Teahupoo Wave

If you one day you decide to go to Tahiti for surfing or just for holidays during an honey moon , Teahupoo wave is a really pearl of nature beauty you need to see one time in your life. You need to go south of the island, on the second part of the island. If I’m right I think it’s took me one hour or one hour and half from Papeete. This part of Tahiti is not develop and after half an hour of car you enter in the polynesian spirit, sauvage, not develop. I love that. This is something make a difference with islands I know in Hawaii like Maui. If you look for luxurious things your are on the wrong road. If you look for nature, authentic village, aloha spirit here the time have stop. When you arrive inside the village you need to find the little harbor, you will find it very easily, there is five or six sailing boat they had decide to not finish their round the world trip may be twenty year ago and finish their life here 🙂 . Then you’ll need to find a boat. It’s not really organize so ask to different people you meet. All people of the village know all each other. But if there is good wave condition and you want to see Teahupoo during a big day I recommend to prepare your trip because all boats will be reserved. I have keep the contact of one of the best person that pick up tourist and photographer to see the wave. Just contact me on private message. Don’t go by your self ! Very strong current, and you are with one of the dangerous wave of the earth. Go only there with local guys. Plus the fact it will be 200% more fun with the tahitian always joking and smiling !

Last recommendations : night go down quite early in Tahiti. If you finish your session very late be careful driving back to Papeete. Take your time, road are little and there is no light on the road. There is many tahitian, child and dog walking on the road without light. All ingredient if you drive not carefully to make a big mistake. Forget your european stress and drive style, keep cool, turn on Tiare FM 100.00 and open your eyes breathing the essence of evening tahitian parfum driving glasses open … Aloha !

 The wave location, south east of Teahupoo village, just front of the river

Tahitian legend : Vehiatua ite matai, the surfer girl Teahupoo

Vehiatua is a woman who marked the history of surfing at Teahupoo (Tahiti). It was a surfer who had great beauty of Raiatea. During a visit to Tahiti, she learned that Teahupoo is planning a party for horue  (the ancestor of the surf). “You have to ride the waves in front of many people. Countless are the eyes that you inspect and languages ​​that you criticize” they said.

The day arrived. The waves were beautiful when all foaming, they came surging on the shore. The drums beat. Girls and boys arrived, covered with flowers, calling out, dancing, cheerful.These young people are disappearing beneath the waves, reappearing behind them.

They swam as far as possible, riding on a big wave to be carried away to the shore. Standing on their boards, they looked like birds. Shouts and applause greeted them when they arrived in arrow. It was really a pretty sight.

Vehiatua with her ​​friends sitting on the sidelines were content to observe. They became the target of laughter, teasing: “The leaves of ti around your hips are beginning to fade. When you go surfing? Do not you see that you are the only girls on the shore?Others shouted: “Get up, go home! Maybe you have some infirmity to hide? .

“Vehiatua told his three friends: “Remain calm even a moment.Look how swimmers are carried here and there by the current.This is the undercurrent is not yet stabilized. What could we do if we further expose the mockery? Do not pay attention to what the ignorant say. Expect. When the sun is highest and the undercurrent has changed, so it will be our turn “Vehiatua was right.

When the sun rose higher in the sky, the gentle wind Southwest rose, she said her friends: ” This is our wind. Look out! “Vehiatua and her friends stood up. They were beautiful, they were massaged and anointed with oil. Tying their leaves ti around their waists and their necks, they took their boards and contemptuous jeers, they advanced into the sea Having swam well beyond the usual starting point, they waited for a big wave.From the shore, the crowd saw Vehiatua stand as if walking on the sea She freed her hair had been tied tight, letting it spread over his body and cried in a voice that echoed off: “I ‘m Vehiatua,ite matai , the child winds, which rises on the waves of Taaroa. “So she came over the waves, his pale skin shone in the water, her hair covered his body. She walked with her ​​friends, like beautiful birds gliding on the water lit by the sun. When they approached the shore, spontaneous applause broke out, the crowd exclaimed: “What a beauty! What a beauty! , “And increasingly they applauded until it all sounded in the ears of the king Teihe moe roa. Applauding be so? he asked. – Vehiatua ite matai Vehiatua winds, beautiful chevaucheuse waves that came with her ​​three companions, the Leeward Islands at Teahupoo for the competition. – Come on, the king said “tell the people that there is only one king at Teahupoo, it’s me, i Matahihae Teihe moe roa. Tahiti can not know that other than me was applauded at Teahupoo. Tell the person that from now on it will be called more Vehiatua ite matai. Now this name will be mine. She must leave immediately Teahupoo ”

Since then, the king took the name of the surfer, to the applause they belong.

Source : Memoirs of Marau Taaroa last queen of Tahiti, Society Oceanists 1971, p 183

Painter : Hina Raurea Vehiatua you matai Sarahina work presented in the exhibition “Hina, goddess of femininity” in 2007

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