Pomare Dynasty
Encyclopedia
The Kingdom of Tahiti was founded by paramount chief Pōmare I
, who, with the aide of English
missionaries and traders, and European weaponry, unifed the islands of Tahiti
, Moʻorea
, Tetiaroa
, Mehetia
and at its peak consists of the other Society Islands
of eastern Polynesia
. Their leaders were Christian following the baptism
of Pomare II. Their progressive rise and recognition by Europeans allowed Tahiti to remain free from a planned Spanish
colonization, as well as English and earlier French claims to the islands. The Kingdom was one of a number of independent Polynesia
n states in Oceania
, alongside Hawaii
, Samoa
, Tonga, Rarotonga
, and Niue
in the 19th century. They are known for bringing a period of peace and cultural and economic prosperity to the islands over the reign of the five Tahitian monarchs.
Tahiti and its dependencies were made a French protectorate
in 1842, and largely annexed as a colony of France
in 1880. The monarchy was abolished by France shortly thereafter, though there are still pretender
s and many Tahitians
still wish for a return of the monarchy, some of whom claim that the act of abolishing the monarchy was either outright illegal, or outside of certain jurisdictions.
was born at Pare, ca. 1743, second son of Teu Tunuieaiteatua by his wife, Tetupaia-i-Hauiri. He initially reigned under the regency
of his father. He succeeded on the death of his father as Ariʻi-rahi of Porionuʻu 23 November 1802.
In terms of European encroachment in the period immediately encompassing the period of Pomare I, in 1774, there was a Spanish attempt at colonizing the islands, followed by a 1797 settlement by 30 persons on missionary ships:
"The attempt at colonization by the Spaniards in 1774 was followed by the settlement of thirty persons brought in 1797 by the missionary
ships "Duff." Though befriended by Pomare I. (who lived till 1805), they had many difficulties, especially from the constant wars, and at length they fled with Pomare II. to Eimeo and ultimately to New South Wales, returning in 1812, when Pomare renounced heathenism."
The Tahitian chieftain most friendly with the British
was Pomare. The additional British captains arriving at
Tahiti accepted his claim to hegemony. They gave him guns in trade and helped him in his battles. Captain Cook gave him the advantage in a number of battles with rival forces during his last stay in Tahiti, circa 1779. British missionaries arrived, sent by a non-denominational Protestant group called the London Missionary Society
. Pomare befriended the missionaries, and the missionaries favored both peace and Pomare, but, with the British unwilling to apply force to create order among the islands, the missionaries were unable to stop the warring.
As king, Pōmare I succeeded in uniting the different chiefdoms of Tahiti into a single kingdom, composed of the islands of Tahiti
itself, Moʻorea
, Mehetiʻa
, and the Tetiʻaroa
group. His service as the first king of unified Tahiti ended when he abdicated in 1791, but he remained the regent of Tahiti from 1791 until 1803.
He married 4 times and had two sons and three daughters.
By now, islanders were passing to each other diseases that had arrived with the Europeans—diseases for which they had undeveloped immunities. Many islanders were dying. And, in 1803, Pomare died. His son, Otu, became head of the family, with the title Pomare II
. Tū Tūnuiʻēʻaiteatua Pōmare II reigned 1803–1821. The missionaries remained allied with the Pomare family. Despite their pacifism, they wanted to see Pomare II successful in uniting the islanders under his rule.
Initially recognised as supreme sovereign and Ariʻi-maro-ʻura by the ruler of Huahine, he was subsequently forced to take refuge in Moʻorea 22 December 1808, but returned and defeated his enemies at the Battle of Te Feipī, 15 November 1815. He was thereafter recognized as undisputed King (Te Ariʻi-nui-o-Tahiti) of Tahiti, Moʻorea and its dependencies.
Other chieftains on Tahiti became fed up with what they saw as Pomare's pretensions of power, and in 1808 they drove him from Tahiti to the nearby island of Eimeo (Moorea
). These other chieftains hostile towards the missionaries, which caused the missionaries to leave Tahiti for other islands.
Pomare II believed that his fall was a sign of having lost favor with the god 'Oro
, and, aided by the missionary Henry Nott
, he began paying more attention to the god of the Christians
. Pomare II organized military support from his kinsmen on the islands of Raiatea
, Bora Bora
and Huahine
. Warring resumed, with Pomare winning the decisive Battle of Feii, on November 12, 1815. His victory was a victory also for the Christians. And, in victory Pomare surprised the Tahitians. He pardoned all who laid down their weapons. When defeated warriors returned from the hills, they found their homes had not been set afire and that their wives and children had not be slaughtered. The warfare culture of the islanders had been changed by the influence that the missionaries had on Pomare II.
Centralized authority among chiefs was not traditional in Tahiti, but the missionaries welcomed Pomare's new power. Distress from disease, civil war and death won for them serious attention to their teachings. They launched a campaign to teach the islanders to read, so they could read scripture. There were mass conversions in hope of the supernatural protections that Christianity offered. The missionaries told the islanders how to dress. The climate was suitable to exposing the skin to the greater cool of open air, but for the missionaries cool was no consideration. Little clothing for them was indecent exposure.
Another lifestyle promoted by the missionaries was manufacturing, the missionaries setting up a sugar refinery and a textile factory. In 1817, Tahiti acquired it first printing press, and, in 1819, cotton, sugar and coffee crops were planted.
Pomare II asked the missionaries for advice on laws, and the missionaries, being monarchists and wanting Pomare to be a proper monarch, advised him that the laws would have to be his, not theirs. They did make suggestions, however, and in September 1819, Pomare produced Tahiti's first written law. There was protection of life and property, observance of the Sabbath
, a sanctification of marriage and a judiciary
to maintain the laws.
Pōmare II was married first before March 1797 (betrothed January 1792) to Queen Tetua-nui Taro-vahine Ariʻi of Vaiari (now Papeari), who died at ʻArue, 21 July 1806.
He was baptised 16 May 1819 at the Royal Chapel, Papeʻete – Christianity and the support of English missionaries aided the centralisation of monarchic power.
Three London Missionary Society missionaries, Henry Bicknell, William Henry, and Charles Wilson preached at the baptism of King Pomare II. Afterwards, "Henry Bicknell stood on the steps of the pulpit, took water from a basin held by William Henry, and poured it" on King Pomare's head. Source: "The Evangelical magazine and missionary chronicle, Volume 28"
Pomare II died of drink-related causes at Motu Uta, Moʻorea, 7 December 1821. Pomare II died in 1824 at the age of forty-two, leaving behind an eight-year-old daughter and a five-year-old son. The son, Teriʻi-ta-ria and Pōmare III
, ruled in name from 1821 to 1827 while being educated by the missionaries. He died in 1827 of an unknown disease, and the daughter, then eleven, became Queen Pomare IV
.
He was born at Papaʻoa, ʻArue, 25 June 1820 as Teri'i-ta-ria, and was baptised 10 September 1820. He succeeded to the throne on the death of his father 7 December 1821. He was crowned at Papaʻoa, ʻArue, 21 April 1824.
Pomare III's education took place at the South Sea Academy, Papetoai, Moʻorea. He reigned under a council of Regency until his death 8 January 1827. During his reign, the Kingdom's first flag was adopted.
He was succeeded by his sister, ʻAimata Pōmare IV Vahine-o-Punuateraʻitua, who reigned 1827–1877.
, Queen of Tahiti (28 February 1813 – 17 September 1877), more properly ʻAimata Pōmare IV Vahine-o-Punuateraʻitua (otherwise known as ʻAimata {meaning: eye-eater, after an old custom of the ruler to eat the eye of the defeated foe} or simply as Pōmare IV), was the queen of Tahiti between 1827 and 1877.
She was the daughter of Pōmare II
. She succeeded as ruler of Tahiti after the death of her brother Pōmare III
when she was only 14 years old.
She succeeded in reuniting Raiatea
and Porapora
(Borabora) with the kingdom of Tahiti. She hosted numerous Britons, including a Charles Darwin
.
only seven remained, but with their offspring they numbered 86. The supply of timber on Pitcairn was decreasing, and the availability of water was erratic.
Since the end of the Napoleonic wars, the Pitcairn islanders had been discovered by and had friendly contact with the British Navy and British authorities. In 1830, Tahiti's Queen Pomare IV invited the Pitcairners to return to Tahiti, and in March 1831, a British ship transported them there. The Tahitians welcomed the Pitcairners and offered them land. (But having been isolated and not having developed any immunity to the diseases now on Tahiti, the Pitcairners suffered from disease in alarming number. Fourteen of them died. The Tahitians took up a collection for the surviving Pitcairners, and for $500 a whaling captain took them back to Pitcairn.)
escalated between France
and Great Britain
when Admiral Dupetit Thouars
, acting independently of the French government, convinced Tahiti's Queen Pomare IV to accept a French protectorate
. George Pritchard
, a Birmingham
-born missionary and acting British Consul, had been away at the time. However he returned to work towards indoctrinating the locals against the Roman Catholic French. In November 1843, Dupetit-Thouars (again on his own initiative) landed sailors on the island, annexing it to France. He then threw Pritchard into prison, subsequently sending him back to Britain.
During this time Thouars managed to convince Pomare IV to sign to putting her country under the protection of France, although he was not empowered to do so, nor was he ever sanctioned in this regard. News of Tahiti reached Europe in early 1844. The French statesman
François Guizot
, supported by King Louis-Philippe of France
, had denounced annexation of the island, and the treaty was never ratified by France.
However, the French did have an interest in the region, and the treaty was enforced from its signing by various factions. A war between the Tahitians and French went from 1843 to 1847. Pomare IV ruled under French administration from 1843 until 1877.
While the Dynasty retained their title for some time they lost, quite permanently, outright control of their country.
, Papaoa, Arue
. She was succeeded by Pōmare V
, who reigned 1877–1880.
, King of Tahiti (3 November 1839 – 12 June 1891) was the last king of Tahiti, reigning from 1877 until his forced abdication in 1880. He was the son of Queen Pōmare IV. He was born as Teri'i Tari'a Te-rā-tane and became Heir Apparent and Crown Prince (Ari'i-aue) upon the death of his elder brother on 13 May 1855. He became king of Tahiti on the death of his mother on 17 September 1877. His coronation was on 24 September 1877 at Pape'ete.
He married twice, first on 11 November 1857 to Te-mā-ri'i-Ma'i-hara Te-uhe-a-Te-uru-ra'i, princess of Huahine. He divorced her on 5 August 1861. His second marriage was to Joanna Mara'u-Ta'aroa Te-pa'u SALMON
(thereafter known as Her Majesty The Queen Marau of Tahiti), at Pape'ete on 28 January 1875. He divorced her on 25 January 1888.
Pomare V had one son and two daughters.
The island of Tahiti and most of its satellites remained a French protectorate until the late 19th century, when King Pomare V (1842–1891) was forced to cede the sovereignty of Tahiti and its dependencies to France. On 29 June 1880, he gave Tahiti and its dependencies to France, whereupon he was given a pension by French government and the titular position of Officer of the Orders of the Legion of Honour and Agricultural Merit of France.
He died from alcoholism at the Royal Palace, Pape'ete
, and is buried at the Tomb of the King, Utu'ai'ai in 'Arue.
" and so it may legally remain the rightful property of the Pomare dynasty, and whosoever is the living heir. Instead, of a proper annexation, the French claimed the islands without having their legislative body ratify anything to that effect.
Due to the French not having ever properly annexed the Tuamotu archipelago, they have no de jure
jurisdiction
over the islands and could not abolish the monarchy there, so it remains in existence, and is landed to this day. France is, of course, the de facto
authority over the Tuamotu.
claims to be the heir to the Tahitian throne, and has attempted to re-assert the status of the monarchy in court. His claims are not recognised by France. On 28 May 2009, Joinville Pomare, an adopted member of the Pomare family, declared himself King Pomare XI, during a ceremony attended by descendants of leading chiefs but spurned by members of his own family. Other members of the family recognise his uncle, Léopold Pomare, as heir to the throne.
As of 2010, he has b een recognized as the heir to the throne and bears the title Prince Marau of Tahiti. He is working to have royal trust lands returned to him and his family. The French government mortgaged the land after World War II
, and in doing so violated the terms of the agreement signed with Pomare V
in 1880 which reserved control of the trust lands for the royal family of Tahiti. The banks may be in the process of freezing the assets, and Mairau is suing to prevent native Tahitians
from being evicted from his trust lands, and wishes for them to retain their usage rights over the land.
Hau Pakumotu claims decent from Pomare V and sovereignty over French Polynesian sea, land, and airspace. He and his associates had received some attention in politics in the Tuamotu beforehand. He and associates assembled 100 people for a declaration of an independent Moorea
, and claim to have 50,000 signatures supporting Moorea's independence. (Although Moorea has only 16,000 people, the 50,000 signature figure is not necessarily untrue because it could imply that Hau Pakumotu received signatures from people both on Moorea and in other parts of French Polynesia.) He declared an indpendent Pakomotu Sovereign Republic State on Jane 25, 2010 and has called French Polynesia a "mistake". Hau Pakumotu was arrested in early June 2010 for illegally issuing ID cards for his republic.
Pomare I
Pōmare I, King of Tahiti , fully in old orthography: Tu-nui-ea-i-te-atua-i-Tarahoi Vairaatoa Taina Pōmare I , was the unifier and first king of Tahiti and founder of the Pōmare dynasty and the Kingdom of Tahiti between 1788? and 1791.Outu is the phonetic English rendering of...
, who, with the aide of English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
missionaries and traders, and European weaponry, unifed the islands of Tahiti
Tahiti
Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
, Moʻorea
Moorea
Moʻorea is a high island in French Polynesia, part of the Society Islands, 17 km northwest of Tahiti. Its position is . Moʻorea means "yellow lizard" in Tahitian...
, Tetiaroa
Tetiaroa
Tetiaroa is a private atoll in the Windward group of the Society Islands of French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the Pacific Ocean. Once the vacation spot for Tahitian royalty, the atoll is widely known for having been purchased by Marlon Brando...
, Mehetia
Mehetia
Mehetia or Meetia is a volcanic island in the Windward Islands, in the east of the Society Islands in French Polynesia. This island is a very young active stratovolcano east of Taiarapu Peninsula of Tahiti. It belongs to the Teahitia-Mehetia hotspot....
and at its peak consists of the other Society Islands
Society Islands
The Society Islands are a group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean. They are politically part of French Polynesia. The archipelago is generally believed to have been named by Captain James Cook in honor of the Royal Society, the sponsor of the first British scientific survey of the islands;...
of eastern Polynesia
Polynesia
Polynesia is a subregion of Oceania, made up of over 1,000 islands scattered over the central and southern Pacific Ocean. The indigenous people who inhabit the islands of Polynesia are termed Polynesians and they share many similar traits including language, culture and beliefs...
. Their leaders were Christian following the baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
of Pomare II. Their progressive rise and recognition by Europeans allowed Tahiti to remain free from a planned Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
colonization, as well as English and earlier French claims to the islands. The Kingdom was one of a number of independent Polynesia
Polynesia
Polynesia is a subregion of Oceania, made up of over 1,000 islands scattered over the central and southern Pacific Ocean. The indigenous people who inhabit the islands of Polynesia are termed Polynesians and they share many similar traits including language, culture and beliefs...
n states in Oceania
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
, alongside Hawaii
Kingdom of Hawaii
The Kingdom of Hawaii was established during the years 1795 to 1810 with the subjugation of the smaller independent chiefdoms of Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lānai, Kauai and Niihau by the chiefdom of Hawaii into one unified government...
, Samoa
Malietoa
Malietoa is a state dynasty and chiefly title in Samoa. Literally translated as "great warrior," the title's origin comes from the final words of the Tongan warriors as they were fleeing on the beach to their boats, "Malie To`a, Malie tau"....
, Tonga, Rarotonga
Kingdom of Rarotonga
The Kingdom of Rarotonga, named after the island of Rarotonga, was an independent kingdom established in the present-day Cook Islands in 1858...
, and Niue
Niue
Niue , is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean. It is commonly known as the "Rock of Polynesia", and inhabitants of the island call it "the Rock" for short. Niue is northeast of New Zealand in a triangle between Tonga to the southwest, the Samoas to the northwest, and the Cook Islands to...
in the 19th century. They are known for bringing a period of peace and cultural and economic prosperity to the islands over the reign of the five Tahitian monarchs.
Tahiti and its dependencies were made a French protectorate
Protectorate
In history, the term protectorate has two different meanings. In its earliest inception, which has been adopted by modern international law, it is an autonomous territory that is protected diplomatically or militarily against third parties by a stronger state or entity...
in 1842, and largely annexed as a colony of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1880. The monarchy was abolished by France shortly thereafter, though there are still pretender
Pretender
A pretender is one who claims entitlement to an unavailable position of honour or rank. Most often it refers to a former monarch, or descendant thereof, whose throne is occupied or claimed by a rival, or has been abolished....
s and many Tahitians
Tahitians
The Tahitians, or Maohis, are indigenous peoples of Tahiti and thirteen other Society Islands, as well as the modern population of these lands of mixed ancestry . The Tahitians are one of the most significant indigenous Polynesian peoples of Oceania....
still wish for a return of the monarchy, some of whom claim that the act of abolishing the monarchy was either outright illegal, or outside of certain jurisdictions.
The Beginning
Pōmare IPomare I
Pōmare I, King of Tahiti , fully in old orthography: Tu-nui-ea-i-te-atua-i-Tarahoi Vairaatoa Taina Pōmare I , was the unifier and first king of Tahiti and founder of the Pōmare dynasty and the Kingdom of Tahiti between 1788? and 1791.Outu is the phonetic English rendering of...
was born at Pare, ca. 1743, second son of Teu Tunuieaiteatua by his wife, Tetupaia-i-Hauiri. He initially reigned under the regency
Regency
Regency is the rule of a regent. It may also refer to:* Specific periods when a throne was vacant:** Regency in France, 1715–1723, a.k.a. Régence** British Regency, 1811–1820*The Hōjō Regency during the Kamakura shogunate in Japan.- Other:...
of his father. He succeeded on the death of his father as Ariʻi-rahi of Porionuʻu 23 November 1802.
In terms of European encroachment in the period immediately encompassing the period of Pomare I, in 1774, there was a Spanish attempt at colonizing the islands, followed by a 1797 settlement by 30 persons on missionary ships:
"The attempt at colonization by the Spaniards in 1774 was followed by the settlement of thirty persons brought in 1797 by the missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
ships "Duff." Though befriended by Pomare I. (who lived till 1805), they had many difficulties, especially from the constant wars, and at length they fled with Pomare II. to Eimeo and ultimately to New South Wales, returning in 1812, when Pomare renounced heathenism."
The Tahitian chieftain most friendly with the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
was Pomare. The additional British captains arriving at
Tahiti accepted his claim to hegemony. They gave him guns in trade and helped him in his battles. Captain Cook gave him the advantage in a number of battles with rival forces during his last stay in Tahiti, circa 1779. British missionaries arrived, sent by a non-denominational Protestant group called the London Missionary Society
London Missionary Society
The London Missionary Society was a non-denominational missionary society formed in England in 1795 by evangelical Anglicans and Nonconformists, largely Congregationalist in outlook, with missions in the islands of the South Pacific and Africa...
. Pomare befriended the missionaries, and the missionaries favored both peace and Pomare, but, with the British unwilling to apply force to create order among the islands, the missionaries were unable to stop the warring.
As king, Pōmare I succeeded in uniting the different chiefdoms of Tahiti into a single kingdom, composed of the islands of Tahiti
Tahiti
Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
itself, Moʻorea
Moorea
Moʻorea is a high island in French Polynesia, part of the Society Islands, 17 km northwest of Tahiti. Its position is . Moʻorea means "yellow lizard" in Tahitian...
, Mehetiʻa
Mehetia
Mehetia or Meetia is a volcanic island in the Windward Islands, in the east of the Society Islands in French Polynesia. This island is a very young active stratovolcano east of Taiarapu Peninsula of Tahiti. It belongs to the Teahitia-Mehetia hotspot....
, and the Tetiʻaroa
Tetiaroa
Tetiaroa is a private atoll in the Windward group of the Society Islands of French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the Pacific Ocean. Once the vacation spot for Tahitian royalty, the atoll is widely known for having been purchased by Marlon Brando...
group. His service as the first king of unified Tahiti ended when he abdicated in 1791, but he remained the regent of Tahiti from 1791 until 1803.
He married 4 times and had two sons and three daughters.
By now, islanders were passing to each other diseases that had arrived with the Europeans—diseases for which they had undeveloped immunities. Many islanders were dying. And, in 1803, Pomare died. His son, Otu, became head of the family, with the title Pomare II
Pomare II
Pōmare II, King of Tahiti , fully Tu Tunuieaiteatua Pōmare II or in modern orthography Tū Tū-nui-ēa-i-te-atua Pōmare II , was the second king of Tahiti between 1782 and 1821. He was installed by his father Pōmare I at Tarahoi, February 13, 1791...
. Tū Tūnuiʻēʻaiteatua Pōmare II reigned 1803–1821. The missionaries remained allied with the Pomare family. Despite their pacifism, they wanted to see Pomare II successful in uniting the islanders under his rule.
Pomare II
Pōmare II, King of Tahiti (1774 – December 7, 1821), fully Tu Tunuieaiteatua Pomare II or in modern orthography Tū Tū-nui-ʻēʻa-i-te-atua Pōmare II (historically misspelled as Tu Tunuiea'aite-a-tua), was the second king of Tahiti between 1782 and 1821. He was installed by his father Pōmare I at Tarahoi, 13 February 1791. He ruled under regency from 1782 to 1803.Initially recognised as supreme sovereign and Ariʻi-maro-ʻura by the ruler of Huahine, he was subsequently forced to take refuge in Moʻorea 22 December 1808, but returned and defeated his enemies at the Battle of Te Feipī, 15 November 1815. He was thereafter recognized as undisputed King (Te Ariʻi-nui-o-Tahiti) of Tahiti, Moʻorea and its dependencies.
Moorea
Moʻorea is a high island in French Polynesia, part of the Society Islands, 17 km northwest of Tahiti. Its position is . Moʻorea means "yellow lizard" in Tahitian...
). These other chieftains hostile towards the missionaries, which caused the missionaries to leave Tahiti for other islands.
Pomare II believed that his fall was a sign of having lost favor with the god 'Oro
'Oro
Oro is a god of the Polynesian pantheon. The veneration of Oro, although practiced in varying intensity among the islands, was a major cult of the Society Islands in the 17th and 18th centuries, especially Tahiti and Raiatea. On Tahiti 'Oro was the main deity and the god of war. The secret society...
, and, aided by the missionary Henry Nott
Henry Nott
Henry Nott was a British Protestant Christian missionary to Tahiti, Society Islands, Polynesia.-Life:He was one of the first missionaries sent out by the London Missionary Society, arriving in Tahiti aboard the mission ship “Duff” in 1797. He had been a bricklayer by trade and the mission did not...
, he began paying more attention to the god of the Christians
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. Pomare II organized military support from his kinsmen on the islands of Raiatea
Raiatea
Raiatea , is the second largest of the Society Islands, after Tahiti, in French Polynesia. The island is widely regarded as the 'center' of the eastern islands in ancient Polynesia and it is likely that the organised migrations to Hawaii, Aotearoa and other parts of East Polynesia started at...
, Bora Bora
Bora Bora
The commune of Bora-Bora is made up of the island of Bora Bora proper with its surrounding islets emerging from the coral reef, 29.3 km² in total, and of the atoll of Tupai , located north of Bora Bora...
and Huahine
Huahine
Huahine is an island located among the Society Islands, in French Polynesia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. It is part of the Leeward Islands group . The island has a population of about 6,000.-Geography:...
. Warring resumed, with Pomare winning the decisive Battle of Feii, on November 12, 1815. His victory was a victory also for the Christians. And, in victory Pomare surprised the Tahitians. He pardoned all who laid down their weapons. When defeated warriors returned from the hills, they found their homes had not been set afire and that their wives and children had not be slaughtered. The warfare culture of the islanders had been changed by the influence that the missionaries had on Pomare II.
Centralized authority among chiefs was not traditional in Tahiti, but the missionaries welcomed Pomare's new power. Distress from disease, civil war and death won for them serious attention to their teachings. They launched a campaign to teach the islanders to read, so they could read scripture. There were mass conversions in hope of the supernatural protections that Christianity offered. The missionaries told the islanders how to dress. The climate was suitable to exposing the skin to the greater cool of open air, but for the missionaries cool was no consideration. Little clothing for them was indecent exposure.
Another lifestyle promoted by the missionaries was manufacturing, the missionaries setting up a sugar refinery and a textile factory. In 1817, Tahiti acquired it first printing press, and, in 1819, cotton, sugar and coffee crops were planted.
Pomare II asked the missionaries for advice on laws, and the missionaries, being monarchists and wanting Pomare to be a proper monarch, advised him that the laws would have to be his, not theirs. They did make suggestions, however, and in September 1819, Pomare produced Tahiti's first written law. There was protection of life and property, observance of the Sabbath
Sabbath
Sabbath in Christianity is a weekly day of rest or religious observance, derived from the Biblical Sabbath.Seventh-day Sabbath observance, i.e. resting from labor from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset, is practiced by seventh-day Sabbatarians...
, a sanctification of marriage and a judiciary
Judiciary
The judiciary is the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in the name of the state. The judiciary also provides a mechanism for the resolution of disputes...
to maintain the laws.
Pōmare II was married first before March 1797 (betrothed January 1792) to Queen Tetua-nui Taro-vahine Ariʻi of Vaiari (now Papeari), who died at ʻArue, 21 July 1806.
He was baptised 16 May 1819 at the Royal Chapel, Papeʻete – Christianity and the support of English missionaries aided the centralisation of monarchic power.
Three London Missionary Society missionaries, Henry Bicknell, William Henry, and Charles Wilson preached at the baptism of King Pomare II. Afterwards, "Henry Bicknell stood on the steps of the pulpit, took water from a basin held by William Henry, and poured it" on King Pomare's head. Source: "The Evangelical magazine and missionary chronicle, Volume 28"
Pomare II died of drink-related causes at Motu Uta, Moʻorea, 7 December 1821. Pomare II died in 1824 at the age of forty-two, leaving behind an eight-year-old daughter and a five-year-old son. The son, Teriʻi-ta-ria and Pōmare III
Pomare III
Pōmare III, King of Tahiti , more properly Teriʻitariʻa Pōmare III, was the king of Tahiti between 1821 and 1827. He was the second son of King Pōmare II and his wife Queen Teriʻtoʻoterai Teremoemoe....
, ruled in name from 1821 to 1827 while being educated by the missionaries. He died in 1827 of an unknown disease, and the daughter, then eleven, became Queen Pomare IV
Pomare IV
Pōmare IV, Queen of Tahiti , more properly Aimata Pōmare IV Vahine-o-Punuateraitua , was the queen of Tahiti between 1827 and 1877...
.
Pomare III
Pōmare III, King of Tahiti (1820–1827), more properly Teriʻi-ta-ria Pōmare III, was the king of Tahiti between 1821 and 1827. He was the second son of Pōmare II.He was born at Papaʻoa, ʻArue, 25 June 1820 as Teri'i-ta-ria, and was baptised 10 September 1820. He succeeded to the throne on the death of his father 7 December 1821. He was crowned at Papaʻoa, ʻArue, 21 April 1824.
Pomare III's education took place at the South Sea Academy, Papetoai, Moʻorea. He reigned under a council of Regency until his death 8 January 1827. During his reign, the Kingdom's first flag was adopted.
He was succeeded by his sister, ʻAimata Pōmare IV Vahine-o-Punuateraʻitua, who reigned 1827–1877.
The Reign of Pōmare IV
Pōmare IVPomare IV
Pōmare IV, Queen of Tahiti , more properly Aimata Pōmare IV Vahine-o-Punuateraitua , was the queen of Tahiti between 1827 and 1877...
, Queen of Tahiti (28 February 1813 – 17 September 1877), more properly ʻAimata Pōmare IV Vahine-o-Punuateraʻitua (otherwise known as ʻAimata {meaning: eye-eater, after an old custom of the ruler to eat the eye of the defeated foe} or simply as Pōmare IV), was the queen of Tahiti between 1827 and 1877.
She was the daughter of Pōmare II
Pomare II
Pōmare II, King of Tahiti , fully Tu Tunuieaiteatua Pōmare II or in modern orthography Tū Tū-nui-ēa-i-te-atua Pōmare II , was the second king of Tahiti between 1782 and 1821. He was installed by his father Pōmare I at Tarahoi, February 13, 1791...
. She succeeded as ruler of Tahiti after the death of her brother Pōmare III
Pomare III
Pōmare III, King of Tahiti , more properly Teriʻitariʻa Pōmare III, was the king of Tahiti between 1821 and 1827. He was the second son of King Pōmare II and his wife Queen Teriʻtoʻoterai Teremoemoe....
when she was only 14 years old.
She succeeded in reuniting Raiatea
Raiatea
Raiatea , is the second largest of the Society Islands, after Tahiti, in French Polynesia. The island is widely regarded as the 'center' of the eastern islands in ancient Polynesia and it is likely that the organised migrations to Hawaii, Aotearoa and other parts of East Polynesia started at...
and Porapora
Bora Bora
The commune of Bora-Bora is made up of the island of Bora Bora proper with its surrounding islets emerging from the coral reef, 29.3 km² in total, and of the atoll of Tupai , located north of Bora Bora...
(Borabora) with the kingdom of Tahiti. She hosted numerous Britons, including a Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
.
The return of the Pitcairn Islanders
By 1829, of those who had arrived at Pitcairn on the BountyThe Bounty
The Bounty is a 1984 British historical film directed by Roger Donaldson, starring Mel Gibson and Anthony Hopkins, and produced by Bernard Williams with Dino De Laurentiis as executive producer. It is the fifth film version of the story of the mutiny on the Bounty. The screenplay was by Robert Bolt...
only seven remained, but with their offspring they numbered 86. The supply of timber on Pitcairn was decreasing, and the availability of water was erratic.
Since the end of the Napoleonic wars, the Pitcairn islanders had been discovered by and had friendly contact with the British Navy and British authorities. In 1830, Tahiti's Queen Pomare IV invited the Pitcairners to return to Tahiti, and in March 1831, a British ship transported them there. The Tahitians welcomed the Pitcairners and offered them land. (But having been isolated and not having developed any immunity to the diseases now on Tahiti, the Pitcairners suffered from disease in alarming number. Fourteen of them died. The Tahitians took up a collection for the surviving Pitcairners, and for $500 a whaling captain took them back to Pitcairn.)
French Protectorate
In 1842, a European crisis involving MoroccoMorocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
escalated between France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
when Admiral Dupetit Thouars
Abel Aubert Dupetit Thouars
Abel Aubert Dupetit Thouars was a French naval officer important in France's anexation of French Polynesia.He was born at the castle of La Fessardière, near Saumur. His uncle Aristide Aubert Dupetit-Thouars was of the heroes of the Battle of the Nile...
, acting independently of the French government, convinced Tahiti's Queen Pomare IV to accept a French protectorate
Protectorate
In history, the term protectorate has two different meanings. In its earliest inception, which has been adopted by modern international law, it is an autonomous territory that is protected diplomatically or militarily against third parties by a stronger state or entity...
. George Pritchard
George Pritchard (missionary)
George Pritchard was a British Christian missionary and diplomatist.Pritchard was born in Birmingham and studied at the mission seminary at Gosport. In 1824 he travelled to the Society Islands to undertake work for the London Missionary Society. In 1837 he was appointed British consul at Tahiti,...
, a Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
-born missionary and acting British Consul, had been away at the time. However he returned to work towards indoctrinating the locals against the Roman Catholic French. In November 1843, Dupetit-Thouars (again on his own initiative) landed sailors on the island, annexing it to France. He then threw Pritchard into prison, subsequently sending him back to Britain.
During this time Thouars managed to convince Pomare IV to sign to putting her country under the protection of France, although he was not empowered to do so, nor was he ever sanctioned in this regard. News of Tahiti reached Europe in early 1844. The French statesman
Statesman
A statesman is usually a politician or other notable public figure who has had a long and respected career in politics or government at the national and international level. As a term of respect, it is usually left to supporters or commentators to use the term...
François Guizot
François Guizot
François Pierre Guillaume Guizot was a French historian, orator, and statesman. Guizot was a dominant figure in French politics prior to the Revolution of 1848, a conservative liberal who opposed the attempt by King Charles X to usurp legislative power, and worked to sustain a constitutional...
, supported by King Louis-Philippe of France
Louis-Philippe of France
Louis Philippe I was King of the French from 1830 to 1848 in what was known as the July Monarchy. His father was a duke who supported the French Revolution but was nevertheless guillotined. Louis Philippe fled France as a young man and spent 21 years in exile, including considerable time in the...
, had denounced annexation of the island, and the treaty was never ratified by France.
However, the French did have an interest in the region, and the treaty was enforced from its signing by various factions. A war between the Tahitians and French went from 1843 to 1847. Pomare IV ruled under French administration from 1843 until 1877.
While the Dynasty retained their title for some time they lost, quite permanently, outright control of their country.
Death of Pomare IV
Pomare IV died from natural causes in 1877. She is buried in the Royal MausoleumRoyal Mausoleum
-Mausoleums around the World:*Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii*Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania* Royal Mausoleum in St. Vitus Cathedral at Prague Castle, Czech republic: burial place of emperors Ferdinand I and Maximilian II and empress Anna of Bohemia and Hungary....
, Papaoa, Arue
Arue
- France :Arue is the name of two communes of France:*Arue, Landes in the Landes département*Arue, French Polynesia in the overseas territory of French Polynesia...
. She was succeeded by Pōmare V
Pomare V
Pōmare V, King of Tahiti was the last monarch of Tahiti, reigning from 1877 until his forced abdication in 1880. He was the son of Queen Pōmare IV. He was born as Teri'i Tari'a Te-rā-tane and became Heir Apparent and Crown Prince upon the death of his elder brother on 13 May 1855...
, who reigned 1877–1880.
Pomare V and Forced Abdication
Pōmare VPomare V
Pōmare V, King of Tahiti was the last monarch of Tahiti, reigning from 1877 until his forced abdication in 1880. He was the son of Queen Pōmare IV. He was born as Teri'i Tari'a Te-rā-tane and became Heir Apparent and Crown Prince upon the death of his elder brother on 13 May 1855...
, King of Tahiti (3 November 1839 – 12 June 1891) was the last king of Tahiti, reigning from 1877 until his forced abdication in 1880. He was the son of Queen Pōmare IV. He was born as Teri'i Tari'a Te-rā-tane and became Heir Apparent and Crown Prince (Ari'i-aue) upon the death of his elder brother on 13 May 1855. He became king of Tahiti on the death of his mother on 17 September 1877. His coronation was on 24 September 1877 at Pape'ete.
He married twice, first on 11 November 1857 to Te-mā-ri'i-Ma'i-hara Te-uhe-a-Te-uru-ra'i, princess of Huahine. He divorced her on 5 August 1861. His second marriage was to Joanna Mara'u-Ta'aroa Te-pa'u SALMON
Johanna Marau Ta‘aroa
Johanna Marau Ta'aroa a Tepau Salmon . Her name means "Much-unique-cleansing The-splash" in Tahitian.-Family:She was born in 1860 to Alexander Salmon , an English Jewish merchant, and Princess Oehau, later given the title ari‘i Taimai, their third daughter and seventh child.Her mother was the...
(thereafter known as Her Majesty The Queen Marau of Tahiti), at Pape'ete on 28 January 1875. He divorced her on 25 January 1888.
Pomare V had one son and two daughters.
The island of Tahiti and most of its satellites remained a French protectorate until the late 19th century, when King Pomare V (1842–1891) was forced to cede the sovereignty of Tahiti and its dependencies to France. On 29 June 1880, he gave Tahiti and its dependencies to France, whereupon he was given a pension by French government and the titular position of Officer of the Orders of the Legion of Honour and Agricultural Merit of France.
He died from alcoholism at the Royal Palace, Pape'ete
Papeete
-Sights:* Interactive Google map of Papeete, to discover the 30 major tourist attractions in Papeete downtown.*The waterfront esplanade*Bougainville Park -Sights:* Interactive Google map of Papeete, to discover the 30 major tourist attractions in Papeete downtown.*The waterfront...
, and is buried at the Tomb of the King, Utu'ai'ai in 'Arue.
Impact
The Dynasty left an indelible mark on Tahitian and surrounding cultures. At their height of power, the Pomares' managed to rule effectively from their base in Tahiti and Mo'orea a kingdom of islands spread over 3 million km2 of sea and had diplomatic relations and influences from the Cook Islands to Rapa Nui. They experienced, and were indeed a part and product of the European Age of Exploration in the Pacific. They produced an unprecedented period of cultural ascendancy in Tahiti, and saw their people through a period of change, and foreign intervention. They both preserved traditions and independence for a time, while also serving as a conduit for suppression of culture and resigned to French demands, facilitating the subsequent colonization of Tahiti.Regarding the Tuamotu
The Tuamotu archipelago was never annexed by France. They merely occupied it without making a proclamation of "sovereigntySovereignty
Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
" and so it may legally remain the rightful property of the Pomare dynasty, and whosoever is the living heir. Instead, of a proper annexation, the French claimed the islands without having their legislative body ratify anything to that effect.
Due to the French not having ever properly annexed the Tuamotu archipelago, they have no de jure
De jure
De jure is an expression that means "concerning law", as contrasted with de facto, which means "concerning fact".De jure = 'Legally', De facto = 'In fact'....
jurisdiction
Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction is the practical authority granted to a formally constituted legal body or to a political leader to deal with and make pronouncements on legal matters and, by implication, to administer justice within a defined area of responsibility...
over the islands and could not abolish the monarchy there, so it remains in existence, and is landed to this day. France is, of course, the de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
authority over the Tuamotu.
Current status
As of February 2009, Tauatomo MairauTauatomo Mairau
Tuatomo Mairau is from the royal Tahitian family of Mairau. As of February 2009, Tauatomo Mairau claims to be the heir to the Tahitian throne, and has attempted to re-assert the status of the monarchy in court. His claims are not recognised by France....
claims to be the heir to the Tahitian throne, and has attempted to re-assert the status of the monarchy in court. His claims are not recognised by France. On 28 May 2009, Joinville Pomare, an adopted member of the Pomare family, declared himself King Pomare XI, during a ceremony attended by descendants of leading chiefs but spurned by members of his own family. Other members of the family recognise his uncle, Léopold Pomare, as heir to the throne.
As of 2010, he has b een recognized as the heir to the throne and bears the title Prince Marau of Tahiti. He is working to have royal trust lands returned to him and his family. The French government mortgaged the land after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and in doing so violated the terms of the agreement signed with Pomare V
Pomare V
Pōmare V, King of Tahiti was the last monarch of Tahiti, reigning from 1877 until his forced abdication in 1880. He was the son of Queen Pōmare IV. He was born as Teri'i Tari'a Te-rā-tane and became Heir Apparent and Crown Prince upon the death of his elder brother on 13 May 1855...
in 1880 which reserved control of the trust lands for the royal family of Tahiti. The banks may be in the process of freezing the assets, and Mairau is suing to prevent native Tahitians
Tahitians
The Tahitians, or Maohis, are indigenous peoples of Tahiti and thirteen other Society Islands, as well as the modern population of these lands of mixed ancestry . The Tahitians are one of the most significant indigenous Polynesian peoples of Oceania....
from being evicted from his trust lands, and wishes for them to retain their usage rights over the land.
Hau Pakumotu claims decent from Pomare V and sovereignty over French Polynesian sea, land, and airspace. He and his associates had received some attention in politics in the Tuamotu beforehand. He and associates assembled 100 people for a declaration of an independent Moorea
Moorea
Moʻorea is a high island in French Polynesia, part of the Society Islands, 17 km northwest of Tahiti. Its position is . Moʻorea means "yellow lizard" in Tahitian...
, and claim to have 50,000 signatures supporting Moorea's independence. (Although Moorea has only 16,000 people, the 50,000 signature figure is not necessarily untrue because it could imply that Hau Pakumotu received signatures from people both on Moorea and in other parts of French Polynesia.) He declared an indpendent Pakomotu Sovereign Republic State on Jane 25, 2010 and has called French Polynesia a "mistake". Hau Pakumotu was arrested in early June 2010 for illegally issuing ID cards for his republic.
Royalty and chieftains
- Pōmare IPomare IPōmare I, King of Tahiti , fully in old orthography: Tu-nui-ea-i-te-atua-i-Tarahoi Vairaatoa Taina Pōmare I , was the unifier and first king of Tahiti and founder of the Pōmare dynasty and the Kingdom of Tahiti between 1788? and 1791.Outu is the phonetic English rendering of...
, King of Tahiti - Pōmare IIPomare IIPōmare II, King of Tahiti , fully Tu Tunuieaiteatua Pōmare II or in modern orthography Tū Tū-nui-ēa-i-te-atua Pōmare II , was the second king of Tahiti between 1782 and 1821. He was installed by his father Pōmare I at Tarahoi, February 13, 1791...
, King of Tahiti - Teriitooterai Teremoemoe, Queen-Regent of Tahiti
- Teriitaria Ariipaeavahine, Queen-Regent of Tahiti
- Pōmare IIIPomare IIIPōmare III, King of Tahiti , more properly Teriʻitariʻa Pōmare III, was the king of Tahiti between 1821 and 1827. He was the second son of King Pōmare II and his wife Queen Teriʻtoʻoterai Teremoemoe....
, King of Tahiti - Pōmare IVPomare IVPōmare IV, Queen of Tahiti , more properly Aimata Pōmare IV Vahine-o-Punuateraitua , was the queen of Tahiti between 1827 and 1877...
, Queen regnant of Tahiti - Ariifaaite, Prince consort of Tahiti
- Pōmare VPomare VPōmare V, King of Tahiti was the last monarch of Tahiti, reigning from 1877 until his forced abdication in 1880. He was the son of Queen Pōmare IV. He was born as Teri'i Tari'a Te-rā-tane and became Heir Apparent and Crown Prince upon the death of his elder brother on 13 May 1855...
, King of Tahiti - Marau SalmonJohanna Marau Ta‘aroaJohanna Marau Ta'aroa a Tepau Salmon . Her name means "Much-unique-cleansing The-splash" in Tahitian.-Family:She was born in 1860 to Alexander Salmon , an English Jewish merchant, and Princess Oehau, later given the title ari‘i Taimai, their third daughter and seventh child.Her mother was the...
, Queen consort of Tahiti - Tamatoa V, Prince of Tahiti, later King of Raiatea
- Teriiourumaona, Princess of Tahiti and Raiatea, designated heir as Pōmare VI
- Teriimaevarua III, Princess of Tahiti, later Queen of Bora Bora
- Hinoi Pōmare, Prince of Tahiti
- Moetia Salmon AtwaterDorence AtwaterDorence Atwater was a Union Army soldier, merchant, entrepreneur, and United States Consul to Tahiti. He was born and raised in Terryville, Connecticut, the third child of Henry Atwater and Catherine Fenn Atwater. He was well-educated, and at 16 he joined the Union Army to fight in the American...
, sister of Queen Marau - Tute Tehuiarii, Tahitian chief and missionary
- Mauli Tehuiarii, Tahitian chiefess
- Manaiula Tehuiarii SumnerManaiula TehuiariiManaiula Tehuiarii Sumner was princess from the Kingdom of Tahiti who settled in the Kingdom of Hawaii.Her name has also been given as Mareilila, Malaiula, Mareiula, or Mareira. Her name is synonymous with a species of banana, .Manaiula Tehuiarii was born to Tute Tehuiarii, a chief from either...
, Tahitian chiefess who married into Hawaiian nobility - Ninito Teraiapo Sumner, Tahitian chiefess who married into Hawaiian nobility
Others
- Alexander Salmon, Sr. Secretary of Pōmare IV
- Alexander Salmon, Jr. Businessman and adventurer
See also
- TahitiansTahitiansThe Tahitians, or Maohis, are indigenous peoples of Tahiti and thirteen other Society Islands, as well as the modern population of these lands of mixed ancestry . The Tahitians are one of the most significant indigenous Polynesian peoples of Oceania....
- History of Tahiti
- List of monarchs of Tahiti
- Hawaii–Tahiti relationsHawaii–Tahiti relationsHawaii–Tahiti relations refers to the historical relationship between the independent Kingdom of Hawaii and the Kingdom of Tahiti. Relations included one treaty, proposed marriage alliances, and exchanges of trade and diplomatic representatives from the early 1800s to 1880.-History:According to...
- Pōmare DynastyPōmare DynastyThe Pōmare Dynasty was the reigning family of the Kingdom of Tahiti between the unification of the island by Pōmare I in 1788 and Pōmare V's cession of the kingdom to France in 1880...