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Port of Call |
LAST UPDATE July 12, 2005
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| site design imagesparkle.com |
| January 5, 2005 |
Papeete, Tahiti |
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| Gabriel Tetiarahi, the father of Tahiti’s movement for independence from nuclearization and colonization |
Hiti Tau literally means “Stand up and make a change” and is the name of the Tahiti-based NGO founded by Gabriel Tetiarahi in 1992. Its mission was to bring together the indigenous Maohi people in their struggle for the recognition of their universal rights, sustainable development and the right to a non-nuclear homeland. Situated in the town of Taravao, about 90 minutes drive from Papeete, is the Hiti Tau office and agricultural plantations, which enable the local community to regain their economic independence and maintain their culture. 50 Peace Boat participants accompanied the charismatic Gabi to Hiti Tau for a unique two-day experience amid the natural beauty and ancient traditions of this Polynesian nation. |
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| Members of Hiti Tau welcoming the Peace Boat group with warm smiles and fresh fruit |
Tahiti has the largest population of all the French Polynesian islands with the number of inhabitants reaching 140,000 of the total population of 250,000. Since their arrival in 1844 the French military has had a presence in Tahiti, resulting in formal colonization in 1880. As part of the 118 islands which make up French Polynesia, it became French overseas territory in 1946 and under this “ownership” was used as a testing ground for over 200 nuclear tests between 1962 and 1996. After 20 years of lobbying, campaigning and protesting, the last nuclear test was conducted by French President Jacques Chirac in 1995. Gabi was at the forefront of this movement, developing revolutionary concepts and deeper understanding of nuclear colonialism, terrorism and racism and invited Peace Boat participants to hear the first hand testimony of nuclear site worker Tapati Mitemo. |
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| Tapati Mitemo |
Tapati explained how the financial benefits given to nuclear test site workers were so good that nobody doubted the work they were doing. At the time of testing 33,000 people made up the working population of Tahiti, 24,000 of whom were employed as nuclear test site workers. This meant that traditional, self-sustainable ways of earning a living (such as fishing, farming) were replaced with a large wage earning system prematurely and resulted in neglect of the land and financial dependency on the state. Before nuclear testing began Tahiti was economically self-sufficient. After nuclear testing became the primary ‘money maker’ for Tahiti, this was no longer the case. Coffee and coconut, which were once major export goods, are now imported from other South Pacific nations. |
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| Peace Boat participants taking notes from Tapati |
It is still very emotional for Tapati to talk about this sensitive issue, having lost many friends and colleagues to cancer caused by radiation contamination. He explained that as a direct consequence of the nuclear tests Tahiti now has the highest rate of thyroid cancer and leukaemia in the world. Children are born with all kinds of deformities and people are often hospitalised from contaminated food poisoning. However because of contracts signed between the French state and the test site workers all medical documents are obliged to remain top secret, until their release in the year 2056. This means that by keeping people in ignorance of why their family members die, people will never be able to prove that they died of radiation poisoning. |
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| Preparing the fire |
Besides these direct economic and physical effects of nuclear testing, Gabi added that the people’s minds of Tahiti have been polluted by colonization. Through being given large amounts of money for their livelihoods, people have abandoned their traditions, they have become greedy, put monetary price value on sacred land, sunk into laziness and apathy, and what is worse are now reliant on France. Tapati concluded in saying that all he wanted was for the French government to recognise the damage they have done and to take responsibility for it. His earnest plea struck a chord with the visitors from Peace Boat and they discussed the Hiroshima Nagasaki bombings and how an official apology had never been given to the victims in Japan from the US. |
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| The Hiti Tau Marae |
In the evening, a Maohi ceremony was held around the sacred Marae structure with members and friends of Hiti Tau. A beautiful exchange of song and dance in honour of the land, moon, ocean and friendship deepened everyone’s understanding and respect for traditional culture. In the Pacific islands it is said that when we receive we should always give back and so in order to pay thanks for a visit, it is customary to leave a stone, which represents our roots, at the Marae (a kind of makeshift shrine). This was a very special ceremony to take part in. Peace Boat participants then continued their evening’s experience with a home stay in the families of the local Maohi community and a more personal exchange took place.
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| Mick Martin, next to his Palm tree |
On the second day of their Tahitian experience Peace Boat participants were taken to Hiti Tau’s vanilla and taro plantations where Gabi has plans to build a self-sustainable centre for Maohi people to come, plant, relax, sleep and intensify their relationship with nature. Mick Martin, a guest speaker on aboriginal law, found the tree he had planted two years previous when he last visited Gabi and explained the importance of reconnecting and nurturing the trees that we personally plant. |
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| Participants learning how to plant taro |
Peace Boat participants planted taro in the grounds of Hiti Tau’s office and Gabi demonstrated how important it is not to wear shoes, to respect the earth and nurture as well as plant. “It is not just an action, it is being a mother to something which will grow because of you”. To conclude this unique two-day experience, Peace Boat participants received an abundance of freshly picked fruit, an intimate closing ceremony and as they left this oasis of tropical plants, trees and fruits they felt refreshed from the pure simplicity of nature. |
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