Raiatea, the Sacred Island — An Elegant Sufficiency

We had the perfect start to the day as we arrived off Raiatea. Captain Abhi had announced last evening that he'd gained permission to take an exceptional route into port here, taking advantage of what was forecast to be a beautiful sunrise.

We had set our alarm for 6am and whipping open our curtains immediately, we realised it wasn't a minute too late! The scene from our verandah was changing by the minute and for the next quarter of an hour we stood, camera and phone clicking.

I wasn't altogether sure where we were and quickly opened a map to check.

We sailed along, the sun rose and we sat and marvelled at the sight.

When the light show was over, we retreated back inside to get ready for our day on Raiatea, the Sacred Island.

Outside, it was rush hour in the small port as a line of small boats took their turn for a place in the harbour. Was it the school run perhaps? Or people arriving for their day's work?

This little hub was quite the hot spot and we were gliding into place, because today we were actually going to be docked alongside. No tenders needed!!

Everything was already in place and our arrival anticipated.

We stepped ashore and were greeted by the sound of our guide blowing his conch shell.

Our guide for the day was TiHoti, tattooed from head to toe, standing barefoot and wearing just a red cloth wrapped around his waist.

Oh, and carrying a shopping bag! He was a remarkable figure with a huge smile and was proud to welcome us to his island. Twelve of us boarded “Le Truck” , he took his place in the centre and off we went.

The first stop was the Botanic Garden, a hillside site richly planted with native varieties, many of which had medicinal uses. We pottered about, choosing not to take the steep stairs down into the basin but rather to marvel at the million shades of green here and to chat to TiHoti, who wrote his name in my notebook with a flourish.

I was surprised by the way in which as many of the bright colours came from the leaves, for there were relatively few flowers around here.

Everywhere we turned was filled with green…

The fifteen minutes here passed so quickly and before long, TiHoti was rooting in his shopping bag for something.

He was looking for a different means of calling “time” - this one, a carved wooden horn with an elaborate collection of red and black feathers attached to it. Noting the ease with which he walked on this cinder gravel surface, I asked if his feet ever become painful. Not at all, he said, he'd gone barefoot since he was a child and the only time he wore shoes was on a plane!

Our next stop was an archaeological site Taputapuatea the most significant site and the foundation for Raiatea's status as the sacred island.

Here in the marae, we saw the birthplace of Polynesian culture, said by TiHoti to be the most special place for his ancestors, though sadly no longer “theirs” since it became a UNESCO World Heritage site.

He spoke sincerely about this peaceful place, in the most beautiful setting by the water and of how the beliefs of his people centred on the natural sources of energy: water, sky, earth.

He told us of his Grandfather, who played a large part in his life. Aged 75, after a long day's work, he would lean against this tree and after half an hour, he'd be as sprightly as a twenty year old. He said that, as a child, he would be encouraged to sit quietly beside his Grandfather, watching as first a couple of birds would appear beside them, followed by many more. He lamented how that ability to sit quietly had disappeared with the introduction of mobile phones; one thing that we never saw him pull from his shopping bag.

We returned to the harbour past papaya plantations and as we neared the end of our journey with this remarkable man, he had one more instrument to play.