|  Baskets
For the market or fishing, the ahima'a (ground oven), or for carrying
fruit and vegetables, each 'ete (basket) has its own name, form
and material. Commonly woven out of pandanus, basketwork from
the Marquesas and Austral Islands is the most highly reputed,
and can be found in Papeete.
 Birds
of the Marquesas
Birdlife is rich among the Marquesas Islands, with 50 of the nearly
90 species in Polynesia present here. Seabirds Most are sea birds
that prey on marine life. Petrels and shearwaters are birds of
the open ocean that range far out at sea and come to land only
to breed and rear their young. Coastal seabirds, the boobies,
tropicbirds, terns, noddies, and frigatebirds, feed on the rich
reefs and lagoons and roost on land. Most shorebirds occurring
in the Marquesas, the Pacific heron, golden plovers, and tattlers,
are seasonal migratory species.
Landbirds
Species of landbirds are few, as no large land mass is near enough
to support their migration, but endemic landbirds include the
Marquesas reed warbler, the rare Marquesas kingfisher, and the
colorful ultramarine lorikeet. Birdwatching is a highly recommended
activity in these lush islands and can lead to great adventures.
 Black
Pearls
Created only by the giant black-lipped oyster pinctada margaritifera
which thrives in the lagoons of the Tuamotu Archipelago, the rare
Polynesian black pearl varies in color from silver through dark
gray with green and pink highlights. This Tahitian "jewel" makes
an exquisite and unique souvenir. 
Black Pearl Farming
Although 70 species of oyster can produce pearls, it is the pinctada
margaritifera that grows naturally in French Polynesia, mostly
in the lagoons of Manihi and Marutea in the Tuamotus and of Mangareva
in the Gambiers. Since about mid-1965, the lustrous Tahitian black
pearl has been cultivated, often on single-family pearl farms
that dot the lagoons.
Pearl Cultivation
Pearl cultivation is a delicate grafting operation that mimics
the natural reaction of the oyster. A bead (made from the mother-
of-pearl of a Mississippi River mussel shell) is grafted into
the mantle tissue of a black-lipped seed oyster. The oyster, placed
back into the lagoon on long lines, secretes its nacre to coat
the irritant.  Then
after about 18 months the oysters are harvested, and the pearls
cleaned, sorted and graded.
The Pearl Mystique
Farming does not guarantee a fine pearl. Many factors vary the
results so that only about 40% of oysters produce pearls, and
only 2% of these are perfect poe rava. This is part of the mystery
of the black pearl.
 William
Bligh
Captain of the Bounty, Bligh was sent to Tahiti to collect breadfruit
seedlings. Cleared in the naval inquiry into the mutiny, he returned
to Tahiti to collect breadfruit again. After another naval mutiny,
and a revolt in Australia during a term as governor of New South
Wales, he returned to Britain, ending his career as a Vice Admiral.
 Louis-Antoine
de Bougainville
The first French navigator to circumnavigate the globe, Bougainville
landed in Tahiti in 1768. Discovering the most unspoiled civilization
any European had ever seen, he established the legend of Tahiti
as the consummate "paradise" on earth, a seductive myth that has
continued ever since.
 Mutiny
on the Bounty
On April 27, 1789, after a five-month stay on Tahiti, the Bounty
set sail for Tonga. William Bligh, the ship's captain, accused
his crew of having stolen coconuts from his personal reserve.
Bligh's tyrannical manner, in contrast with the sweet nature of
Tahitians, was unbearable for the crew. At dawn on April 28, the
mutiny took place, led by Fletcher Christian, making the Bounty
one of the most famous ships of all time. The mutineers brought
the ship back to Tahiti, this time under the command of Christian
and his mutineers. Some stayed on in Tahiti as mercenaries, the
rest sailed on to Pitcairn, never to return. 
Breadfruit
Breadfruit ('uru) was a staple for pre-European Polynesians, who
used the tree sap to caulk canoes, as a glue, a cosmetic, and
to make tapa. In Polynesia there are almost 40 different varieties
of breadfruit, which is generally eaten fresh or cooked as popoi.
Canoes
 Probably
the most essential of all Polynesian artifacts, the canoe was
indispensable for fishing, getting from one island to another
and fighting wars. Today, small outrigger canoes provide the ideal
means for exploring Tahiti's crystal-clear lagoons.
 Churches
The presence of Protestant, Evangelical and Catholic churches
on the landscape reflects the fact that Tahitians are a religious
people. Sunday churchgoing is half-way between a chanted dialogue
with god and an elegant social event. Guests are welcome to attend
services, and no matter what your religion, you will find the
Polynesian's unaccompanied singing both beautiful and moving.
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