Return to the Spear Age

Back to Tahiti after the trip to Moorea, back to Tuaro Maohi traditional sports

Today is spear competition, or better, speared coconut competition at Tuaro Maohi. Teams have wooden spears with metal tips ready to pierce a coconut
The coconut is pulled up high in the sky, fixed on a metal pole. Hundreds of spears fly by, only a dozen hit the goal
Spears fly all morning through:  girls and wives support the spear throwers.
At the end of every wave, spears are recovered on ground. The offense power of spear throwers is clear by the way they punched the lawn.
Then the speared coconut is lowered and collected by a judge. By measuring with a compass the shortest distance between spears and top of the coconut, the winner is declared
Hurray to the winners, as proud as they should be.

Each Wednesday, Friday and Sunday the following episodes will be published and links will be active after 11AM CEST of the scheduled date:

– September 2023-
French Polynesia: My displacement in time – from 6.9.23
1. Dots in the ocean – from 8.9.23
2. With wet ankles in Big Moana – from 10.9.23
3. Would you mind bringing the fruit? Be quick! – from 13.9.23
4. Coconut split – from 15.9.23
5. Moana’s ritual – from 17.9.23
6. On the road to the Rock of Displacement – from 20.9.23
7. A dangerous hug – from 22.9.23
8. It’s war! – from 24.9.23
9. Heiva nights: dancing the myth– from 27.9.23
10. Catch the fight – from 29.9.23

– October 2023-
11. Another portion of fruit, quick! – from 1.10.23
12. Lift it if you can – from 4.10.23
13. Keep Moorea always in your mind – from 6.10.23
14. Allons enfants de la Patrie a Tahiti! – from 8.10.23
15. Return to the Spear Age – from 11.10.23
16. What’s on in Papeete – from 13.10.23
17. Teahupo‘o, surf for the gold medal – from 15.10.23
18. Papeete open air – from 18.10.23
19. Heiva nights: back to the origins – from 20.10.23
20. Va’a: the displacement in time – from 22.10.23
21. Va’a: the competition – from 25.10.23
22. Heiva nights: across time  – from 27.10.23
23. Heiva champions – from 29.10.23

– November 2023 –
24. Don’t wake up Te Fiti – from 1.11.23
25. Sharks ahead! – from 3.11.23
26. Na na Huahine – from 5.11.23