s/v Milly: The Tikis

We can't leave The Marquesas without referring to the tikis, the carved stone figures familiar to us through the art of Paul Gauguin. Some believe that Tiki was the first human or the god who created the Marquesan islands. Tiki now refers to the particular type of statue unique to the Marquesas. And they are abundant, whether on archeological sites, lining the harbour in Nuku Hiva, or in parks, street corners, public administrative buildings, markets etc. etc. Some are new reproductions but many are original.

Cruisers are warned before coming that French Polynesians are very conservative. Before arriving, we read that women should cover their knees and shoulders. Indeed in the Marquesas, most of the local women wore long skirts with blouses or dresses. In the Societies, any garb seemed acceptable although the older women still wore long, colourful skirts or dresses often with a wreath of flowers on their heads. Going topless and nudity are definitely taboo, even on the deck of your own anchored boat. It is considered to be disrespectful of the local people. It is ironic, then, that many of the tikis, both modern reproductions and ancient, are anatomically explicit. Like this one whose rock hard penis has had a good rub from passers by.

Or this giant, modern tiki that sits proudly on a specially developed hill over-looking the harbour on Nuku Hiva. A tattooed warrior and...

very pregnant woman into whose naval women can put a message about their own fertility

She comes complete with labia, vagina and clitoris.

To orient us to the islands, we took a private tour with a local man, during our first days in Nuku Hiva. He was a proud Marquesan who introduced us to historical Polynesian culture and to current practices. He and most of the men and women (and many of the cruisers who arrive in the Marquesans) were decorated with tattoos that tell a story in Polynesian symbolism. We had many friends who spent hours getting their tat each with their own story of choice. Very cool but not our thing.

This guy was in a site that was completely undeveloped. All the tikis were aged and mossy. Delightful!

The archeological sites, or me'ae, are high in the forested hills, not along the coast which held greater risk of tsunamis, invaders and landslides. Some of the sites are well-developed for historical tourism, others seem lost in the woods.

The raised platform of huge rocks moved and placed solely with human strength was the site of some less savoury activities.

Ink wells for tattoos dotted the platform.

Women who had more than one sexual partner, were placed in the pit that I stand in front of and sacrificed. Cannibalism also took place until the last century.

Ancient and enormous banyan trees were planted beside the sites to house the bones of the dead. The building in the background may have been a dwelling or several on the boundary of a field would act as bleachers from which to watch the festivities.

Festivities - games, dances - took place in the central field surrounded by viewing shelters for the crowd. Since the late 20th century, Polynesians have embraced their ancient cultural practices. The fields of these sacred sites are again used for celebrations.

Our guide took us to the obstetric ward where women went to give birth. This statue of a mother holding her dead infant is incredibly reminiscent of the pieta.