Sacred websites, or marae, supply a glimpse into the historical past of French Polynesia, and there are a number of shore excursions that supply entry to those historic points of interest. One of essentially the most notable is the Taputapuatea marae, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located on Raiatea, which is known as “The Sacred Island,” the marae at Taputapuatea is believed to have been established as early as 1000 AD. Raiatea is taken into account the ancestral homeland of the Polynesian individuals, as it’s the oldest inhabited island in French Polynesia. The ceremonial website served as the bottom for growth to Hawaii and New Zealand, and the islands have been first settled by migrating Polynesians as early as 500 BC.
The island of Huahine is known for having one of many largest teams of pre-European marae in French Polynesia, and also you’ll discover 30 excavated websites on the Maeva marae. This group of buildings and historic fish traps are believed to have been constructed as early because the thirteenth century AD. The adjoining museum shows artifacts like paddles, blades, jewellery, pestles and tattoo combs, and you may as well be taught concerning the historical past of excavations, which started within the Twenties.
Just a brief distance from Moorea’s Belvedere Lookout, you may wander across the stays of a number of historic marae, together with Titiroa (pictured above) and Ahu-o-Mahine. Built amongst a dense forest of chestnut bushes, a climbing path results in the tohua, or council platform, plus two smaller marae and an altar consisting of a number of steps layered with stones.