French Polynesia: Political System
Tahiti is a parliamentary republic and French overseas Zealand.
According to topschoolsintheusa, the official name of the country is:
| French Polynesia overseas France |
The state is made up of five constituencies: the Marquesa Islands, the Windward Islands, the Windward Islands, Tuamotu-Gambier and the Austral Islands.
In February 2004 a new statute of autonomy for French Polynesia was adopted in France. Among other things, the official status changed from “overseas territory” to “overseas country”. The position of the local authorities was considerably strengthened. This also changed the composition of the local parliament. The unicameral parliament now has a total of 57 members who are directly elected by the people for five years.
The voting age is 18 and the citizens of French Polynesia are French citizens.
The French President heads the country. He appoints a high commissioner to represent the French state on the islands.
Since July 2, 1966, France has repeatedly set off atomic bombs in French Polynesia. The last test took place on January 27, 1996 on Mururoa. In connection with the atomic bomb tests, the Greenpeace ship Rainbow-Warrior was sunk on July 10, 1985 in the port of Auckland/New Zealand by French secret agents by means of an explosion. A person was killed in the process.
Surprisingly, the perpetrators were quickly deported to France.
Based on flag descriptions by Countryaah.com, the national anthem of Tahiti is the French anthem, the Marseillaise.
- Check top-mba-universities for public holidays, sports events, UNESCO world heritage sites and major places to visit in French Polynesia.
In French
| Allons enfants de la Patrie,le jour de gloire est arrivé
Contre nous de la tyrannie L’étendard sanglant est levé, L’étendard sanglant est levé! Entendez-vous dans les campagnes Mugir ces féroces soldiers! Ils viennent jusque dans vos bras Égorger vos fils et vos compagnes.Refrain: Aux armes citoyens, Formez vos bataillons. Marchons! Marchons! Qu’un sang impur Abreuve nos sillons Que veut cette horde d’esclaves De traîtres, de rois conjurés? Pour qui ces ignobles entraves Ces fers dès longtemps préparés Ces fers dès longtemps préparés Français, pour nous, Ah quel outrage Quel transport il doit exciter! C’est nous qu’on ose méditer De rendre à l’antique esclavage refrain Quoi! Des cohortes étrangères Feraient la loi dans nos foyers! Quoi! Ces phalanges mercenaires Terrasseraient nos fiers guerriers. Terrasseraient nos fiers guerriers. Grand Dieu! Par des mains enchaînées Nos fronts, sous le joug, se ploieraient. De vils despotes deviendraient Les maîtres de nos destinées refrain Tremblez tyrans, et vous perfides L’opprobe de tous les partis. Tremblez, vos projets parricides Vont enfin recevoir leur prix! From enfin recevoir leur prix! Tout est soldier pour vous combattre. S’ils tombent nos jeunes héros, La terre en produit de nouveaux Contre vous, tous prêts à se battre refrain Français en guerriers magnanimes Portez ou retenez vos coups. Épargnez ces tristes victimes A regrets s’armant contre nous! A regrets s’armant contre nous! Mais ce despote sanguinaire Mais les complices de Bouillé Tous les tigres qui sans pitié Déchirent le sein de leur mère! refrain Amour Sacré de la Patrie Conduis, soutiens nos braves vengeurs. Liberté, Liberté chérie Combats avec tes défenseurs Combats avec tes défenseurs Sous nos drapeaux, que la victoire Accoure à tes mâles accents Que tes ennemis expirants Voient ton triomphe et nous, notre gloire refrain Nous entrerons dans la carrière Quand nos aînés n’y seront plus Nous y trouverons leur poussière Et la trace de leur vertus! Et la trace de leur vertus! Bien moins jaloux de leur survivre Que de partager leur cercueil. Nous aurons le sublime orgueil De les venger ou de les suivre refrain |
And in the English translation
| Up, children of the fatherland!The day of fame is here.
We against tyranny, The bloody banner raised. The bloody banner raised. Do you hear the roar of the cruel warriors in the fields ? They are pushing us to behead your sons, your wives!Refrain: To arms, citizens! Close the ranks, forward, let’s march! Let the unclean blood water our fields! What does this horde of slaves, of traitors, of conspiratorial kings want ? For whom are these common fetters, These irons long prepared? These long-prepared irons? French, for us, ah! what shame, what anger this must arouse! One dares to think of bringing Us into old bondage! refrain What! Foreign rabble would rule over our homes! What! These mercenaries would bring down Our proud warriors! Slay our proud warriors! Great god! With chains on our hands, our heads would bow to the yoke. Vile despots would determine our fate! refrain Tremors, tyrants and you wicked ones, shame of all parties, tremble! Your wicked plans are finally getting paid back! You will finally get paid back! Everyone is a soldier to fight you, when you fall, our young heroes, the earth beget new ones who are ready to fight against you. refrain French, you noble warriors, deal your blows or withhold them! Spare these sad victims Who reluctantly arm themselves against us. Who reluctantly arm themselves against us. But these bloodthirsty despots, But these accomplices of Bouillé, All these tigers who ruthlessly tear apart their mother’s breast! refrain Holy love for the fatherland, guide, support our avenging arms. Freedom, beloved freedom, fight with your defenders! Fight with your defenders! So that victory under our flags rushes to the aid of the sounds of strong men, So that your dying enemies see your victory and our glory! refrain We will tread on the way of life, When the older ones will no longer be there, We will find their dust and their virtues there. And find a trace of their virtues. Rather share their coffin Than they want to survive, We will with lofty pride avenge them or follow them. refrain |
French Polynesia: Known People
Historical personalities
Tupaia (1727-1770)
priest and navigator who accompanied James Cook on his second trip to New Zealand and served as translator.
Artist
- Gaugin (1848-1903)The French painter Gaugin died in 1902 in Atuona on Hiva Oa of Syhpilis.
- Peter Owen:contemporary potter
Singer
Jacques Brel (1929-1978)
The Belgian chanson singer came to Hiva Oa on his yacht in 1975 and decided to settle there. In 1978 he died of cancer in France, but was buried on Hiva Oa, not far from Gaugin.
Tony Marschall (born 1938)
Marschall – actually Herbert Anton Hilger – was made an honorary citizen of Bora Bora on February 26, 2008 in his presence. The reason was his services to the islands and the country with his song, which was released in 1978 and sold around 3 million times. It was titled: Bora Bora.
actor
Marlon Brando (1924-2004) In
1960 the actor shot “Mutiny on the Bounty” in Tahiti. In 1962 he married the Tahitian Tarita Teripia. In 1990 Marlon Brando’s son, Christian Brando, killed his sister’s lover in Tetiaroa. The sister committed suicide five years later and was buried next to her lover on the island. The ashes of Marlon Brando, who died in 2004, are said to have been scattered in Tetiaroa.
writer
Herman Melville (1819-1891)
The writer came to French Polynesia in 1842 on a whaling ship. His travel experiences inspired him to write the book Moby Dick.
French Polynesia: animals
Mammals
Large mammals include only farm animals brought to the islands, such as horses – for which the island of Marquesas is famous – as well as cattle, pigs and dogs. Small mammals include rats, mice, and bats. The horses in the Marquesas were imported from Chile by the French admiral and circumnavigator Dupetit-Thouars in 1842 as a gift for Chief Lotete. On Ua Pou (1793-1864), in the dense forest of Hohoi and on Ua Huka in the valleys of Hane and Hokatu, the animals can be found in the wild. The Marquesas were the last residence of Paul Gauguin (1848-1903) and the singer Jaques Brel (1929-1978), who described the local horses as follows: “quelques vieux chevaux blancs qui fredonnent Gauguin” (some old white horses that Singing about Gauguin).
Reptiles
There are four species of geckos on the islands, as well as three species of lizards that are fairly common. The hawksbill sea turtles, green turtles and leatherback turtles that live on the islands are protected. Unlike other turtles, the shell of the leatherback turtle is covered with a rubbery skin. The sea turtle always lays its eggs on sandy shores. There are also nests on the Atlantic coast in North America, in other coasts of the Caribbean and Central America, as well as in South America, Africa and the coasts of the Indian Ocean. The stock is endangered by fishing, however, as the animals get caught in the nets, for example. Therefore the turtles are under nature protection, because, in addition to the natural dangers for eggs such as birds of prey and predators, people repeatedly steal eggs, which results in declining populations for subsequent generations. The skink, which belongs to the lizards, was introduced.
Venomous animals
On land there are no poisonous or dangerous animals, no poisonous snakes. Underwater, however, one should watch out for the stonefish, which admittedly is not easy, as it is a master of adaptation and is difficult to distinguish from an actual stone. Stonefish are covered with spines, the back spines contain a neurotoxin, which is very poisonous.
If you step on the fish, the poison is injected into the body. This leads to nerve paralysis with water formation under the skin, cardiac arrhythmias up to and including cardiac arrest, as well as peripheral vascular dilation and often to respiratory arrest. There are several cases where encountering a stonefish has resulted in death. As a first aid measure you should remove the sting, clean the wound and then immerse the injured area in hot water. This method has proven itself as it has a pain-relieving effect and prevents or inhibits the spread of the poison. In any case, however, additional medical help must be sought. Very poisonous water snakes live in the waters of the Marquesas and it is important to be careful of them.
Birds
Many of the native bird species live in the rainforests, some of the birds are even endemic, which means that they only occur here. These include the black Iphis flycatcher with a greenish sheen in its plumage, which lives on Ua Huka, and the Fatuhiva monarch, which only occurs on the island of Fatu Hiva. Pigeons are particularly common, but there are also kingfishers, Pacific swallows and petrels. The Shepherd Maina is most widespread in Tahiti and is also known as the Shepherd Star because it belongs to the starling family. The black plumage with the yellow beak and the yellow spot on the eye are characteristic. The small and large frigate birds can also be found on the islands. A total of 19 different species of seabirds breed on the islands of the Marquesas.
Insects, spiders
Insects are the most common group in French Polynesia. There are seven endemic species of dragonflies alone. There are some butterflies to marvel at and moths are also numerous, not to mention bees, wasps, flies, mosquitoes, bumblebees, snails and caterpillars.
A strongly represented group are the spiders, which also include the scorpions and the widespread land crabs, which are often found along the roads near the sea.
Underwater world
A large variety of tropical fish species, which can be found especially near the corals, delights divers and snorkelers. Butterfly, Napoleon, angel, clown and parrot fish cavort here, which owe their name to the parrot-beak-shaped teeth with which they can bite off pieces of hard coral. The underwater encounters are particularly breathtaking because of the large manta rays floating through the water, which can reach a span of 7 m. Despite the nickname “devil ray”, which the fish received because of its head fins, it has no poisonous sting and is therefore harmless and peaceful.
In shallow waters, beware of moray eels, but barracudas can also be found here. Eels and humpback whales can often be seen off the coast of the Austral Islands. Over 20 species of dolphins live here, including the East Pacific dolphin and the bottlenose dolphin. But some species of shark can also be found in the waters around the islands.
Tuna, bonitos and golden mackerel (mahi-mahi), which are characterized by their blunt head shape and high dorsal fin, have both an economic and an important supply function for the residents.
French Polynesia: plants
The flora of the islands belonging to French Polynesia is characterized by a large proportion of plants that are endemic to these islands, which means that they are only found here worldwide.
Trees
By far the most common trees that you can encounter on all islands are coconut palms. Iron trees, acacias, breadfruit trees and panda nut trees also grow here. In German they are known as “screw palm”, which describes the arrangement of their sharply sawn leaves. It forms aerial roots on the lower part of the trunk. The fruits are spherical and consist of hundreds of individual fruits. In some species (630 in total) of the screw palm you can eat the fleshy part of the fruit cluster. On the lower part of the trunk, the trees form strong aerial roots, which gives the impression that the tree is standing on stilts.
Crops
One of the most important crops on the islands is the breadfruit, which is the main food and is often processed into pulp, the so-called “Popoi”. A wide variety of tropical fruits such as bananas, mangoes, citrus fruits and yams also play a major role. The latter is also known as taro or taro. This bulbous plant belongs to the arum family and forms perennial, up to 2 m high bushes with upright growth. Their heart-shaped leaves are dark green with a fine white coating and often have a diameter of 60 cm. The tuberous, thickened roots are mainly used, and are prepared like potatoes. But young taro leaves are also eaten as a vegetable.
The coconut palm is of essential importance and used in almost all situations. The heart of the young leaves often forms part of the salads, the liquid inside the bowl is processed into milk or pressed together with the Tiare Tahiti into the popular perfumed oil (“monoi”), the bowl itself is used as decoration and the stem as Building material. The fronds of the palm are woven into mats, blankets, baskets and huts, while the bark and roots are used in traditional medicine.
Coffee is grown on the Gambier Islands, but on a rather small scale.
Medicinal plants
The noni tree, which is also known as the Indian mulberry, has recently been planted. It is one of the most important and oldest medicinal plants in the medical history of the oceanic peoples. Noni is an evergreen shrub belonging to the madder family, which can reach an average height of between 4.5 and 6 m. But there are also smaller and larger shrubs. Its fruits also vary in size, but on average they are the size of a medium-sized potato. All parts of the plant are used, whereby a powder is made from the roots and the bark, which is used for fever, intestinal diseases and poisoning. In principle, this plant is a panacea, but it is particularly used as a pain reliever for rheumatic attacks, neuralgia, stomach cramps,In Germany, noni juice is approved as a new type of food.
Be careful with the frangipani, as it contains a poisonous milky juice.
Poisonous plants
The flamingo flowers from the arum family contain calcium oxalates in their leaves, which lead to inflammation of the affected areas when touched. When consumed, the consequences are more serious, the tongue and the oral mucous membranes swell and burn, swallowing difficulties and speech disorders are further symptoms of poisoning, as are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cramps and general gastrointestinal complaints. Just as it is for humans, the plant with its striking, beautiful and large flowers is also poisonous for animals.
More plants
Ferns such as the tree fern, which can take on the considerable size of a tree, are particularly widespread. The snow-white and fragile-looking gardenias in Tahiti, the ‘Tiare Tahiti’, are famous. Depending on how the flower is worn behind a lady’s ear, it says something about her relationship status. The tiare is also often used as a decoration at parties for embellishment.
Other colorful plants also grow on the islands, such as heliconias, bougainvilleas, hibiscus, jasmine, flamingo flowers (anthuriums), orchids such as the Tahitian vanilla and bird of paradise flowers. The long stalk of the latter can grow up to 1.5 m tall, but what is more impressive is the shape and color of the petals than the size of the plant. Orange-yellow and blue petals grow out of the bract, which can often be varied in color, and are reminiscent of the head of a tropical bird.
Frangipanis also grow here, they come in the form of large bushes or small trees. They belong to the dog poison family and stand out for their pink and white colored and intensely fragrant flowers. Their very long (up to 30 cm), tapering and dark green leaves are also striking.
In Asia, the frangipani is considered a temple or sacrificial plant and is a symbol of immortality.
A plant imported from Central America is the Polynesian Vanilla, which relies on other plants to grow on. Since there is no natural pollinator for these plants on the islands, they have to be fertilized by hand.
