Marquesans
In our second Cult-Ed series of lessons you will meet the islanders, called the Marquesans, of the Marquesas Islands. The Marquesas Islands are located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and are part of French Polynesia.
The original inhabitants of the Marquesas Islands are descended from sailors. They migrated a long time ago in large catamarans from the west and were looking for a safe place and fertile land. They settled in the remote archipelago and brought their traditions – such as the tiki, tattoo and haka – with them.
Do you want to know everything about the islanders of the Pacific? Then join us on a journey to the Marquesas Islands.
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To accompany the Cult-ED download the Jimmy Nelson App. Scanning the image from the worksheet with the app will enable you to step into the world behind the image, through your smartphone. Beautiful video material will guide you through breathtaking footage, but above all uncovers information about different cultures from around the world. No smartphone? Scroll down for all the videos.
The volcanic Marquesas are a part of French Polynesia, a group of 118 islands spread out across 4,000 square kilometres of the Pacific Ocean – ‘Polynesia’ means ‘many islands’
The Marquesas have been inhabited for the longest of all the French Polynesian islands. They offer an unusual mix of black sand beaches and beautiful bays, surrounded by towering cliffs and a bright blue ocean. The pointed peaks are like gigantic teeth, jutting up from the intensely green jungle to pierce the clouds.
The temperature on the tropical Marquesas remains a fairly constant 27 degrees Celsius. The humid rainforests are home to many plants and animals that are unique to the area.
The tiaré, or Tahitian gardenia, was first recorded by Captain James Cook on his first voyage to the Pacific in around 1768. Traditionally, women of the island wear the flower on one ear to show their marital status: right for married, left for single.
The Polynesian islands fall into five groups, one of which is the volcanic Marquesas.
One of its seven islands, Hiva Oa, is known as the ‘garden of the Marquesas’. It has an area of around 300 square kilometres and is the group’s second-largest island
Hidden in its jungle are several archaeological sites that reveal aspects of pre-European Polynesian history. Wooden, bamboo and thatched homes in Marquesan style are spread out over the entire length of the valleys.
The original inhabitants of the archipelago are known in the local language as Enanaa, meaning ‘people’. The word hao’e, ‘white foreigners’, is used to refer to outsiders and newcomers, particularly colonizers from the West.
Traditionally, Marquesans wore clothing made of leaves and grasses, and decorated with animal teeth and beads. Nowadays their skirts are more likely to be made of cloth than grass. Marquesan men and women alike wear a pareu, a colourful sarong skirt wrapped around the waist
The missionaries also left their mark. As in many other places in the world, they forbade traditional practices.
It is only in the last thirty years that the traditions have begun to come back to life. The younger generation have started to perform traditional dances and decorate their bodies again, proud of the now internationally famous tā moko tattoo style that originated in the Marquesas.
High up in the jungle of Ua Pou are several gigantic volcanic basalt pillars. The largest of them all is the Poumaka Tower, named for the legendary warrior Poumaka, who is said to have ruthlessly destroyed the valley of Pou. At around 1,000 metres, it holds great allure for rock climbers from around the world
The national animal of French Polynesia is the sea turtle, or hono, an endangered species which can still be found swimming in the surrounding bright blue ocean.
All over the Marquesas islands you can find tikis, wooden or stone carvings of half human, half godlike figures.
One of the most notable is The Smiling Tiki, famous for its beaming grin, found deep in the jungle of Hiva Oa. Most tikis have large eyes, a sign of knowledge. Each has its own meaning, but in general they often serve as protectors: most islanders have one in front of their house or wear a miniature one around their necks.
The biggest tiki, standing an impressive 2.5 metres tall, can be found on Hiva Oa.
Historically, there was no written language in Polynesia, and the tatu, or tattoo, was used to show identity, status and genealogy through shapes and symbols. The finer the work, the wealthier its owner would be.
From the moment children are born, their parents start raising pigs and growing crops to save up to pay for the future payment for these works of body art. Tattoos applied later in life have to be earned by the way you live and your status within the community.
Tattoos are applied throughout the lives of local people.
They are traditionally made by hand using wooden and bone tools, rather than the contemporary tattoo machine. Tattoos are such a big part of Polynesian way of life that women are said not to want to marry un-tattooed men because of their assumed lack of wealth, influence and physical strength.
Dancing, singing and tattooing are central to the self-representation of the French Polynesian people. The dances, combined with drumming and traditional songs, have been used for centuries to share the islands’ stories and pass them down from generation to generation.
Every gesture, facial expression and aspect of their long-established costume adds nuance and detail to the age-old legends. The dance best known outside the islands is the haka, which originated as a battle cry: combatants would use their thunderous roars and forceful gestures to strike fear into their enemies.
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