The manual dexterity of the crafts people is prodigious and is to be observed in the many exhibitions throughout the islands all year long.
The art of the weavers produces marvelous hats, purses, bags, and mats. The Austral women are pat-masters of this discipline of working in the plant fibers of pandanus, coconut and the "aeho" reed.
The pandanus, or "fara", is second only to the coconut palm in its importance to the Tahitian way of life. Its many uses range from waterproof roofing to harpoon handles. But its leading role is as a craft material, when it is deftly transformed into baskets, mats, and hats thare prized for their coolness and lightness.

The sumptuous tifaifai, handsewn bedcovers with plant and cultural themes, reflect the women's keen observation of and love for nature. It was just 200 years ago that missionary wives showed Tahitian women how to use small pieces of colored fabric to form what today has become a treasured wedding gift.
Their relish for this typical decoration of Polynesian houses, proof of their deep creativity, has lead to the organizing of an annual tifaifai exhibition, a real festival of shapes and colors.

Artistic expression can also be seen in woodcarving, the prerogative of men. For this they carve, as the mood inspires them, ancestral graphic and symbolic designs in precious woods such as "tou", a local variety of purple wood, and "miro" or rosewood. Marquesans excel in this area and produce superb pieces, spears, war clubs and "umete" or fruit bowls, which can be used as a large dish.

They also employ volcanic stone, coral and even bone to fashion hundreds of decorative and useful items such as "penu", food pounders.
Stone carvings were believed to hold "mana", or spiritual power, and were crafted only by trained specialists "tuhuna taai tiki". Archeological sites now show thousands of petroglyphs based on common designs: geometric patterns, human stick figures with realistic faces, and animals. As well, the only rock paintings in Polynesia are found on Hiva Oa.

And lastly, the re-development of the mother of pearl industry has made available the subtle iridescence of these polished shells. The fascinating changing colors have been incorporated as a choice material to embellish dance costumes and in the making of shimmering jewelry.

Source: Tahiti Tourism Travel Planner 2000; Tahiti Legends brochure
Photos courtesy of Tahiti Tourisme. Photos are not for commercial use and cannot be reproduced for resale.