Tautira
Encyclopedia
Tautira is a Polynesia
n beach village
, valley, and point on the south-east coast of the island of Tahiti
in the Pacific. It is part of the commune Taiarapu-Est
. With a population of 2338 (in 2007), it is located 49 kilometres southeast of the Tahitian capital of Papeete
on the coast of Tautira Bay
, at the end of what is the largest valley of the Taiarapu Peninsula. Domingo de Bonechea
visited the area in 1772 and attempted to spread Christianity here; James Cook
landed at Tautira Bay
during his voyage. Robert Louis Stevenson
referred to the village as “The Garden of the World”, staying here to recover from illness in 1886. The village contains a Catholic church.
Tautira is where Catholic missionaries first landed which eventually led to the takeover of Tahiti by the French
people, and which also ended Protestants hold on Tahiti. Earlier, in 1772, Domingo de Bonechea
, the Spanish
captain landed at Aguilla near the Aiurua River, about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from Tautira. He had left two missionaries to try convert the indigenous people to Christianity
, in 1772. However, when he returned from Peru in 1775 he found that the two missionaries he had left behind on Tahiti
failed to convert the natives, and eventually they preferred to return to Peru
. However, de Bonechea died on Tahiti during this campaign and he is buried in the Catholic Church in Tautira, which is now named after him. James Cook
had landed at Tautira Bay
(or "Cooks Anchorage") during his voyage. The chiefs of Tautira were reportedly once replaced by the chiefs of Teahupo'o
after conflict.
In 1886, Robert Louis Stevenson
, the author of 'The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde' and children's books, stayed here for two months to recuperate from his illness. Stevenson had moved to the village from Papeete and lived in a hut called the "bird-cage house" where the beautiful Princess Moe, an old lady of royalty, tended him back to good health, bringing him dishes of raw fish in coconut milk, lime juice, sea water and chilli. The local chief, Ori O Ori, befriended him and kept him in his house, and they had even exchanged names as “Rui” and “Terii-Tera”. It was during his stay here that Stevenson wrote to his friends calling Tautira as “The Garden of the World”. In 1915, Tautira was described as being "the second town of the island".
, the capital city of Tahiti. The coastal stretch of the mountainous road extends from Taravoa to Tautira via Pueu
. This stretch of the coast also receives the highest rainfall. An 18 kilometres (11.2 mi) stretch of highway links Tautira with Taravao. The Tautira River runs nearby, and there is a beach at the mouth of the Vaitepiha River nearby as well.
Tautira is the largest valley of the Taiarapu Peninsula, resembling Papenoo in that its innermost areas consist of the principal crater-basin. The valley runs outward in a direction a little to the west of north, and is traversed by a large river. The boundaries of the Tautira Valley are high and well marked. Aionifaa Valley lies between Tautira and Aiurua.
Tautira Point is a tongue of low wooded land about 600 yards wide, extending northward 0.75 miles (1.2 km) from the general line of the coast and from the foot of the mountains. It is formed by the deposits from the Vaitepiha River, one of the largest streams in Tahiti. The barrier reef fronts the coast from Aiurua Pass to Tautira Point at 3000 feet (914.4 m) and less from the shore. It encloses channels and basins of deep water. From Vaionifa Pass, barrier reef trends northwestward in a straight line, rounding Tautira Point at only 1200 feet (365.8 m) and breaking off abruptly just westward of the point, where there is a gap with very deep water 2400 feet (731.5 m) wide before the reef begins again. Between Vaionifa and Tautira, there is a smaller gap about 1200 feet (365.8 m) wide in which there is only 9 feet (2.7 m) of water. Between this pass and Tautira, there is a channel from 1200–1800 ft (365.8–548.6 ) wide and 2.5 miles (4 km) long which ends in a cul-de-sac at the northern end, with the exception of a small boat passage to the village. From 19 to 37 fathoms there is mud almost everywhere. At the northern end the soundings decrease gradually to 16 and 8 fathoms. From Tautira Point, the coast trends westward 5 miles (8 km) to a short distance beyond Pueu village. The general direction is straight, but two low and wooded points, Pihaa and Faraari, project about 500 yards to seaward; the first at 2.5 miles (4 km) from Tautira, the second about 1 miles (1.6 km) farther on. The mountains behind, from which numerous cascades descend, are steep and cliff-like.
When Stevenson had visited Tautira in 1888 cruising through the South Seas, he had described the setting of the village as "...in a cloudy moonlight, on the forest lawn which is the street of Tautira. The Pacific roared outside upon the reef. Here and there one of the scattered palm-built lodges shone out under the shadow of the wood, the lamplight bursting through the crannies of the wall.” The present scene, however, in Tautira is one of “neat bungalows of wood or cinder block with metal roofs" in the backdrop of the hills of the Vaitepiha River Valley. About one km of trekking along hilly terrain leads to the Vaitepiha River where three marae
s (communal or sacred place which serves religious and social purposes in Polynesian societies) were restored in 1960s. However, they are again seen in ruins.
is the main use of transportation in Tautira. Air Tahiti
serves inter-island flights to other islands within French Polynesia
. Air France
takes passengers to Los Angeles
, California
. Other destinations are Honolulu, Hawaii
; Tokyo
, Japan
; and Paris
, France
. The residents of Tautira would drive to Teahupoo and drive northbound toward Faaa
. One helipad is nearby and some helicopters drop off passengers.
has 3 main ships. They are the Aremiti 5, the Aremiti 7, and the Moorea ferry. The Aremiti 5 is the largest of the ships. It has red stripes with a red backround. The Aremiti 7 has the same color but is smaller and faster than the Aremiti 5. The Moorea Ferry is white on the top and blue at the bottom. It is the slowest of the 3 ships. Tautira has a smaller port with a few private docks.
due to climate change
has been predicted an increase of 1 °C (33.8 °F) and 2 °C (35.6 °F).
Demographic evolution
returned to kingship in Tahiti, he became a Christian, and destroyed the temple and idol of 'Oro
, the national god of Tahiti, at Tautira.
, similar to a red banana, is found here and has to be cooked, as the red skin cover in its raw state an inedible pulp.
Coconut palm with ironwood
, milo, mango tree and ulu
trees fringe the coastline. Mango tree, fern
s and groves of hala trees are seen in the interior valley.
Partula otaheitana rubescens, an IUCN Red List endangered animalia species, is located in Tautira.
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 beach village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
, valley, and point on the south-east coast of the island 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...
in the Pacific. It is part of the commune Taiarapu-Est
Taiarapu-Est
Taiarapu-Est is a commune of French Polynesia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. The commune of Taiarapu-Est is located on the island of Tahiti, in the administrative subdivision of the Windward Islands, themselves part of the Society Islands.The commune extends over a part of...
. With a population of 2338 (in 2007), it is located 49 kilometres southeast of the Tahitian capital of Papeete
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...
on the coast of Tautira Bay
Tautira Bay
Tautira Bay is located on the island of Tahiti in French Polynesia. It is part of the commune Taiarapu-Est. It is formed by Tautira Point and reef on the eastern side, and by the barrier reef on the western side...
, at the end of what is the largest valley of the Taiarapu Peninsula. Domingo de Bonechea
Domingo de Bonechea
Domingo de Bonechea Andonaegui , born on August 8, 1713 in Getaria, Basque Country, died in Tahiti in 1775, was an explorer for the Spanish crown...
visited the area in 1772 and attempted to spread Christianity here; James Cook
James Cook
Captain James Cook, FRS, RN was a British explorer, navigator and cartographer who ultimately rose to the rank of captain in the Royal Navy...
landed at Tautira Bay
Tautira Bay
Tautira Bay is located on the island of Tahiti in French Polynesia. It is part of the commune Taiarapu-Est. It is formed by Tautira Point and reef on the eastern side, and by the barrier reef on the western side...
during his voyage. Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. His best-known books include Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde....
referred to the village as “The Garden of the World”, staying here to recover from illness in 1886. The village contains a Catholic church.
History
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...
people, and which also ended Protestants hold on Tahiti. Earlier, in 1772, Domingo de Bonechea
Domingo de Bonechea
Domingo de Bonechea Andonaegui , born on August 8, 1713 in Getaria, Basque Country, died in Tahiti in 1775, was an explorer for the Spanish crown...
, the 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...
captain landed at Aguilla near the Aiurua River, about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from Tautira. He had left two missionaries to try convert the indigenous people to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, in 1772. However, when he returned from Peru in 1775 he found that the two missionaries he had left behind on 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...
failed to convert the natives, and eventually they preferred to return to Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. However, de Bonechea died on Tahiti during this campaign and he is buried in the Catholic Church in Tautira, which is now named after him. James Cook
James Cook
Captain James Cook, FRS, RN was a British explorer, navigator and cartographer who ultimately rose to the rank of captain in the Royal Navy...
had landed at Tautira Bay
Tautira Bay
Tautira Bay is located on the island of Tahiti in French Polynesia. It is part of the commune Taiarapu-Est. It is formed by Tautira Point and reef on the eastern side, and by the barrier reef on the western side...
(or "Cooks Anchorage") during his voyage. The chiefs of Tautira were reportedly once replaced by the chiefs of Teahupo'o
Teahupo'o
Teahupoo is a village on the south-west coast of the island of Tahiti, French Polynesia, southern Pacific Ocean.It is known for the surf break and heavy, glassy waves offshore, often reaching 2 to 3 m and up to 70 feet...
after conflict.
In 1886, Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. His best-known books include Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde....
, the author of 'The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde' and children's books, stayed here for two months to recuperate from his illness. Stevenson had moved to the village from Papeete and lived in a hut called the "bird-cage house" where the beautiful Princess Moe, an old lady of royalty, tended him back to good health, bringing him dishes of raw fish in coconut milk, lime juice, sea water and chilli. The local chief, Ori O Ori, befriended him and kept him in his house, and they had even exchanged names as “Rui” and “Terii-Tera”. It was during his stay here that Stevenson wrote to his friends calling Tautira as “The Garden of the World”. In 1915, Tautira was described as being "the second town of the island".
Geography
It is located at a distance of 49 kilometres (30.4 mi) from PapeetePapeete
-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...
, the capital city of Tahiti. The coastal stretch of the mountainous road extends from Taravoa to Tautira via Pueu
Pueu
Pueu is a village and district on the east coast of Tahiti, south east of Papeete. It lies northwest by road from Tautira. It lies on a lagoon and contains an old church.It hosts a Spiritual Festival on Christmas Day.The Spaniards named the harbour within the Pueu reef "Puerto de la Virgen".Pueu...
. This stretch of the coast also receives the highest rainfall. An 18 kilometres (11.2 mi) stretch of highway links Tautira with Taravao. The Tautira River runs nearby, and there is a beach at the mouth of the Vaitepiha River nearby as well.
Tautira is the largest valley of the Taiarapu Peninsula, resembling Papenoo in that its innermost areas consist of the principal crater-basin. The valley runs outward in a direction a little to the west of north, and is traversed by a large river. The boundaries of the Tautira Valley are high and well marked. Aionifaa Valley lies between Tautira and Aiurua.
When Stevenson had visited Tautira in 1888 cruising through the South Seas, he had described the setting of the village as "...in a cloudy moonlight, on the forest lawn which is the street of Tautira. The Pacific roared outside upon the reef. Here and there one of the scattered palm-built lodges shone out under the shadow of the wood, the lamplight bursting through the crannies of the wall.” The present scene, however, in Tautira is one of “neat bungalows of wood or cinder block with metal roofs" in the backdrop of the hills of the Vaitepiha River Valley. About one km of trekking along hilly terrain leads to the Vaitepiha River where three marae
Marae
A marae malae , malae , is a communal or sacred place which serves religious and social purposes in Polynesian societies...
s (communal or sacred place which serves religious and social purposes in Polynesian societies) were restored in 1960s. However, they are again seen in ruins.
Air
The Faaa International Airport close to PapeetePapeete
-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...
is the main use of transportation in Tautira. Air Tahiti
Air Tahiti
Société Air Tahiti Société Anonyme is a regional airline with its head office on the property of Faa'a International Airport, in Faaa, Tahiti, French Polynesia, near Papeete. Air Tahiti's network covers 46 islands within French Polynesia, plus the island of Rarotonga...
serves inter-island flights to other islands within French Polynesia
French Polynesia
French Polynesia is an overseas country of the French Republic . It is made up of several groups of Polynesian islands, the most famous island being Tahiti in the Society Islands group, which is also the most populous island and the seat of the capital of the territory...
. Air France
Air France
Air France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
takes passengers to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Other destinations are Honolulu, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
; Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
; and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, 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...
. The residents of Tautira would drive to Teahupoo and drive northbound toward Faaa
Faaa
Faaa is a commune in the suburbs of Papeete in French Polynesia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. Faaa is located on the island of Tahiti, in the administrative subdivision of the Windward Islands, themselves part of the Society Islands. Faaa has a population of 29,851, making...
. One helipad is nearby and some helicopters drop off passengers.
Sea
The Papeete Wharf in PapeetePapeete
-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...
has 3 main ships. They are the Aremiti 5, the Aremiti 7, and the Moorea ferry. The Aremiti 5 is the largest of the ships. It has red stripes with a red backround. The Aremiti 7 has the same color but is smaller and faster than the Aremiti 5. The Moorea Ferry is white on the top and blue at the bottom. It is the slowest of the 3 ships. Tautira has a smaller port with a few private docks.
Climate
According to the data recorded at the NOAA Station Id: FP91000987470110, the climatic conditions at Tautira are reported as: Annual average monthly precipitation is 299.11 millimetres (11.8 in) with a maximum of 474.1 millimetres (18.7 in) in December and a minimum of 133.7 millimetres (5.3 in) in August, with average annual incidence of rainfall being 3590.3 millimetres (141.4 in). The average high temperature over the year is 28.59 °C (83.5 °F) and minimum over the year is 22.87 °C (73.2 °F). The effect of global warmingGlobal warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
due to climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
has been predicted an increase of 1 °C (33.8 °F) and 2 °C (35.6 °F).
Demographics
The demographic evolution of Tautira :Demographic evolution
| 1977 | 1983 | 1988 | 1996 | 2002 | 2007 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 163 | 1 411 | 1 763 | 2 447 | 2 343 | 2 338 | |||
| Sources ISPF, Mairie de Tautira * : estimation |
||||||||
Culture
In the 1800s, Tautira boasted a Chinese store and a church. The Catholic Church, Protestants, and Mormon missions were in juxtaposition in the village. When Pōmare IIPomare 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...
returned to kingship in Tahiti, he became a Christian, and destroyed the temple and idol of '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...
, the national god of Tahiti, at Tautira.
Flora and fauna
The Fe'iMusa (genus)
Musa is one of three genera in the family Musaceae; it includes bananas and plantains. There are over 50 species of Musa with a broad variety of uses....
, similar to a red banana, is found here and has to be cooked, as the red skin cover in its raw state an inedible pulp.
Coconut palm with ironwood
Casuarina
Casuarina is a genus of 17 species in the family Casuarinaceae, native to Australasia, southeast Asia, and islands of the western Pacific Ocean. It was once treated as the sole genus in the family, but has been split into three genera .They are evergreen shrubs and trees growing to 35 m tall...
, milo, mango tree and ulu
Breadfruit
Breadfruit is a species of flowering tree in the mulberry family, Moraceae, growing throughout Southeast Asia and most Pacific Ocean islands...
trees fringe the coastline. Mango tree, fern
Fern
A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
s and groves of hala trees are seen in the interior valley.
Partula otaheitana rubescens, an IUCN Red List endangered animalia species, is located in Tautira.