖珍珠，他初次尝试给黑蝶贝植核。

一个男子汉的赌注

希库埃鲁环礁岛和波拉波拉

1956年让马力·多马得被波利尼西亚政府聘用。和他的出色的前任莱昂－加斯东·瑟拉（LéonGaston- Seurat）或吉尔伯特·兰森（Gilbert Ranson）一样，他必须要胜任波利尼西亚珍珠母贝资源的保护和再生任务。直到1961年，这位兽医培训师把自己所有的心思都扑到了牡蛎养殖上，他把泻湖根据黑蝶贝资源的重要性排名分类，并尝试着把它们转移到没有黑蝶贝的泻湖里面…… 但是多马得一直念念不忘珍珠养殖的计划：实现给仅存在于波利尼西亚东海域的黑蝶贝 pinctada margaritifera 进行植核。他曾经在大溪地做过两次实验，但是都没有成功。坚持不懈的他想试着得到政府的支持，但是也是空手而归。于是他寻求私人赞助。在Indochie银行的总经理雅克·安索（Jacques-Ansault）的帮助下，他和Pearls Property limited公司的业主栗林徳一取得联系，经过无数信件往来，无数次反反复复，无数次的承诺之后，栗林徳一派遣了一位在澳大利亚珍珠农场工作的植核技术员诸井中六（Churoku-Muroi）。多马得把希望全寄托在诸井中六身上。

多马得选择了希库埃鲁环礁岛，它位于大溪地岛东面的土阿莫土群岛，距离大溪地740公里。因为这个小岛的珍珠牡蛎的产量和质量都是最好的，它甚至还闻名世界。于是1961年8月初，他带着诸井中六和他忠实的团队来到了希库埃鲁环礁岛：贝倍·马里徳让吉（Pepe-Mariterangi）是个温厚老实的巨人，马歌·朱旦（Maco-Jourdain）和史蒂夫·埃拉科特（Steve-Ellacott）是全能型人，约翰·多穆（John-Doom）是个得力的助手，并教多马得 reo-ma'ohi——大溪地语，还有两个非常出色的潜水员，芒加瑞瓦岛人莫莫·马马多依（Momo Mamatui）和来自塔卡波拖环礁岛的西奥多·马奥图（Théodore-Mahotu）。诸井中六总共种植了 1095个牡蛎，其中268个是为了生产马贝珍珠，827 个培育圆形珍珠。1962年7月诸井中六来到波拉波拉岛，给2250个珍珠牡蛎进行了植核。接着他在 1963年回到希库埃鲁，1965年回到波拉波拉对植过核的牡蛎抽样检查和收获。收获的珍珠远远超乎想像，它们的颜色是人们从来没有见过的，日本专家认为这些珍珠无可比拟。

在波拉波拉岛，诸井中六（Ch ur o ku Mur o i ）进行第二次和第三次植核实验的植核小屋。 The grafting “Fare” in Bora Bora where Churoku Muroi performed the 2nd and 3rd experimental grafts.

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年8月：诸井中六

（C h ur o k u M u r oi）在波利

尼西亚给第一个牡蛎植核。

August 1961: Churoku Muroi grafting the first pearl oysters in French Polynesia.

评价更高的是，御木本的专家们认为最美丽的波拉波拉的珍珠 “高贵华丽，它们完全可以和钻石首饰匹配” 。当1967年让马力·多马得离开大溪地时，让他足以骄傲的是，他给波利尼西亚珍珠养殖部留下了1028颗大溪地养殖珍珠。珍珠的销售之旅将初始。

Manihi ）。自1968年起，在一位就职于渔业部的澳大利亚生物学家威廉·里德（William-Reed）的帮助下，他们生产了第一批马贝珍珠，接着又和日本植核技术员和田浩二（Kuoji-Wada）一起着手培育圆形珍珠。1971年他们迎来了第一次收获：71颗珍珠总共售得1500美金。第二年开，他们首次出口了1000多颗马尼希珍珠。这次出口

开拓者的年代

促使大溪地珍珠得到了重要的认可：美国宝石学院的研究人员罗伯特·克劳宁希尔德（Robert

1966年，一位认识让马力·多马得的大溪地记者可可·查斯（Coco Chaze）联手巴黎的“珍珠大王” 伦纳德·罗森塔尔（Léonard Rosenthal）的两个孙子雅克和奥贝尔·罗森塔尔（Jacques ，Aubert Rosenthal）一起建立了波利尼西亚的第一家珍珠养殖场：马尼希珍珠公司（Société perlière de

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Crowningshield）确认大溪地养殖珍珠美丽的深颜色是纯天然的。1973年，威廉·里德在甘比埃群岛的芒加瑞瓦建立了自己的珍珠农场：大溪地

珍珠公司（Tahiti Perles） 1974年末农场被转卖给大溪地的一个年轻华人，罗伯特·温，40年后的今天他被誉为“大溪地珍珠之王”！

飞越与打击

自1968年起，渔业部部长西克斯图·斯坦（Sixte Stein）得到日本Asahi Optical公司赞助，他便开始培训土阿莫土群岛的居民怎样采集牡蛎幼贝（可以长成珍珠牡蛎的幼贝），马贝珠的生产，以及珍珠农场的建立。1974年，在法哈·特阿希（Faaha Teahi）的带领下，第一个合作社poe rava 在塔卡波拖环礁岛落成。从1976年开始，12个合作社和5个私人珍珠农场的植核技术员每年给上千万只珍珠牡蛎进行植核手术。仅在1977年，就有不少于2万8千颗珍珠被收获并出口。土阿莫土和甘比埃群岛的合作社在1979年成立经济利益集团（GIE）Poe Rava Nui。自1981 年起，集团每年组织拍卖会：这简直就是名副其实的成功，尤其是在美国。由让-克劳德·布鲁耶（Jean-Claude Brouillet）代表的珍珠首饰的大商人赛尔瓦多• 阿萨埃尔（Salvador-Assael）建立了他自己的商标——大溪地养殖黑珍珠。让-克劳德•布鲁耶曾于 1975年在南马如提亚岛建立了自己珍珠农场。在他们双倍的努力下，大溪地养殖珍珠销售开始走俏。

在80年代，人们意识到要让珍珠牡蛎繁殖后代，就必须保持大自然中足够的数量。然而人们观察到泻湖里黑蝶贝的资源几乎耗尽。只有在塔库波拖似乎还足以持续。1980年1983年间，许多刚起步的珍珠农场连接着经受了10次飓风的席卷。这导致让-克劳德•布鲁耶把他的珍珠农场卖给了罗伯特·温。无数椰油生产商也因为没有椰树了而转行投身到珍珠养殖行业中：总计有35个合作社，15 家私人珍珠养殖场。然而，祸不单行。从1984年末起，牡蛎的死亡率特别高，尤其在塔卡波拖有将近400万个牡蛎死亡。这个无法解释的，被叫做“85号病症”的致死疾病促使软吉若阿孵化中心成立，目的是为了使珍珠农场有足够的牡蛎进行植核。飓风和牡蛎的死亡导致珍珠的价格上涨到每克9500法朗。1989 年超出40万颗珍珠被成功售出。

打造珍珠产业

土阿莫土群岛泻湖内珍珠母贝的培育 / Breeding of mother-of-pearls in a lagoon of the Tuamotu Archipelago.

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土阿莫土群岛的珍珠养殖场 / Pearl farm, Tuamotu Archipelago.

艰难岁月

待写的未来

1988年，世界珠宝联盟CIBJO认可“大溪地养殖珍珠”产品名称，这是一个巨大的进步。同年，母贝和珍珠养殖事业中心在软吉若阿环礁岛成立，它保证了未来珍珠养殖户的培训和教育。 1992年，波利尼西亚首次庆祝出口珍珠达到一吨。一年之后大溪地珍珠经济利益集团成立，其任务是致力在全世界范围内推广大溪地养殖珍珠。尽管罗伯特·温在香港成立了高品质珍珠拍卖会，行业人士加强信息交流与推广，并尝试控制产量（2000年总出口量11.3吨），这一切还是没能阻止珍珠价格日益下滑。为了保证大溪地珍珠的独家性，2001年一个大溪地珍珠A,-B,-C, D（从最完美的到质量最次的）等级分类系统由此设立。

从2003年起，大溪地珍珠一直经受着危机，这和国际经济环境是紧密相连的。所有这些海上冒险家们都很有意识地通过各种方式尝试着重振旗鼓，不管是通过科学项目，比如有助于深度了解这种唯一的牡蛎的《珍珠牡蛎项目》，又比如大溪地珍珠经济利益集团于2008年发表的报告《让人重新振奋的珍珠养殖业》，意在为大溪地珍珠的新道路奠基。这种杰出的宝石应该赢得世人的尊敬。波利尼西亚的 27个环礁岛，571个珍珠养殖租赁区，靠珍珠生存也为珍珠生存。这种独一无二的宝石庆贺它50岁年轻的诞辰。这是一段人类和泻湖的美丽故事，一份至少可以在未来50年内继承的遗产。

TAHITI DISCOVERY

文/Patrick Seurot

Since 1973 Bijouterie de Perle de Tahiti au cœur du Musée Tahitian Pearl Jewellery inside the museum Personnages plus vrais que nature, sculptés par la célèbre Elisabeth DAYNES, retracent l’histoire de la Perle à travers les siècles. Exposition de la Collection Privée de Mr Robert Wan dont la plus grosse perle ronde au monde appelée : la Robert Wan. Pearl History related by ancient characters almost true to life, molded by the famous sculptor Elisabeth DAYNES. Mr Robert Wan’s Private Pearl Collection with the biggest round pearl in the world called: La Robert Wan. 罗伯特•温珍珠博物馆在名师伊丽莎白•黛涅斯手下诞生的维妙维肖的人物，穿越重重世纪追溯着珍珠的历史。罗伯特•温的私人收藏展览，其中包括世界上最大、最圆的大溪地珍珠。她被命名为La Robert Wan

Direction côte Est / East Coast Tahiti Nui, Royal Tahitien, Tahiti Pearl Beach Resort 东海岸（大溪地努依酒店、大溪地皇家酒店、大溪地珍珠沙滩酒店）

Banque / Bank / 银行 Pharmacie / Drugstore / 药店 Banque / Bank / 银行 Place Vaiete Vaiete Place 维埃提广场

Marché / Market /市场

Pharmacie / Drugstore / 药店

Cathédrale Notre Dame 圣母天主教堂

Banque / Bank / 银行 Centre commercial shopping center

Office du Tourisme Tourism info office 游客信息中心

Port Harbor 港口

FREE ENTRANCE, PRIVATE VISIT ON DEMAND AND FREE SHUTTLE FROM PARTNERS HOTELS MONDAY TO SATURDAY FROM 9AM TO 5PM

PA P E E T E 帕皮提

Jardins de Paofai Paofai garden

请致电 (+689) 40 54 86 40 在合作酒店或帕皮提邮轮港口预定免费接送专车 Immeuble Robert Wan à côté du Temple protestant de Paofai, face au jardin de Paofai / Robert Wan Building near Paofai protestant Temple and front of Paofai garden

Poste Post office 邮局

Avenue Pouvana a Oopa Pouvana a Oopa大道

Banque / Bank / 银行

Direction côte Ouest / West coast Aéroport / Airport, Intercontinental, Manava, Le Meridien 西海岸（机场、洲际酒店、马纳瓦酒店和艾美酒店方向）

Robert Wan

RobertWanPearls

info@robertwan.com

www.robertwan.com

PILE POIL DESIGN

robert wan tahiti

Banque Bank 银行 Centre Paofai Paofai center / Paofai 区中心

Temple Paofai Paofai protestant church Paofai基督教堂

T : (+689) 40 54 86 40 Robert Wan Pearls

Bld POMARE / 波马蕾大道

ENTRÉE GRATUITE, VISITE PRIVÉE POSSIBLE, NAVETTES GRATUITES DES HÔTELS PARTENAIRES OUVERTURE DU LUNDI AU SAMEDI DE 9H À 17H

Pharmacie / Drugstore / 药店 Banque Bank 银行

The Epic of the Tahitian Pearl Pearls and French Polynesia seem inseparable, and some might even think that they have always belonged together. THIS IS TRUE IN REGARDS TO NATURAL PEARLS —which are the result of a natural, but very rare process—, and which were an object of desire for the early European explorers already at the beginning of the 17th century. However, the famous Tahiti Cultured Pearls have only been around for 50 years.

For centuries, or even millennia, there have been far-fetched theories about the origin of pearls. Pearls have been described as dewdrops captured by oysters, divine tears and as being a creation of lightning… From as early as the first century C.E the Chinese knew how to create pearly figurines by inserting tiny sculpted objects into the mantle of a freshwater mollusk. Up until the 16th century, Europeans still believed that the best eggs of an oyster became pearls. It was not until 1710 that the French naturalist Ferchault de Réaumur concluded that, “Pearls are pieces of nacre (mother-ofpearl) that the animal creates little by little by concentrically secreting layers of nacre around a foreign body in response to an irritation.” It remained to be understood how and where the pearls were created naturally, so that the process could be imitated. In the 1880s pearl farming tests and attempts to produce half-pearls (also known by the Japanese term “mabes”) were performed in Australia with William Saville-Kent, in French Polynesia with Germain BouchonBrandely and in Japan with Kokichi Mikimoto. But it was Japan, with

TAHITI DISCOVERY

Mikimoto on the one hand and, Tatsuhei Misé and Tokichi Nishikawa on the other, who succeeded at producing the first spherical, or round, cultured pearls. From the 1920s, Japanese pearls flooded the global pearl market. In 1961, a man by the name of Jean-Marie Domard stood up to the challenge of grafting Polynesian blacklip oysters in hopes of creating the first cultured pearls in French Polynesia.

One man's gamble In 1956, Jean-Marie Domard was hired by the French Polynesian government to manage —like his distinguished predecessors Léon-Gaston Seurat and Gilbert Ranson,— the repopulation and protection of pearl oyster habitats in French Polynesia. Up until 1961 he focused on creating pearl farms, classifying lagoons according to the importance of the habitats, and attempting to introduce pearl oysters to the atolls where there previously had been none…

Domard set foot upon the shores of Hikueru atoll in August 1961, ready to begin the adventure. Muroi grafted 1095 pearl oysters: 268 for half-pearls, or mabes, and 827 for round pearls. He returned in July 1962, and grafted another 2250 pearl oysters, this time on the island of Bora Bora. The samples that were taken underway, and the final harvest of the oysters were more than satisfactory. The pearls had colors that had never been seen before and Japanese pearl experts deemed them exceptional. Better yet: two experts from the Mikimoto pearl company declared that the most beautiful pearls from Bora Bora were “royal and worthy of being mounted amongst diamonds.” When he left Tahiti in August 1967, Jean-Marie Domard had good reason to be proud of himself. He handed over the first 1028 Tahiti Cultured Pearls to the “Service de la Pêche” (Department of Fisheries), and with that the commercial adventure could begin.

Hikueru and Bora Bora

A time of pioneers

The island of Hikueru is part of the Tuamotu Archipelago, and is located at 740 km/ 460 miles to the east of the island of Tahiti. Domard carefully picked the atoll of Hikueru because it was one of the best places as far as production and quality of nacre, or motherof-pearl, goes. The mother-of-pearl from Hikueru was already famous around the globe for its great quality. Domard set up a team which consisted of the jacks of all trades Pepe Mariterangi, nicknamed “the friendly giant,” Maco Jourdain and Steve Ellacott, as well as Domard’s right hand man John Doom, who taught Domard “reo ma’ohi”(the Tahitian language), and two exceptional free divers, Momo Mamatui from Mangareva and Theodore Mahotu from Takapoto. Along with his faithful team and Churoku Muroi,

In 1966, a journalist from Tahiti by the name of Koko Chaze—who knew Jean-Marie Domard—, teamed up with Jaques and Aubert Rosenthal, who were the grandsons of the so-called “King of pearls,” Parisian Leonard Rosenthal. Together the three of them founded French Polynesia’s first pearl farm, the Société perlière de Manihi. In 1968, they got help from an Australian biologist called William Reed who worked for the Service de la Pêche. After a first test production of mabes, they began the process to cultivate round pearls with help from the Japanese grafter Kuoji Wada. The first harvest took place in 1971: 71 pearls worth a total of 1500 USD. The first exportation of pearls came the following year when a little over 1000 Manihi pearls were exported.

But Domard always had his own pearl farming project in the back of his mind: he wanted to do the first blacklip oyster grafts on the species that is unique to French Polynesia, namely the pinctada margaritifera, cuminigii variety. On two occasions, Dombard tried to graft in Tahiti without success. Determined to realize his plan of pearl cultivation, he presented it to the government in the hope that they would support it, but had no success there either. He then turned to private investors to get help, and after much correspondence and indecisiveness, Domard was finally guaranteed the help from Jacques Ansault—director of the “Banque de l’Indochine”—, and Tokuichi Kuribayashi, of “Pearls Property limited:” a Japanese professional pearl grafter called Churoku Muroi, who had been working at a pearl farm in Australia, was coming to Tahiti to help.

1962年在波拉波拉都普阿小屿，用于被植核的珍珠牡蛎的小木筏 / Raft for farming pearl oyster that were grafted in July 1962 on Motu Toopua in Bora Bora.

Around the same time a researcher for the Gemological Institute of America, Robert Crowningshield, gave the Tahiti Cultured Pearls important recognition stating that the dark colors of the pearls were not only natural, but stunningly beautiful. In 1973, Willam Reed founded his own pearl farm—called Tahiti Perles— on the island of Mangareva (in the Gambier Archipelago). A year later, at the end of 1974, he sold the farm to a young Chinese man from Tahiti, Robert Wan, who today — 40 years later— is commonly called “The Emperor of Tahiti Cultured Pearls”!

The auction format turned out to be a success, and inspired American pearl and jewelry dealer Salvador Assael (after having met with Jean-Claude Brouillet, who had established his pearl farm in south Marutea in 1975), to create his own brand called Tahitian black cultured Pearl. As a result of their cooperation the market for Tahiti Cultured Pearls began to expand.

The world of pearls gets organized

In the 1980s, pearl farmers begin to realize that in order for pearl oysters’ genetic capital to be transmitted it is necessary to maintain a stock of oysters. At the same time they notice that the lagoons’ natural stock of pearl oysters are quickly becoming exhausted. Only Takapoto seems to be able to sustain itself. In 1982-1983, the pearl farming industry suffers another blow when the farms are ravaged by no less than ten cyclones. Following the devastation of the cyclones, JeanClaude Brouillet decides to sell his farm in southern Marutea to Robert Wan. The cyclones had wiped out most of the coconut trees, and as a result many of the coprah producers in the area turn to pearl cultivation, quickly increasing the number of pearl farms to 35 cooperatives and 15 private farms. But the trouble keeps coming. Toward the end of 1984 a high mortality rate of oysters is detected, particularly in Takapoto, where close to 4 million pearl oysters die.

In 1968, the Service de la Pêche, directed by Sixte Stein at the time, and with help from the Japanese company Asahi Optical, organized a training to teach the Paumotu (the inhabitants of the Tuamotu Archiepelago) how to collect oyster larvae, as well as how to produce mabes and establish pearl farms. The first cooperative, called Poe Rava, was founded in Takapoto in 1974, under the direction of Faaha Teahi. From 1976, grafters from twelve cooperatives and five private pearl farms cultivated tens of thousands of pearl oysters. In 1977 alone, no less than 28 000 pearls were harvested and exported from French Polynesia. In 1979, the cooperatives of the Tuamotu and Gambier Archipelagoes merged into the GIE (groupement d’intérêt économique, or, “the group for economic interests”), Poe Rava Nui, and from 1981 they organized auctions to sell Tahiti Cultured Pearls.

TAHITI DISCOVERY

Surge and tough blows

In the face of these unexplained deaths, which has since been known by the name “Syndrome 85,” an oyster hatchery is established in Rangiroa to protect pearl farms from a possible shortage of oysters to graft. As a result of the devastation caused by the cyclones and the high oyster mortality, 1986 sees prices of pearls soar to more than 9 500 XPF (ca. $ 110) per gram. In 1989, 400 000 pearls are sold. In 1988, CIBJO—the World Jewellery Confederation— officially recognizes the “Tahiti Cultured Pearls.” The event represents a major move forward for the French Polynesian pearl farming industry, which has been seeking international recognition. The same year the “Centre des Métiers de la nacre et de la Perliculture” (a center dedicated to pearl cultivation) is established on the atoll of Rangiroa. In 1992, French Polynesia celebrates having exported 1 ton of pearls in one year, for the first time. Following this success and immense growth the GIE Perles de Tahiti is created in 1993, with the task of promoting Tahiti Black Pearls around the globe. In spite of the GIE’s efforts to promote the pearls and regulate pearl production (11, 3 tons were exported in 2000), and despite the sales of pearls at high quality auctions in Hong Kong—put in place by Robert Wan—, the pearl market crumbles little by little every year. In order to maintain the exclusivity of the Tahiti Black Pearls, a qualitative rating system is put into place in 2001, rating pearls in the categories of A, B, C and D, according to their shape and luster (“A” being the most perfect pearls).

The future remains to be written As so many other markets, the market for Tahiti Cultured Pearls has suffered since 2003, with the onset of the international economic crisis. All the actors in this unique adventure of the oceans are conscious of the situation and are trying their best to find a solution to the dilemma. Various scientific projects such the one called “Huître perlière” (“Pearl Oyster”), aim to create awareness about the uniqueness of Tahitian pearl oysters, and rapports, such as the one from 2008 by the GIE Poe Rava Nui called “Réenchanter la perliculture” (“Re-enchanting pearl cultivation”), suggests new ways of approaching the Tahiti Cultured Pearl industry. 27 island and atolls in French Polynesia can boast of a total of 571 pearl concessions, all of which have dedicated themselves to the cultivation of Tahiti Cultured Pearls. Regardless of the hardships that the industry is facing, there is no doubt that the Tahiti Cultured Pearl is an exceptional and unique gem that deserves attention. Although it has just celebrated its 50th anniversary, the young history of Tahiti Cultured Pearls is a beautiful tale of synergy between men and the lagoon, a Polynesian legacy to be continued on for at least another 50 years… Patrick Seurot

大溪地养殖珍珠戒指 / Rings with cultured pearls of Tahiti. © collection tahia exquisite tahitian pearls / dr

瓦依米媂 · 德伊爱菲图（ V ai m it i Tei ef it u )， 2014 年大溪地小姐，大溪地完美女人的化身 / Vaimiti Teiefitu, Miss Tahiti 2014, embodiment of the perfect vahine.

探索Vahine 神话之源迷人，充满诱惑且惹人怜爱，她们的魅力和美貌众所周知并倍受赞扬，Vahine不仅仅只是西方人对波利尼西亚女性的想象。散发着独特的气质，她们成为如梦般的象征，近似神话般的存在，她们是南太平洋的美丽海洋妖精……

大

溪地语言“雷奥塔希提”中有许多的文字传入外国语言，例如mana 魔力,

400年前……

tabu禁忌(演变为法文的“tabou”

Vahine神话有着古老的根源。在1595年，身为欧

和英文的“taboo”)，以及tatao纹身（法

洲第一位抵达马克萨斯（Marquesas,即法属波利尼

文“tatouage”，英文“tattoo”）。Vahine

西亚群岛）的西班牙人费尔南德斯·奎罗斯(Pedro

(发音为va-hi-nei)一词，是大溪地语对年轻女

Fernandez de Quirós)，在当时早已充分意识到岛屿

性——妻子或女友的总称，也被借以引用来表现

女性的魅力。他在航海日志里揭露，“她们多数比以

女性形象。“La

美貌著称的利马(Lima)女性们更为美丽”。

Vahine”成为了世界知名的象

征，用于描述纤细，秀丽，迷人，面带微笑配上

然而，直到近两个世纪后，随着各个英国探险队－瓦

美丽的棕色长发的女性。但也许，过度美化的事

里斯群岛(Wallis), 库克(Cook), 和布莱(Bligh)，以

实总是伴随着风险，如同现实中非黑亦白的灰色

及法国布干维尔(Bougainville)探险队的到来，才让

地带……

Vahine的形象深深烙印在欧洲的想象之中。

今日的大溪地，现代社会中的各个层面都相对

从1760年代起，特别是随着布干维尔的《环球纪行》

的复杂，并非所有大溪地女性都有着西方人臆想

（《Voyage

中，维纳斯般的女神身材，飘逸的棕色长发，和

成功，法属波利尼西亚群岛成为了人间仙境的象征。

永久保持的笑容。尽管如此，大溪地女性依然保

布干维尔从世界探险回归两年后，在1771年发表了

有独特的举止风韵，一颦一笑，歌声－简言之仅

环球纪行；当时这本著作在欧洲上流社广受好评，然

属于她们的，与生俱来的优雅风姿；她们拥有一

而后期渐渐产生负面形象，特别是当法国的影响力和

种让多数人难以无动于衷的诱人魅力。这究竟是

权力在十八世纪时日益增强，例如法文成为国际外交

神话还是现实？显然的两者皆是！

语言等等情况发生之后。在布干维尔的记载中，这位

autour

monde》）这本文学著作的

探险家描绘了这些岛及其居民们如何给他带来震惊，我们必须回溯历史，才能了解Vahine神话的力量

同时也使他愉悦；他甚至承认自己臣服于波利尼西亚

及其起源。这个神话深植西方思路之中，演变为

“夏娃”，以及大溪地的“阿佛洛狄忒”维纳斯女神

西方无意识的共同憧憬。

“Aphrodites”) 的诱惑之下。

TAHITI DISCOVERY

法国哲学家雅克·卢梭 (Jean-Jacques Rousseau,

III)下令船长，当他的船“海豚”号受到成百

1712-1778)和他的《高贵的野蛮人》(《Bon

艘独木舟包围时，使用大炮及火枪防守还击。

sauvage》) —— 一个理想廉洁人士不堕落于现

随后，大溪地人认定这些造访者无可置疑地和

代社会的概念，更加成就了这个神话。透过布干

神明有某种关联，不可愤怒以对，并且急于

维尔的著作，以及卢梭理论两者的影响，创造出

得到这些强大外来人士的青睐，试图以载有

人间天堂的概念：大溪地—— 一个仙境孕育着人

年轻女孩的独木舟来拉拢他们。此一因文化

性本善的居民，以及纯真自然的南海女孩们，这

误解而产生的信念，在日后的分析下，被认

些令人着迷，自由奔放的Vahine。

为是问题核心和代价。乔治·罗伯逊(George Robertson)，身为皇家海军战舰“H.M.S.海

新希特霍岛

豚”号的专家，在他的航海日志中说明他的看法，宣称大溪地人以进献大溪地女孩的方式表

法属波利尼西亚Vahine的诱惑力神话，从此声名

示和平。他写道，“所有的船员誓言他们一生

远播。布干维尔并非唯一对推广Vahine形象有所

中从未见过更为美丽的女性，并表示他们宁可

贡献的功臣。在1767年，早于布干维尔抵达几个

只有三分之二的工资，也不愿错失得到这些美

月前，英国人瓦利斯(Wallis)，成为第一个“发

丽女子的良机”。瓦里斯船长自身也并未拒绝

现”大溪地的欧洲人。然而，这类接触并非没有

来自普利雅(Purea)，一位他误认为大溪地女皇

武力的介入，英国国王乔治三世 ( R o i -G e o r g e s

的首领（Arii艾尔瑞）的赠与。

TAHITI DISCOVERY

九个月后从不同地点抵达大溪地岛的布干维尔，也无法抵抗这个岛屿的魅惑。身为古典文化爱好者，他引用古罗马诗人维吉尔（Virgile)所写的的阿弗洛狄忒岛（Aphrodite,希腊维纳斯古迹）来表达自己的激动之情，“气候温和，山水之美，河流和瀑布灌溉着土壤……一切事物都激发了感官享受，所以我已将它命名为新Cythera新西塞拉”。此外，拿骚(Nassau)王子为了寻找假想存在的南部大陆，参与了这个世界科学远征。这位年轻贵族也惊艳于当地女性之美，说道，“女性有着明眸皓齿，欧洲人格特质，以及丝滑柔软的肌肤。她们的完美身形令大自然都为之动容”。当他迟疑于参与一个进献年轻女性给他的公开仪式时，他评论“真是个不知羞愧和丑闻，这类卑劣词语的乐天国家”。然而，王子最终还是受时势之趋，在6个年轻女性邀约他进屋躲雨的情况下，他谈道，“她们一一卸下衣裳，在她们炫耀魅力时，让我详细地注意到她们完美身形的优美轮廓，她们也替我脱去衣衫……”。

从探险者到艺术家随着各个远程探险队的归来，“裸露”、 “爱”与“美”成为欧洲上流社交聚会中，对于大溪地Vahine神话的议题中心。根据布干维尔的说法，这是欧洲人梦想中的“伊甸园”，一个人们呼吸着安宁的感官愉悦，服侍维纳斯女神的所在。此后人类学家对此提出了适当的观点，特别是针对欧洲人及大溪地人极大的文化背景差异，以及截然不同的世界观，所造成的误解。多年来，随着贸易，军事，和捕鲸者频繁的到来，欧洲人和大溪地人之间的接触条件也大为改变。由于这些渐为普遍的商业性质交流，继而产生的文化适应，改写了岛屿历史的一页。

郝吾阿达·特马吾瑞

（Rauata Temauri), 2011 年大溪地小姐

再者，深具影响力的新教传教士在十九世纪时，

他再进一步解释，“这也是一种‘锺爱之

严禁裸露及衣不蔽体，女性必须着装整齐。尽管如

旅’，从最初发掘惊奇的体验，随之而来的

此，艺术家坚持让此神话永存不朽，根据菲利普.巴

对他们挚爱的人间仙境感到失望。”仙境，

许孟(Philippe

一处Vahine归属之地。

Bachimon)

的说法，“十九世纪

中到二十世纪中的这段殖民地时期，画家、更多的作家、摄影师和电影制片家，成为被称作‘世外桃

文/Claude Jacques Bourgeat

源’的这些岛屿及其中最出名的大溪地的，传媒代表”。巴许孟为大溪地大学的教授，专研对比了殖民地时期的六十位作家、画家、电影制片者以及摄影师。巴许孟增述，“作家和画家们，观察着人文濒绝，深信他们为这消逝传统的最终见证人。”

*狄德罗(Denis-Diderot)在1772年著作的《布干维尔旅行注记》(《Supplément-au-voyage-de Bougainville》)，一直到他 1 7 9 6 年过世后才受到发表。狄德罗针对十八世纪时，欧洲社会及其对大溪地社会的文明开化——-一个布干维尔描述为完全自然的发展过程- 提出评论。

图文并存的神话 40多年来，以开发大溪地和其他岛屿的旅游业为目标，所企划的宣传活动借鉴了神话的来源，这个神话实为现代波利尼西亚真正的文化资本来源。在两个世纪里，透过艺术家的描绘，Vahine 画像的色彩日益丰富。因此我们不能不提及画家保罗·高更。根据巴黎第一大学的资深地理讲师，让·弗朗索斯塔扎克(JeanFrançois Staszak)所说，“在西方对大溪地想象的架构过程中，高更的画像，如同布干维尔的著作在18世纪末带来的影响，在20世纪初扮演了极为重要的角色”。作家如皮埃尔·洛蒂(Pierre_Loti)，杰克·伦敦(Jack London)，罗伯特·史蒂文森 (Robert Louis Stevenson)，以及之后20世纪的阿兰·吉柏 (Alain

Gerbault)，都为神话的永续不朽带

来了显著的贡献。在1930年代的电影，例如《禁忌》( 《Tabu》)，而后在1960年和1980 年不同版本的电影《叛舰喋血记》(《Les

TAHITI DISCOVERY

To the roots of the myth of the vahine Fascinating, seductive and loved, as well as renowned and praised for their charm and beauty, the vahine are more than just Polynesian women in the Western imagination. Shrouded with a particular aura, they have become the faces of dreams, beings just as mythical as they are sirens of the South Pacific... Words from Reo Tahiti, the Tahitian language, have made their way into foreign languages, such as mana, tabu (which became “tabou” in French and “taboo” in English), and tatau (“tatouage” in French and tattoo in English). Essentially used to denote a young French Polynesian woman—a wife or partner—the term vahine (pronounced va-hee-nay) followed a similar route, which shows the evocative power of this word. Liberally described as delicate, pretty, charming, smiling, and adorned with long, beautiful brown hair, the vahine has indeed become an internationally renowned icon. At the risk perhaps of embellishing a reality, that like all realities, is neither black nor white… In this modern society, as complex and mixed on all levels as is the Tahiti of today, all French Polynesian women are not Venus with the dream body, sensational brown hair, and perpetual smiles that many Western imaginations love to ponder. However, vahine have a unique way about them to move, to laugh, to sing…in essence to be…with a natural grace that belongs to them only. They have a charm, a seduction that leaves few people indifferent.

TAHITI DISCOVERY

So, is it myth or reality? Obviously both! A detour down the path of history is necessary to understand the power of this myth of the vahine and to know more about its origins. This myth is ingrained deep enough to the point that it has become part of the Western collective unconscious.

400 years ago... The myth has ancient roots. As the very first European to reach the French Polynesian islands, namely the Marquesas in 1595, Spaniard Pedro Fernandez de Quirós was already well aware of the charm of island women. He revealed in his ship log: “Many of them are more beautiful than women in Lima who are renowned for their beauty.” However, it was almost two centuries later, with the arrival of the English expeditions of Wallis, Cook, and Bligh and the French expedition with Bougainville that the image of the vahine truly imprinted itself in the European imagination.

塔瑞塔·白兰度－特瑞帕伊阿（ T ar i t a B r an do），大溪地最有名的女人之一，身着玛丽 · 阿游设计时装 / Tarita Brando

-Teriipaia, one of the most famous Tahitian woman, wearing a Marie Ah You dress (1960).

photos: tim-mckenna.com

From the 1760s, the islands of French Polynesia definitely embodied a certain idea of a miraculously preserved earthly paradise, especially following the literary success of Bougainville’s Voyage Round the World. Published in 1771, two years after Bougainville’s return from his world tour, this travelogue found a favorable response from civilized society in Europe. Its notoriety was enhanced by France’s influence and power during the 18th century, or by the fact that French was the international language of diplomacy. In Bougainville’s account, the explorer painted a portrait of parts of the island and its inhabitants that shocked as well as pleased him; and in which he even acknowledged his succumbing to the temptations of Polynesian “Eves”' and “Aphrodites'' of Tahiti. Another determining factor for this myth is the success of French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) with his concept of the "noble savage," this ideal man uncorrupted by modern society. Accounts by Bougainville as well as Rousseauian influences blended to create the idea of Tahiti as an earthly paradise, populated by people who were naturally good, innocent and of course, the girls of the South Seas, those fascinating allegedly free-spirited vahine.

New Cythera Island The myth of the seductive power of French Polynesian vahine then took flight. Bougainville is certainly not the only one to have contributed to spreading this "image." The first European to "discover" Tahiti, just a few months prior to Bougainville was the Englishman Wallis in 1767. This contact was not without violence, however, since this captain of His Majesty King George III gave orders for cannon and musket fire in face of hundreds of canoes that surrounded his ship, the Dolphin. Consequently, the Tahitians were anxious to get into the good graces of these powerful strangers. They also presumed without a doubt, that these visitors had some kind of connection with the gods, so it was best not to incur any wrath.

TAHITI DISCOVERY

This belief was certainly at the cost of cultural misunderstandings that have since been the focus of much analysis, especially once the Tahitians tried to win over the strangers through having young girls in their canoes. George Robertson, Master of H.M.S. Dolphin, explains his version in his ship log. He states that the Tahitians offered girls to the British as a peace offering. He writes that, “all the sailors swore they had never seen more beautifully-made women in all their lives and they all declared they would prefer to live on two-thirds of their pay, rather than miss out on such a fine opportunity as to receive a girl a piece.” Captain Wallis himself did not refuse the favors of Purea, an arii (chief) whom he thought was the Queen of Tahiti. Bougainville, who landed on the island nine months later at a different location, is no exception. Classical culture enthusiast, he quoted Publius Vergilius Maro, a.k.a. Virgil, to invoke the island of Aphrodite (the Greek Venus of antiquity) to express his excitement: “the mild climate, the beauty of the landscape, the fertility of the soil irrigated by rivers and waterfalls ... everything inspires sensual pleasure, and so I have named it New Cythera.” The Prince of Nassau participated in this scientific expedition around the world in search of a hypothetical southern continent. This young aristocrat also marveled, “The women have big beautiful eyes, pretty teeth, European traits, and soft skin. Nature was only too thrilled to shape their perfect bodies." He was “offered” a young girl during a public ceremony during which he hesitated to participate. He commented, “What a lucky country to not know despicable words such as shame and scandal.” However, the prince soon caught up with the developments through going to a house where six young girls waited for him and invited him to come in out of the rain. He remarked, “Each one took off her clothes since they only got in the way of pleasure; and while showing off all their charms, they made me notice in detail all the graces and contours of their most perfect bodies. They also stripped me of my clothes...”

伊特阿（ V ai t e a T au r aa) ，著名的大溪地传统舞蹈表演者兼演员

From explorers to artists Upon the return from these faraway expeditions, this myth that came about from the “nudity,” “beauty,” and “love” trilogy became the main topic of conversation throughout salons in Europe. Europeans dreamed of this “Garden of Eden” where, according to Bougainville’s own words, the “people breathe only rest and sensual pleasures,” and where “Venus is the goddess they serve.” Since then, the works of anthropologists have greatly put things into perspective, and have especially resituated circumstances within their cultural contexts that were in great part founded upon misunderstandings between European and Polynesian worldviews that were so diametrically opposed to one another. The conditions of contact between Europeans and Polynesians also shifted greatly over the years with the arrival of European trading, military, and whaling vessels that became more and more frequent. Due to the acculturation that ensued, the commercial nature of these exchanges gradually became so widespread that a page turned in the history of the island. Further, by the 19th century, influential Protestant missionaries condemned nudity and sentenced women to be fully clothed. Nevertheless, the myth, this time perpetuated by artists, persisted. According to Philippe Bachimon, "During the colonial era, from the mid-nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century, writers, even more so than painters, then photographers and filmmakers, became the conveyors of the representation of this “other place” that encompasses the islands, and the most famous of them all, Tahiti.” Bachimon, a professor at the University of French Polynesia, has researched the passage of sixty writers, painters, composers, filmmakers, and photographers during the colonial era, and not without contrasts. Bachimon adds, “Writers and painters had the conviction that they were observing a people on the verge of disappearing and that they were the last witnesses to traditions in peril.” He further explains, “It was also a kind of “journey of affection,” in which they first experienced the marvel of discovery, followed by disappointment from the love for this paradise that they devoted themselves to.” Of course, this is a “paradise” where the vahine has her own space. Claude Jacques Bourgeat

* Supplement to the Voyage of Bougainville by Denis Diderot was written in 1772 but was not published until after his death in 1796. Diderot presents a critique of European society and the process of civilization during the 18th century in comparison to Tahitian society, which Bougainville described as being completely natural.

TAHITI DISCOVERY

Vaitea Tauraa, a famous dancer of Ori Tahiti and also an actress.

The myth in words and images For more than forty years, publicity campaigns aimed at developing tourism in Tahiti and the islands largely drew their information from the sources of the myth, which were an actual cultural depository for modern French Polynesia.Within two centuries, the scope of the portrait of the vahine has been enriched with colors of the artists who have portrayed her. As such, one cannot leave out the painter Paul Gauguin. According to Jean-François Staszak, Senior Lecturer in Geography at l’Université Paris 1, "In the construction of the Western imagination of Tahiti, Gauguin’s images play just as important a role in the early twentieth century as Bougainville’s text did in the late eighteenth.” Writers such as Pierre Loti, Jack London, Robert Louis Stevenson, followed by Alain Gerbault in the twentieth century, contributed significantly to the perpetuation of the myth. During the 1930s, films such as Tabu, then in 1960 and 1980 different versions of the film Mutiny on the Bounty, also immortalized the beauty of the French Polynesian woman, just as many photographers have also done.

T ch un g F o C hu n g 先生和他家人的照片， L . G a u t h ie r 摄于 20 世纪初

Mr Tchung Fo Chung (Chin Foo) and part of his family photographed by L. Gauthier at the beginning of the 20th century.

大溪地的华人

从首批移民到加入法籍－1865/1973

1 9 4 3 年 2 月 2 6 日，为纪念蒋介石民族解放运动三周年，中国社团在帕皮提的国民党协会举行纪念仪式 February 26, 1943: Chinese communal ceremony at Kuo Men Tong in Papeete to celebrate the third anniversary of Tchang Kaï Chek’s

150年前，337个来自中国的劳工于1865年3月登陆大溪地岛。此历史性事件标志着一个华人群体在大溪地群岛的诞生。这个群体与这个国家的近代历史是分不开的，他们经历了在传统和现代，在融入与回归之间的动荡。

TAHITI DISCOVERY

1 9世纪中的中国移民 Chinese emigrants in the middle of the XIX century.

865年香港的码头，337个中国人挤上了费迪

达。1866年，总共有1000个中国人在大溪地注册。

南德•布鲁姆（ Ferdinand-Brumm ）的普鲁士

这个首次为法国政府所允许的移民潮，标志着一个真

三桅帆船。他们都是来自中国南部广东省的客

正的华人群体在法属波利尼西亚的诞生，即便在此之

家人和广东原住民。在这些人当中，多数是农民，为

前，这里已经有极少数的华人。

了改变留在身后的家人的命运，他们不惜一切代价去实现发财致富的梦想。战争使这个国家流血成河，疮

一个具有凝聚力的群体

痍满目，自然成灾，到处充满了饥饿和动荡。帆船会

把他们带到受法国保护统治下的大溪地，在那里有一

在Atimaono种植园，华人们的生活和工作条件异常

份工作在等待着他们。为了开垦大溪地岛少有的一块

艰苦。局限于生活在种植园內的苦力们每天种植棉

平地Atimaono（位于目前大溪地西海岸的巴巴拉）

花、咖啡和甘蔗，累死累活地工作12到15个小时

他们被大溪地棉花和咖啡种植园有限公司雇佣。自从

有些人劳作过度而丧命于此，还有一些不惜一切代价

1848年法国废除了奴隶制以来，拥有大片土地的地

逃向当时还不属于殖民统治，处于独立状态下的背风

主们急需廉价和吃苦耐苦的劳工：1865年的中国移

群岛。除此以外，劳工内部还会出现客家人和广东原

民潮完全是为了满足这一需求而产生的。1865年3月

住民之间的斗殴。1869年在一次内部冲突中，一名

25号，在海上经受了83天极其恶劣的颠簸之后，苦

中国劳工因斗殴而死。在立即被捕的几个华人里，有

力们－亚洲劳工的专用名词，终于抵达了种植园。

四个被判了死刑。最终其中有三个被赦免，而Chim

另外其他几个移民船队在接下来的几个月內陆续抵

Soo Kung 被处以斩刑。

TAHITI DISCOVERY

。

他真的有罪的吗？根据历史，据说他只是为了华人不受集体处罚而牺牲了自己。直到今天，Chim-Soo

从临时移民到永久存在

Kung一直被当地华人们尊为殉难烈士，每年都会去位

随着巨大种植园的倒闭，很多华人纷纷（多数为广东

于Arue的华人墓地的陵墓惦念他。除了这些内部冲

原住民）离开大溪地，他们要么回到中国，要么前往

突，他象征着整个紧密团结一致的华人群体。

其他富有国家继续他们的致富梦。据统计，1892年总

这股凝聚力体现在1873年，当时农业公司倒闭，他

共只有不到350个成年华人生活在当时被称为“法国

们对劳工的生死置之不理，这个团结的华人群体只能

驻大洋洲机构”的，相当于目前的法属波利尼西亚。

自力更生，他们得到了几个在城里安置下来的中国

为了避免语言和名字复杂的麻烦，也为了便于管理，

人的帮助。这种相互帮助在之后的两次大规模的华人

所有的华人都被法国行政机构用编号系统注册。这些

移民潮中重新得到了体现：从1907年到1941年期间

以前的苦力取得了居住许可证，被允许租用土地，成

（2512个移民），从1921年到1928年期间（2512个

为了商人，菜农，杂货商等等。他们毫不犹豫地在远

移民）。这种互助制度一开始是为了使华人群体的生

离大溪地闹市的大区或是外岛开商铺。从此以后，他

意扩大到其他岛屿和大区。大区指的是在首府帕皮提

们变成了波利尼西亚人生活中不可缺少的一部分。这

之外的，大溪地岛上的其他城镇。形式是这样的：为

些苦力在抵达大溪地的时候还是单身，他们通过和波

了帮助小商贩们， Tungka kanhe联合帕皮提的大批发

利尼西亚女子通婚的方式，成功融入到当地社会。他

商，在不要求任何书面合同，只凭口头承诺的前提下

们的混血后代没有特别受到中式教育。因此，这些首

把货物发送给零售商们，货款数目的偿还完全由收益

批华人的后代并没有归纳到今天华人群体之内。此群

者自己衡量。当时存在着大量的互助协会，正如联谊

体汲取的主要是1880年后的移民，他们是传统文化的

公司，它在1911年转型成了SCI Si Ni Tong信义堂协

守卫者。

帕皮提景色， P .E . M i ot 摄于 1869- 1870 A view of Papeete, photo by P.E. Miot 1869-1870.

种族歧视税的受害者

不满的人群中，有当时在法属波利尼西亚安置下来的法国著名画家保罗•高更，他对华人群体做出尤

直到此时，华人们一直被视为农奴，被纳为临时

其猛烈的攻击和尖刻的指责。

移民，并受到控制。随着他们地位的提高和新华人移民的到来，这个群体开始受到白人殖民和欧洲商人的排斥。他们非常刻薄地不停地诽谤和污蔑华人，指责他们因为喜好赌钱和吸食鸦片而生活堕

尽管受到攻击和歧视，大溪地的华人从来没有反抗

落。其实真相如作家杰拉尔德•科庞拉特（Gérald

过。除了商人们联合在一起要求取消纳税之事，他

Coppenrath）在《大溪地的华人》一书中的阐述“

们生活很低调并且很少与外界来往。华人孩子从小

欧洲的一些大家族无法忍受中国商店在零售业的立

在华人自己的学校接受教育。在很长一段时间内，

足。在他们不断的施压下，议会决定增加一项2500

孩子们根本无法入读法语学校，不仅仅是因为语言

法朗的 “注册税”，所有在帕皮提登陆的移民都

障碍的问题，也是由于不菲的学费和外界针对他们

需要缴纳。当时这是一个非常庞大数目，随后当局

的敌意。华人协会无处不在，甚至他们的婚礼都不

把它降低了，但是针对所有需要缴纳营业税的外国

通过法国民政员办理，只是在社团内庆祝。这一现

人。华人们认为这涉及到了种族歧视，于是50个中

象部分地体现出华人们强烈回归故里的欲望，对中

国商人共同聘请了Goupil律师来捍卫他们的权利。

国传统文化和老祖宗的热爱。在这两次大规模的移

直到两年之后，最高行政法院才做出了合理的判

民潮间隙，其中最后一次是在1921年到1928年间，

决。1899年中国商人终于不用缴纳“注册税”了，

移民中不断地有回归故乡的。到第二次世界大战末

而且他们享有和其他商人同样的权利。事实上他们

期，中国摆脱了日本侵略者的枷锁，部分华人回归

还是得支付居留税…… ”在最高行政法院做出的判

的欲望越来越强烈。

决面前，法国殖民们愤怒了。

归心之切

TAHITI DISCOVERY

1947年，757位华人登上了两艘专门为他们改变

籍 “我们需要会投票的人民，因为这里已经有独立的

了航线，停靠至帕皮提港口的海运邮轮。其中很

意识了”族谱专家Louis Shan Sei Fan回忆到。

多是想落叶归根的老年人，还有一些是被父母送

1965年，378位华人加入法国国籍，1966年414位。这

回国接受中国教育的年轻人。很快，回归的华人

只是一个开端。1973年1月9日出台的法律几乎使所有1

意识到这是一个错误。1949年他们发现了中国的

万华人都取得法国国籍，这是在他们抵达大溪地100年

另一面，毛泽东和他的共产党主义思想。很多人

之后。太平洋核弹实验中心和国际机场的落成给波利

想再回到大溪地，但是再也没有回来过。 “1949

尼西亚带来了经济繁荣，我们的岛屿和全世界联通，

年这次不幸的经历，让大溪地的华人意识到他们

大溪地华人也开启其历史的新篇章。

的未来是在波利尼西亚。自此以后，我们完全排除了回归的念头” ，Wen-Fa文化协会的主席Guy

文/Alexandra Sigaudo-Fourny

Yeung在《大溪地华人的形态与历史》的序言里面作出见证。

走向入籍与融合此事件和这种新的态度将完全改变华人们的行为。华人学校的教育突然转向传统的法国课程。被从中国驱逐的基督传教士们的到来也促使华人加入教会，并把孩子们送到天主教私人学校上学。1964年华人学校正式关闭。同一时期，法国承认中华人民共和国的存在，与中国建立外交。不赞成毛泽东思想的华人立即变得非常担忧。他们很少申请加入法国国籍，除非是想买只有法国人才有权买的土地。现在是否入籍成了华人们疑问和讨论的焦点。为了法属波利尼西亚的未来，早在几年前联合协会就开始在华人融入法国社会这方面表现得非常活跃了，但是进展的速度一直很慢而且混乱。最后居然是地理政治加快了华人入籍事件的发展。1964年10月，中国成功爆炸了第一个氢气弹。国际上军事竞赛如火如荼。随着 1960第一次原子能导弹在撒哈拉沙漠爆炸试验的成功，在戴高乐领导下的法国投身于一个庞大的军事核计划。为了进行军事实验，法国在波利尼西亚，在离大溪地岛1200公里的的Fangataufa et Moruroa环礁岛上建立一个太平洋核实验中心。很快该中心于1964年建成，并于1966年7月进行了第一个核弹实验。自此法属波利尼西亚成为了一个高度敏感和具有战略意义的区域。毫无疑问法国政界想以最快的速度把中国移民纳入法国国大溪地60年代，一个伟大项目的开端 The beginning of big store in Tahiti During the 1960. TAHITI DISCOVERY

5 0年代中华会馆庆典 / Celebration of the philanthropic association during the 1950s.

Chinese-Tahitians

The first naturalized immigrants - 1865/1973

One hundred and fifty years ago in March 1865, 337 laborers of Chinese origin arrived in Tahiti. This event marked the birth of a Chinese community in our islands. As you’ll discover here in the first of a series of two articles dedicated to the Chinese population in Tahiti, this community, inextricable from our country’s recent history, has vacillated between tradition, modernity, assimilation and a return to the home country. Hong King Harbor, 1865: three hundred and thirty-seven Chinese were crammed into the Ferdinand Brumm, a Prussian three-masted ship. The natives of Guangdong, a province in southeastern China, belonged to the Hakka and Punti (a Cantonese group). Most of them were poor peasants ready for any adventure in order to make a fortune, and especially to better lives for the families they left behind in a country ravaged by war, natural disasters, famine and uncertainty. The ship took them to Tahiti, a French protectorate where a work-contract was waiting for them. Tahiti Cotton and Coffee Plantation Cy Ltd had hired them to exploit the land of Atimaono, one of Tahiti’s rare vast plains (located on what is known as the current district of Papara on the western side of the island). Since the abolition of slavery in France in 1848, big landowners needed to find cheap, solid, fearless laborers. Chinese immigration in 1865 totally fit the bill. On March 25, 1865 after 83 brutal days at sea in extenuatingly difficult conditions, the “coolies”—a term used for laborers of Oriental origin—arrived at the plantation. Two other convoys of immigrants were expected within the following months. In all, more than 1,000 Chinese were registered in 1866. This first wave of immigration authorized by the French administration marked the true installation of a Chinese community in French Polynesia, even if some Chinese were marginally present on the territory prior to 1865.

TAHITI DISCOVERY

A cohesive community Living conditions were extremely harsh on Atimaono. Men lived in confinement on the plantation, slaving away for 12-15 hours a day to grow cotton, coffee and sugar cane. Many lost their lives. Others escaped to the Leeward Islands, which were still not under the rule of the colonial administration. Add to that the tensions between Hakka and Punti tribes, which often ended in brawls. In 1869, a man was killed during one of these fights. Several Chinese were immediately arrested and four were sentenced to death. Three of them were pardoned, but the fourth was guillotined. His name was Chim Soo Kung. Was he really guilty? According to the stories, he sacrificed himself to save his comrades from group punishment. To this day, the Chinese community considers Chim Soo Kung a martyr, and gathers in front of his mausoleum once a year in the Chinese cemetery in the district of Arue. Conflicts aside, this man is the symbol of a solid, united community. This solidarity became evident in 1873, when the plantation company went bankrupt and abandoned its laborers. Left to themselves, they found help from some Chinese people who had set themselves up in town.

This mutual assistance, known as Tungka kanh, becomes increasingly expressed during two periods of mass immigration of Chinese from 1907 to 1914 (2,512 immigrants) and from 1921 to 1928 (2,152 immigrants). This practice originated with the development of small businesses within the Chinese community throughout the islands and districts (the term for communes throughout Tahiti outside of Papeete). Tungka kanh involved a wholesaler or a big retailer in Papeete who helped a small retailer through providing him with merchandise on credit based on a handshake without a written contract. Furthermore, there were self-help organizations for businesspeople, such as the Société de Secours Mutuels (Society of Mutual Help), which in 1911 became the SCI Si Ni Tong still in existence today.

Temporary status to a more long-term presence With the disappearance of the large plantation, many Chinese (mostly Punti) left Tahiti to return to China or to pursue more adventures in other countries. An 1892 census accounted for fewer than 350 Chinese in what was then known as the French Establishments in Oceania, which more or less corresponded to what is now French Polynesia. They were all identified by a numbering system established by the French administration in order to reconcile issues of language, the complexity of their names, and to better control them. The former “coolies” had a residence permit and they leased land, became merchants, grocery store owners and farmers. They quickly opened small boutiques in the districts or the outer islands where Polynesians really depended upon them. Although they were bachelors when they arrived in Tahiti, the first Chinese assimilated into local life through often intermarrying with Polynesians.

The children from these marriages tended to not receive any Chinese education. This is why to this day, descendents of this first group of Chinese immigrants are still integrated into the Chinese community. However, starting in the 1880s, this ended with the successive arrivals of Chinese women. Better living and working conditions prompted them to come to Tahiti to find a husband or a “fiancé” within the framework of an arranged marriage between two families. These women became the keepers of tradition.

Victims of discriminatory taxes Whereas up to that point, the Chinese had been considered meek farm laborers registered within the limits of temporary and controlled immigration, the advancement of their situation and the arrival of new immigrants did not sit well with aggressive settlers and European business owners. They insistently denigrated and vilified the Chinese community, accusing them of debauchery due to their penchant for gambling and opium. In reality, as Gérald Coppenrath highlights in his book, Les Chinois de Tahiti, the retail profits of large European businesses were suffering due to competition with the Chinese shops. Under pressure, the General Council decided to establish a registration tax of 2,500 Pacific Francs for all immigrants arriving in Papeete. This amount, quite substantial at the time, was eventually reduced; however, it also pertained to registered nationals. The Chinese deemed the practice as discriminatory. Consequently, fifty Chinese business owners hired a lawyer, Mr. Goupil, to take their case. It took two years for the State Council to make its decision. In 1899, it was declared that authorized Chinese residents would not have to pay a registration tax and that they would be treated as equals with the other business owners. However, the Chinese still had to pay other taxes, such as a residency tax…

TAHITI DISCOVERY

This return to the home country proved to be a bad move for many Chinese in Tahiti who found a very different China in 1949. It was a China under the Communist regime of Mao Zedong. Many of them wanted to return to Tahiti but couldn’t get back. Guy Yeung, President of the Wen Fa Association writes at the beginning of the book, Histoire et portrait de la communauté chinoise de Tahiti: “This unfortunate experience in 1949 made us aware that the future of the Chinese population in Tahiti was to remain in French Polynesia. From this point, we made a definite decision to put an end to any idea of returning to China.”

Towards naturalization and assimilation

The settlers were furious at the State Council’s decision. One of the disgruntled settlers was the famous French painter Paul Gauguin, who was living in French Polynesia at the time. He was particularly offensive and brutal towards the Chinese community.

The persistent idea of a return to China Despite discrimination and these attacks, the Chinese-Tahitians never revolted. Except for mobilizing other registered aliens to protest the taxes, they maintained a low profile. They sent their children to Chinese schools. French schools had long been inaccessible to them due to the language barrier, but there was also hostility toward them because simply put, it was not cheap and they did not want to pay the school fees. They had their own organizations everywhere, and even celebrated their marriages within their own community rather than have them conducted by an official of the French State. This explains to some extent the Chinese attachment to tradition, their ancestors, and their very strong ideas about returning to the home country. Outside of the large immigration waves between 1921 and 1928, there were always expat return movements. At the end of the Second World War when China became liberated from the Japanese, the idea of going back to the home country became more urgent for some members of the community. In 1947, 757 Chinese boarded two Messageries Maritimes ships that had taken a special detour to Papeete. Most of the passengers were elderly who wanted to spend their final days in China, but there were also young people whose parents wanted them to be educated in China.

TAHITI DISCOVERY

This event and new approach shaped attitudes. Education, which up until that point had taken place in Chinese schools, quickly shifted into a French curriculum. The arrival of Christian missionaries in Tahiti deported from China helped promote the conversion of the Chinese community to Christianity and the importance of educating their children in private Catholic schools. In 1964, the Chinese school shut down. At the same time, and at a diplomatic level, France recognized the existence of the People’s Republic of China. This immediately created a lot of anxiety within the local Chinese community for it did not support Mao Zedong’s ideologies. Suddenly, the question of French naturalization became the focus of discussion and interrogation. Up until that point, it had not been a pertinent issue for the Chinese (except in regards to the right to buy land reserved for French citizens). L’Union, the association for the future of French Polynesia, became particularly active in an assimilation movement that had started a few years prior. However, progress had been slow and disorganized. Then the geopolitical events sped things up and l’Union became very engaged. In October 1964, China detonated its first atomic bomb. The international race for weapons took off full throttle. France, led by General De Gaulle, was thrust into a vast nuclear military program. The first launch took place in the Sahara in 1960. In order to engage in experimental weapons testing, a site was built in 1964. It was located 1,200 km (745 mi) southeast of Tahiti on the Fangataufa and Moruroa atolls in French Polynesia. Known as the Centre d’expérimentation du Pacifique (CEP), it launched its first missile in July 1966. Consequently, French Polynesia became a highly restricted strategic area for the State. There was no doubt that government authorities wanted to quickly assimilate Chinese immigrants. Genealogist Louis Shan Sei Fan remembers that, “they needed citizens who would vote, since there was already an Independentist movement in place.” In 1965, 378 naturalizations were granted. In 1966, there were 414. It was a start. Almost 100 years after their arrival, the law of January 9, 1973 finally granted French citizenship to almost all the 10,000 Chinese in French Polynesia. A new page in the history of Chinese in Tahiti was now on record, along with a slew of upheavals in French Polynesia. These include the economic boom generated by the activities of the CEP and the building of the international airport that opened up our islands to the world. Alexandra Sigaudo-Fourny

Since 1973

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