Life Onboard LAST UPDATE  February 10, 2010
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November 25, 2009 Dr. Gabriel Tetiarahi – Self Determination for Polynesia
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Gabi does not identify himself as Polynesian. He prefers to use the traditional name for the Octopus Nations - Maohi.
Mataiea Village elders insisted that Gabi attend a special ceremony before he left Tahiti for university in France. They said he needed to acknowledge the earth and water that claimed him. The Maohi people belong to the land and the ocean. This reverence for nature is just one of the attributes of the indigenous people that Dr Gabriel Tetiarahi (Gabi) fears has been lost through the colonization of the region. The heritage and esteem of the Maohi people is under threat of extinction. For Gabi, self-determination is key to its preservation.

When Gabi looks at a map of the South Pacific he sees an octopus. The head of the octopus is Taputapuatea – on the island of Raiatea, near Bora Bora. The eight arms track the migration of the Maohi people from Taputapuatea to Hawaii, Rapa Nui (Easter Island), Aotearoa (New Zealand) and other islands. The common thread of the people of the region is indicative in their language and customs. While you can still hear the original Polynesian language in Samoa and Tonga it is much harder to come by in Gabi’s home country, Tahiti. There, the Maohi tongue is being replaced by French. Gabi says the loss of language is accompanied by a weakened sense of identity for the Tahitian people with major implications for confronting the challenges facing the country today.
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Here Gabi explains the history and use of a marae - traditional ceremonial platform.
Picture by Otake Arata
Tahiti became a French colony in 1880. Over the next century, the Maohi people would become marginalized in their own country, losing effective control of the government, land, education and resources. Gabi says the legacy of colonization in Tahiti is tainted with exploitation, oppression and injustice. The most significant of which was 30 years of French nuclear testing in Tahiti; which compromised the environment and health of the Tahitian people. Gabi has spent the last three decades fighting first to end nuclear testing and now for justice and freedom for Tahitians. He explained that independence would bolster efforts to secure restitution from France. An independent Tahiti would be able to bring a case against France at the International Court of Justice in the Hague. Gabi insists that the systematic deception and disregard for human rights displayed by France during nuclear testing is nothing short of “nuclear terrorism”.

But the pursuit of justice is only the beginning. Gabi argues that Tahiti deserves a new development model that empowers the Tahitian people and establishes a stronger foundation for the future. Today, Tahiti depends almost completely on imports for its survival. Self-sufficiency fell from 96% in 1960 to 4% in 1996 and remains low. Gabi argues that because Tahiti is a French colony it is unable to directly access aid from Canada, New Zealand, Australia and other donor nations. It is also unable to access development programmes under the United Nations. With independence, Tahiti would be free to form the international partnerships best suited for the needs of the country.
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This is a recently completed home built by Hiti Tau to accommodate students of the NGO’s organic training programme.
Picture by Otake Arata

The re-emergence of independent Octopus Nations is Gabi’s dream for the Polynesian islands. The Pacific Forum is the contemporary manifestation of regional unity but only independent states can become full members. As an associate member, Tahiti’s opportunities for partnership with its sister countries are limited. For Gabi, it is an unnatural separation given the shared history and strong families ties between the islands. The Pacific Forum can request that Tahiti be entered on the United Nations list of countries to be decolonized. Through his NGO, Hiti Tau, Gabi has been working feverishly to promote the collective benefits of independence and galvanize support in the region. The potential for economic independence offered by organic farming is a cornerstone of his efforts. Gabi spends much of the year travelling around the region to train farmers in organic best practice and develop capacity in vanilla and taro cultivation.

Gabi’s call for full sovereignty extends to all colonized nations of the South Pacific. He explained that as colonies, some island nations have become drawn into activities that are out of touch with the will of the people. He pointed to extensive military activity by the United States and France in Guam, Hawaii, the Marshall Islands and Tahiti. He said that even where the islanders espouse a commitment to peace, the colonized nations are unable to exercise that commitment because they have lost control over what takes place in their territory.

Gabi argues that self-determination for the Maohi is a matter of principle and dignity. A people with over 2000 years of history deserve to have their sovereignty restored and their heritage preserved. With independence, Tahiti and the people of the region will have the freedom to re-examine their lifestyle and society and chart the course best suited for a prosperous and sustainable future. “Indigenous people are the roots of the nation”, he says. It is time they regained their rightful place as stewards of their destiny.