Tahiti

Village Coordinator – Tua Huri

What are your village’s music highlights?

We will entertain you with our colourful, elegant, lively and fast music, songs and dances, performed largely by our young people. You will enjoy local talents and those from Tahiti, such as the Tahiti Iaora Group, Tahiti String Band and Pearls of Paradise, as well as learning how to dance with a demonstration by Inna.

What are some must see activities?

In the ‘fare niau’ will be the tattooing by Milton Huri, our young local talent. Tahiti is the inventor of the ukulele and there will be displays of these in the activity tent.

What’s a ‘must-try’ dish?

Come and enjoy main dishes of baked fish served with taro or rice and green leaves; puaashu of pork and cabbage, and baked pork with oyster sauce. All three are served with taro or rice. Don’t forget chestnuts that you can have with a matai fruit drink.

What’s a little-known fact about your country or Pasifika village?

We are many islands and with many beautiful girls, women, boys and men wearing the beautiful Tahiti flowers – teina, gardenia, frangipanis and hibiscus. We are also renowned for making beautiful Tahiti body oils and Tahiti chestnuts or ‘mape'.

What else can you tell us about the village?

We bring the richness of our culture for you to experience, including the traditional performing costumes of 'rauti' skirts for young dancers, leggings for the boys and 'moumou', or Tahitian dresses. There will also be the Tahitian skirts, shirts and ukulele music instruments on display. We have a descendant of Rapanui, where ukulele originated from, who can repair ukuleles – so bring your own ukulele to the village if it needs repairs.

When did you join Pasifika?

The Tahiti village has been an active and colourful participant for over five years and I have been Village Coordinator for six years.

What does the community think about Pasifika?

They love Pasifika and what the local Tahitians can showcase is always supported and boosted by the participation of Tahitians travelling all the way from our homeland to be part of Pasifika.

Any last words?

Performances and activities on stage are non-stop and full of action and colour. We encourage you to try the delicacies from the food stalls, pick up a craft piece to remember Tahiti by, then sit in front of the stage and enjoy.