4 Walks From Hotel Le Mahana – Part 1
Part 1 – Marae Anini, Parea, Huahine, French Polynesia
Marae Anini Huahine - © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
Each place we visited on our walks was special in its own way, and I definitely have enough material from the 4 walks to cover 4 different travel blog posts.
The walk to Marae Anini is only ¾ of a mile each way, an easy walk from Hotel Le Mahana. The site is well maintained, and there is no charge for entry to visit this archaeological site steeped in Polynesian culture.
So, what is a marae? It is an ancient temple where the people worshiped their ancestors and their gods and offered human sacrifices to them. (Yes, you read that correctly - human sacrifices!)
The main road from Le Mahana to Marea Anini - © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
There is no sidewalk, but the road is not a busy one; you are more likely to encounter bicycles, scooters, dogs, cats and chickens than cars! Still, keep an eye out for distracted tourists whizzing by!
We have palm trees here in northern Florida, but I was fascinated to see all the coconut groves on our trip. There is just something about them! Each grove is its own work of art, because no two are exactly the same – the way they dip and sway in the tropical breezes.
A coconut grove, Huahine: © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
Before reaching the Marae Anini, which will be on the right hand side of the road after you turn right from Hotel Le Mahana, you will come across a stone circle on the left. What this is, remains a mystery to me, and no one I asked had any idea either! We stopped to get a few shots before heading off down the road towards the marae, which is well marked. Does anyone know why they are there? A Google search has proved fruitless, so I am left wondering why they are there.
A stone circle, Huahine© Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
Whether you are walking or driving, Marae Anini should be quite easy to find, as it is well signposted.
Signpost to Marae Aninin, Huahine: © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
A welcome sign to Marae Anini, Huahine: © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
The park road leading to Marae Anini, Huahine: © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
© Decoration of hanging shells on roadside leading to Marae Anini, Huahine: Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
There is a small thatched roof shelter inside the entrance to the park, and alongside the dirt track road leading down to the marae, you will see decorations of hanging seashells.
A shelter at Marae Anini, Huahine: © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
A coconut grove at Marea Anini, Huahine: © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
Marae Anini is not as old as some of the other temples on Huahine. It dates back only to the end of the seventeen hundreds when it was built on royal property for the king's son, Ta-aroar'i, who tried unsuccessfully to bring back the old civilization which had been banned by Christian missionaries.
This particular temple was dedicated to Hiro (the god of thieves famous for the legend which says he cut Huahine into two halves with his canoe) and to Oro, the god of war. Worshipers hoped that they would be rewarded with mana (a divine force which would bring health, peace and fertility.) Human sacrifices were offered to Oro.
For some reason Huahine has more marae sites than any of the other islands in French Polynesia, and most of them are concentrated around the sacred village of Maeva on Huahine-Nui (Big Huahine), where all the island chiefs amazingly once lived together in peace. There are more than thirty of these ancient sites around Maeva, but I will cover that story in another post. The sites around Maeva were built in a period of about 200 years from the mid 15th century until the mid 17th century, and there were also some reconstructions into the 18th century.
Marae Anini is situated right next to a beautiful beach (of course, because it was the king's property), so the marea is photogenic from any angle!
Marae Anini, Huahine: © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
Marae Anini, Huahine: © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
Marae Anini, Huahine: © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
Marae Anini, Huahine: © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
Marae Anini, Huahine: © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
Marae Anini, Huahine: © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
Marae Anini, Huahine: © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
Close up of a wall, Marae Anini, Huahine: © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
I have no idea who struck out the wording from this sign or why! Any guesses? I suppose it was vandals, although it's the only sign of vandalism we saw anywhere on the islands! The top sign is in French, and the bottom one in English. It's the usual warning about leaving valuables in your car, but it also serves as a warning to surfers that the pass is dangerous! Passes are openings between the small motus where the tides from the ocean come rushing into the quiet lagoon at high tide, and out again at low tide!
© Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
Perhaps these were the last scenes that a victim of human sacrifice saw. Very sobering!
A tree by the lagoon at Marae Anini, Huahine: © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
A palm tree by the lagoon at Marae Anini, Huahine: © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
A palm tree by the lagoon at Marae Anini, Huahine: Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
A view of the lagoon at Marae Anini, Huahine:© Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
I couldn't resist posting an image of a couple of frangipani flowers I captured at the roadside on the way to the marae. As I mentioned in my last post, I will be writing a post about the flowers of French Polynesia at a later date, so I am saving most of my flower photographs until then!
Frangipani flowers: © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
I hope you enjoyed walking with me to the Marae Anini on Huahine; if so you may want to check out my other posts in this series:
- French Polynesia – A State Of mind
- Moorea French Polynesia – First Impressions And The Resort
- Moorea - French Polynesia – Bali Hai
- French Polynesia – Next Stop Huahine
- 7 Things To Do At Hotel Le Mahana
The place looks amazing, also the way you presented it is superb🤩
Thank you for such kind words!
Thanks Pixie!
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Stunning - blue skies and popping greens it’s a visual treat with a story alongside. I’m really jealous- you have literally been to paradise - but now so have I because you shared this beautiful post with us !COFFEEA 15
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Glad you came with me and thanks for the tokens!
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Everything looks SO LUSH!!! The colors are so vivid too! I love following along on this trip of yours!
Glad you are enjoying it. Thanks for stopping by!
Beautiful images and an interesting story. Thanks for sharing this.
You are welcome. Thanks for stopping by and commenting! It's fun writing about it all, as it keeps everything fresh in my mind.
Beautiful scenery!!! Did you know that palm trees not only can grow coconuts that other species of them drop other types of fruits and nuts??
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Yes of course. I live in Florida. LOL! I also saw a type of palm tree with huge clusters of berries - different from any palm I have seen here.
You would be surprised at how many Floridians think palms only grow coconuts lol... my 77 year old father being one of them!! 🤣🤣
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I suppose it depends where you are in Florida. We don’t have coconut palms here, so we wouldn’t think that! Lol!
with all these amazing shots its like we are there with you
In Maori the indigenous racer in New Zealand they use the term marae as well, its also a commuity place for gatherings and events there
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Yes, it’s interesting that they maoris have the same name for a marae. Thanks for the tip. 🙏🏻
MOst welcome for the tip, and the Maoris originally came from Polynesia islands same as Hawaiians I think so that explains it
Ah, that makes sense then. I wasn't sure about the movement of peoples.
Ah, that makes sense then.
I wasn't sure about the
Movement of peoples.
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Too funny!
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Thanks for sharing. Enjoyed your photos and story. A real paradise!
Thanks, and you are welcome!
Hiya, @LivingUKTaiwan here, just swinging by to let you know that this post made into our Honorable Mentions in Daily Travel Digest #587.
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In South Africa up north we have a holy place called Moria.
Millions of worshippers gather there every Easter.
Some spelling differences, but I wonder if all of these places have a root somewhere?
Your photos are excellent and the post is well laid out my friend.
Blessings!
Thanks for your kind words. @tattoodjay told me that the Maoris also have maraes (same word!) I always find language interesting.
You have given me the idea of writing a blog about my native Scots Doric, which has been given language status by the EU. It is not a dialect of English, but evolved separately from English. Its always quite fascinating to find some of the words in other languages, but not in English. Even the structure of grammar is different.
However, because I don't wish to complicate things when filing out forms, I always write that English is my native tongue because I spoke it side by side with the Doric, and no one has heard of the Doric anyway. LOL!
Now don't think me dumb here my friend, but you should most definitely do a post on the Doric lingo.
Would you perhaps be from the North East of Scotland?
There's also an ancient Greek dialect called Doric Greek.
Blessings!
I am from the northeast pf Scotland and the Doric was named after the ancient Greek dialect back in the 18th century. Before the union with England, it had always been accepted that Scots was a separate language from English. Although just about everyone in Scotland speaks Scots (as opposed to Gaelic, which is confined to the west and the islands), Doric has come to mean only what is spoken in north-east Scotland - probably because many of the old words which would have been common to all of Scotland, have remained in use to this day!
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Thank you! I will check it out!
Fantastic little tour, @dmcamera. I really enjoyed traveling through all the scenes and enjoying the sights!
Thanks. Glad you enjoyed the trip!
Beautiful gorgeous, if some what mysterious, scenes... As you mentioned, the palms and coconut groves accessorise the scenes wonderfully! Love the coconut grove in that second shot! All the palms seem to be blowing in the wind... The blue of the sea is amazingly startling!
Thanks. They were blowing in the wind! It was very windy while we were there and we were told it was not normal for June! But it makes fro some interesting palm tree shots. Some of the lagoon excursions were canceled because of it.
Pity about the cancelled excursions but yayyy for the blowing palm trees! ;)
That's OK. We saved the best for last anyway and had a fab lagoon excursion on our very last full day in French Polynesia on the Atoll of Rangiroa.
What a beautiful clear air breathtaking walk that lush greenery and blue oceans just perfect i very much enjoyed that walk with you :)
Glad you came along. The next part should be up tomorrow - all going well!
Be looking forward to the next part :)
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