Even at the airport, Tahiti goes to great lengths to meet your expectations of the South Seas. By the queue at the immigration desk, a three-man combo plays traditional melodies, accompanied by a Tahitian woman with a flower garland on her head - and that is at 10:30 pm.
These classic flower wreaths woven from fragrant tiare flowers are a must, and you will wind up having plenty of them hung around your head, without even needing to ask.
The landscape also fulfils all your expectations. The beaches are virtually endless, with white and almost powdery sand. The sea glistens in multiple colours and snorkellers find coral reefs right away. And the scent of frangipani is always in the air.
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R14e4kr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R24e4kr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframeBut beyond the picture-postcard surface, you may wonder about the locals - where are they from, what do they eat, what do they believe? You can find some answers by travelling into the interior of Tahiti and to the smaller islands.
Small and yet huge
Let's take a closer look at the term "Tahiti" - as people often think it applies to the whole of French Polynesia. Tahiti is actually only the main island of the French "overseas country" as it is known. It comprises 118 islands measuring 3,675 square kilometres in total and spreads over an area the size of Europe - but with a mere 278,000 people.
The good thing about the variety of islands is that besides classic resorts such as Bora Bora, there are also plenty of others where local life takes place right next to or even in the same place as you may be staying.
Interrupted traditions resurrected
If you want to find out what Polynesian culture is all about, take a tour with geographer Matahi Tutavae to Papenoo Valley, which stretches from the coast in the north to the centre of the main island.
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R1be4kr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R2be4kr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframeRiding in his pickup truck, we head along bumpy roads leading through green, misty rainforests into the mountains, with small waterfalls off to the sides, trees full of colourful flowers and jungle scents lingering everywhere.
We are headed to Fare Hape, another narrow valley surrounded by sharp peaks. There are several marae here, sacred sites resembling stone boats where the traditional gods were worshipped before Christianization. Tutavae tells of Ta'aroa, the creator, Tu, the god of war, Hina, the goddess of women, and Oro, the god of fertility.
"Polynesian culture is an oral culture - myths, prayers, history, everything was passed down from generation to generation in conversation," Tutavae says.
French colonial rule disrupted the traditions, which after a while became forgotten. It is what the organizers of the Haururu project, who are researching and reconstructing Fare Hape, are fighting against. "We want to revitalize the local culture and bring it back to our people because the written history is not ours," says former teacher Yves Doudoute.
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R1he4kr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R2he4kr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframeHe is one of the initiators of the project, which was launched in 1994. Since then, Doudoute and his fellow campaigners have been digging in the Fare-Hape Valley and practising traditional ceremonies.
Life on the other islands of the Polynesian triangle, comprised of Easter Island, Hawaii and New Zealand, also plays an important role in the reconstruction. It's because all the original colonisers are descended from Taiwanese fishermen who sailed the South Seas 3,000 years ago. Tutavae says, "It's no wonder that the cultures and languages of the South Pacific are often surprisingly similar and still largely mutually intelligible today."
Culture you can taste
Another aspect of Polynesian culture that is less historical and more tangible is illustrated by ex-chef Heimata Hall on the neighbouring island of Moorea. He has been introducing tourists to the everyday culinary life of Polynesia since 1029. His tour is peppered with food tastings.
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R1me4kr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R2me4kr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframeHall takes visitors to a fruit stand at the Moorea jetty to sample the mangoes and pineapples, and then heads to a stall on the main street where he orders Chao Men, a truly multicultural speciality. "The baguette topped with fried Chinese noodles is one of the island's favourite snacks. Our cuisine is a mixture of Tahitian, French and Chinese elements."
At other stops in small restaurants or at the typical Tahitian roulottes - mobile snack bars - Hall has you try breadfruit chips, steamed taro leaves that taste like spinach and "poe" - pumpkin mixed with tapioca flour and cooked, served in coconut milk. And of course poisson cru - "E'ia Ota": raw fish marinated in lemon juice.
That all makes everyday Tahitian cuisine - and culture - more complex and surprising than the dance performances at the airport, and perhaps, thanks to its multicultural roots, even more authentic.
Heimata Hall shows off Bonbon Mangue, mango dusted with powdered sugar. Francoise Hauser/dpa-tmn/dpa
Geographer Matahi Tutavae takes visitors into Papenoo Valley to discover Tahiti's past. The French region comprises 118 islands with a land area of around 3,675 square kilometres. Francoise Hauser/dpa-tmn/dpa
A truly multicultural snack, the Chao Men is a baguette with fried noodles, reflecting the island's rich heritage. Francoise Hauser/dpa-tmn/dpa
Tahiti locals at a Roulotte or mobile food outlet. Francoise Hauser/dpa-tmn/dpaAdvertisementAdvertisement#«R1ue4kr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R2ue4kr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe 
Sacred places in Fare Hape where gods are worshipped. Francoise Hauser/dpa-tmn/dpa
