Tahiti History

Natives of Polynesian origin had settled in French Polynesia between 300 and 800 AD. The population of Tahiti and its neighboring islands had plenty of food because of the fertile soil and fishing here. European visitors have been fascinated by the relaxed and contended nature of Tahiti’s inhabitance. The islands were spotted by Spanish explorers but surprisingly they did not make any effort at colonizing them. The history of Tahiti is a heritage due to visits by European explorers and later colonization by the French.

French explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville was the main explorer who made Tahiti popular among the Europeans. He described these islands as paradise where men and women lead a simple and innocent life. James Cook visited Tahiti in the year 1774. Constant visits from the Europeans caused a disruption in the traditional way of life in Tahiti and it was introduced to prostitution and alcohol. In 1797, Tahiti was attacked by diseases such as typhus and small pox that resulted in a decrease in its native population.

There was a tussle between the British and the French to take over reigns in Tahiti. British were thrown out by the French and they placed a French protectorate with the consent of the ruling queen of Tahiti, Pomare IV. French Polynesia soon came to be recognized as the French overseas territory. Famous painters from France such as Paul Gauguin lived in Tahiti and many of the paintings were inspired by local landscapes. There is a museum that is named after this renowned painter in Papeari.

Modern Tahitians are French citizens and they have French and Tahitian as their local languages. They have full French civil and political rights. The people of Tahiti follow mixed customs of traditional Polynesian beliefs and French culture. The streets in Tahiti are filled with people who are as sophisticated as the French. The music and cuisine of Tahiti is again a combination of Polynesian and French styles.