National traditions of French Polynesia. Habits, mentality and the way of living

Most of the inhabitants of French Polynesia (about 80%) are ethnic Polynesians or Polynesians mixed with Europeans. The rest of the islanders are mostly Chinese and Europeans. The overwhelming majority of the population speaks both French and Tahitian. Polynesians have a positive attitude towards France, but a part of them wants independence and favors a return to the heritage of their ancestors, at the same time the other is proud of belonging to French culture. Half of Polynesians consider themselves to be Protestants, and about 35% are Catholics. You will also find on the island adherents of other religious conviction such as Seventh-day Adventists and Mormons. Regardless of religion, many islanders believe in ancestral spirits that can appear in the world of the living as ghosts and even make contact with relatives.

One of the most interesting concepts in French Polynesia is the mystical “mana”. Mana can mean a lot of things: vitality, independence, beauty, grandeur, intelligence, truth, and so on. It mainly depends on the situation and what needs to be expressed. When people say about a person: “he has mana”, often means that he has attained some kind of enlightenment. Another distinctive Polynesian trait is widely spread tattoos. Tattooing has always been an important part of the Polynesian culture and could be drawn to the skin as a sign of belonging to some tribe or a symbol of the transition from childhood to adulthood. The word itself “tattoo” is of Tahitian origin. The Tahitians had a god of tattoos, known for decorating all the fish. Each line of the tattoo on the body, each dash is still considered to be connected with mana. Most of the islanders believe that every Polynesian should have at least one tattoo.

Although tensions may arise between ethnic groups in French Polynesia due to cultural differences and belonging to different stratum of society, it is not typical for locals to discriminate because of nationality or religion. Hate crimes on the islands are also very rare. The poor, as well as the rich from the upper class among the Polynesians, are relatively few; majority of the islanders belong to the middle class and the lower middle class. Wealthy people can always be identified by huge houses, expensive branded clothing and the possession of imported items, such as cars. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

The traditional gender roles of the inhabitants of the islands of French Polynesia do not imply any discrimination or superiority of one sex over the other. There is however the general belief that male and female roles and activities complement each other and cannot exist separately; they are equally important and should always be respected. Men are usually considered the heads of the family, and women often act as their faithful helpers. However, in recent years, more and more women have begun to penetrate into areas mostly occupied by men (for example, agriculture). Although managing the home is also expected from working-class women, some men share household work with them.

Polynesians are fairly tolerant of homosexuality. Moreover, on the islands, it is often possible to meet people called “faafafine” – these are men with female manners who were brought up in the family as girls. A similar phenomenon existed among the Polynesians even before the invasion of the Europeans. Boys are beginning to be raised as girls, usually due to the absence of girls in a family. Faafafine are not transgender people, that is, they do not feel like women in male bodies. They are considered to be the third sex and may have connections with men, but they are not considered homosexual.

The islanders can marry both officially; inviting guests, celebrating a wedding and church rites, or unofficially by simply living together as spouses and being faithful to each other. The second type of relationship is regarded by the Polynesians as a legal marriage. Islanders, have an interesting custom of wearing a Tahitian gardenia flower behind their left ear, especially if they have a partner. On the other hand, those who are actively searching for a partner, place a flower behind their right ear. Polynesians often live together in families of three or more generations. Adoptions are not uncommon.

Polynesians are incredibly hospitable, generous and very friendly, but often do not initiate contact with strangers because of their inherent modesty. However, the heart of a local resident can be won with a sincere smile or greeting. Polynesians can be best described as relaxed and calm people. They love to dance, relax and eat – and do not worry about those extra kilograms at all. It is not customary to keep track of your weight and engage in sports to maintain slenderness on the islands. The very nature of the islands is conducive to good nature and relaxation: it is always warm here, with wonderful flowers growing about, and there are no poisonous plants and animals in the country at all.