1.Respect and Self Awareness

Cultural awareness, self-reflection, and intentional, respectful interactions with residents of French Polynesia are crucial in building long-term trust.

As individuals and researchers, we aim to contribute intellectual value to the island and community by providing our scientific findings to support Moorea in its local and global stewardship efforts. In our positions, we serve as proxies for the academy, our respective universities, our institutions, our cultures, and our countries at large.  Our position as visiting researchers to Moorea demands self-reflection.

It is important that we ensure that our actions and intentions remain respectful of the cultural past, present, and future of the place that we visit. French Polynesia has a colonially oppressive past. This history is dense and complex, so we provide only a brief summary below. While we are not the keepers of this story, as visitors to Moorea, awareness and acknowledgement of this history can help mitigate the risk of unknowingly extending acts of colonialism and/or oppression.

Identifying our privilege, power, and associated biases that come as visitors can be important first steps in preventing present and future harm perpetuated by scientists. Instead, respect and self-awareness can be instrumental in building long-term trust in French Polynesia.

Through our actions as visiting researchers, it is our job to maintain cultural land permanence (1) through respect for the island, biodiversity, traditions, economy, and people, (2) by conducting our science and visits in ways that maintain the connection that these communities and cultures already have to the island so as not to further harm or disturb, and (3) by respecting cultural identities and maintaining traditional stewardship. Permanence confers a long-term commitment to these obligations as scientific visitors.

Know where you are:

French Polynesia is made up of 118 islands and 5 archipelagos that stretch across the South Pacific Ocean in an area the size of Europe. Moorea is located in the Society Islands archipelago:

Resources

Learn More about Tahitian Culture

There are many unique, beautiful, and powerful aspects of Tahitian culture that visitors should strive to learn more about. This guide cannot provide a comprehensive overview, nor is it the appropriate place to do so; however, the below videos and websites can provide a glimpse into some aspects that may be of interest.

Overview of Tahitian culture

What is Heiva? 

Tātau (Tattoo)

Mana