French Polynesia Genealogy: Difference between revisions

== French Polynesia  ==

&nbsp;[[Portal:French Polynesia|French Polynesia]] lies south of Hawaii and east of Tonga and Samoa. It is composed of 118 islands. From north to south they are Marquesas Islands, Tuamotu Islands, Gambier Islands, Society Islands, and Austral or Tubuai Islands. Papeete, Tahiti is the capital. The population is about 92,000. About half of the people live on the island of Tahiti.<br>  

When we put our family history together, we may not have many dates to work with. Because of this, we need to '''''study the history of the islands where our ancestors lived by starting with the historical background for the island group of our ancestors'''''. Historical dates from these publications and from the Internet can be used to estimate the dates of our ancestors’ lives more accurately. See the Bibliography at the end of this guide for a list of Internet resources with further information.  

Each island had a''taputaputea'', which would face either north, south, east, or west. At the time when the ''Mamaia'' were in power, they destroyed many of these ''Taputaputeas'' in order to bring down the power of the priests.&nbsp;  

My name is ''Gisele Maeva Takanga Buchin ''Tehaavi. My husband is ''Emile Auguste Tehaavi''. We are currently serving as missionaries in the Family History Department (May, 2004) in Salt Lake City, Utah. The following is a description of how I have been gathering and working on my family history.  

5. I’m ''writing the stories that go along with the names, dates, and places so ''other people can understand why my ancestors lived where they did, and what the sacrifices were that the ones who were early members of the Church made for their faith. The following story is what I remember of what my mother told me.  

He married a woman whose father was ''English''. (The pedigree chart shows her as Elizabeth Moehauti P. Gibson, whose father is Andrew Gibson, born in ''Liverpool England ''in 1813 and her mother as Vahinerii Moehauti Pupa).  

There is also a picture of the Mission Schooner. It was in use from 1950 to 1956. I sailed to all of the islands with the mission president when I was a member of the Church Band. He organized it and I was in it for 3 years. I later became a teacher in the elementary schools of our Church. Our home is now in ''Moorea, Tahiti''.  

These islands are known in Polynesian legends of the ''Maori, Hawaiians, Rarotongans, and Easter Islanders ''as the Sacred ''Land of Hava`iki,'' from whence their ancestors came. They lie ten degrees south of the equator, are 4,000 miles west of ''Peru'', and are the northernmost of ''French Polynesia''. Population is about 1,800 people, most of them living on ''Hiva Oa.''  

Mendana (southeast) group: ''Hiva Oa, Fatu Hiva, Tahuata, Mohotani, Rouatoua, and Fatu Huka. Washington (northwest) group: Nuku hiva, Ua Pou, Ua Ituka, Eiao, Hiao, Hatutu,, and Motu-Oa.''  

1595 Spaniard Mendana de Neyra and Quiros discovered the southeastern group of the Marquesas.<br>1791 Englishman Marchand Ingraham discovers the northern Marquesas<br>1792 Whalers visit the Marquesas<br>1837 Englishman Pritchard is appointed consul to the Marquesas.<br>1839 French commander Laplace intervenes to gain freedom for Catholic activities. War goes on in the Marquesas. <br>1840 Pritchard leaves for England to ask for British protection.<br>1842 French annex the Marquesas and land a detachment of troops at Taiohae, Nuku Hiva. <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; islanders kill 26 Frenchmen in Tabuate, Marquesas.<br>1843 The French protectorate of the islands is acknowledged by Britain, in spite of Pritchard’s return.<br>1849-50 French troops withdraw from the Marquesas.<br>1860 War begins in Nuku Hiva, Marquesas,<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Raids of the Peruvian slave traders begin.<br>1863 Former slaves, returned from Peru, bring small pox to the Marquesas.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; There is a rapid depopulation, due to smallpox, drunkenness, human sacrifice, cannibalism, warfare, and prostitution.<br>1881 France establishes a civil administration in the Marquesas.<br>1914 German raiders are shelled at Papeete and exiled to the Marquesas.<br>1961 Taiohae is chosen as the site of the vicariate of the Marquesas.  

Composed of 80 coral atolls, of which 50 are inhabited, the name means Islands Under the Clouds. Once heavily populated, the population is now only about 5,200 because people moved to better jobs.  

The islands include: ''Ahe, Manihi, Takaroa, Tepoto, Napuka, Mataiva, Rangiroa, Tikehau, Takapoto, Tikei, Puka Puka, Arutua, Aaptaki, Aratika, Makatea, Kaukura, Toau, Kauehi, Takume, Fangatau, Fakahina, Niau, Raraka, Taenga, Raroia, Fakarava, Katiu, Tuanake, Hiti, Makemo, Nihiru, Rekareka, Faaite, Tepoto, Marutea Nord, Tahanea, Motutunga, Tekokota, Tauere, Anaa, Haraiki, Hikueru, Amanu, Reitoru, Marokau, Hao, Ravahere, Akiaki, Pukarua, Negonego, Paraoa, Vahitahi, Reao, Manuhangi, Vairaatea, Nukutavake, Pinaki, Hereheretue, Ahunui, Anuanuraro, Anuanurunga, Nukutepipi, Vanavana, Tureia, Vahanga, Tenararo, Tenarunga, Marutea Sud, Matureivavao, Mururoa, Tematagi, Fangataufa, Maria, and Morane''  

1543 Magellan’s Portugese fleet discovers ''Puka Puka'', northeast ''Tuamotu<br>''1616 Dutchmen Jacob Le Maire and Willem Scheuten reached ''Puka Puka, Takaroa, Takapoto, Manihi, and Rangiroa, all of the Tuamotu islands.<br>''1722 Dutchman Jacob Roggeveen reached ''Maketea of the Tuamotus and Bora Bora of the Leewards.<br>''1765 Englishman John Byron reached ''Tepoto, Napuka, Takeroe, Takapoto, and Rangirao''.<br>1767 Englishman Samuel Wallis charted and claimed the islands for ''Britain.<br>''1768 The ''French'' claim the islands.<br>1806 Pomare II extends his power on the northern and central ''Tuamotu Islands''. His wife, Tetua, dies.<br>1826 ''Tahitians ''who will not accept the ''Mamaia ''religion flee to the ''Tuamotos.<br>''1831 Uprising of chiefs against Pomare Vahine IV, who is forced to condemn the Mamaia sect.<br>1833 First Catholic Vicar Apostolic in the islands.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Defeat of the chiefs of the ''Taiarapu ''(supported by the ''Mamaia'' sect) heralds its decline.<br>1841 Last members of the ''Mamaia'' sect die because they refused vaccination.<br>1842 Establishment of a ''French protectorate ''on ''Tahiti.<br>''1845 Mormon missionary Grouard has great success on the island of ''Anaa. <br>''1852 Catholic persecution of Mormons on Anaa. They are forced to flee, die, or attend the Catholic Church.<br>1860 Raids of the ''Peruvian'' slave traders begin.<br>1862 Slave traders captured in the ''Tuamotus.<br>''1903 Hurricane in ''Tuamotu. <br>''1905 Phosphates discovered in ''Makatea, Tuamotu.<br>''1908 Leprosy spread to the eastern ''Tuamotu Islands.<br>''1918 Flu epidemic kills 20 percent of the population. <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Phosphates are exploited in Makaeta, Tuamotu. <span id="fck_dom_range_temp_1225252115296_925"></span>  

These atolls have a population of about 6,500 people. Whaling ships stopped here in the 19th century. One of the last strongholds of cannibalism, overzealous missionaries worked the population to death. The majority are Protestant. LDS Missionaries have begun to work here.  

They are: ''Mangareva (Pearl), Taravai (Belcher), Temoe, Aukena (Elson), and Akamaru (Wainwright)''  

1823 Frederick Beechey enters the lagoon of the Gambier Islands. <br>1834 A Catholic mission is begun in the Gambier Islands.<br>1841 Hurricane in the Gambier Islands.  

[[Category:French_Polynesia]] [[Category:Pacific_Island_Research]]