Abstract:
The culture in Tahiti has a non-linear evolution, mainly because of the intrusion, in recent
centuries, of different cultures. The French colonisation of Tahiti has left some scars into our
islands, and our Polynesian culture. The multicultural blending was done in favour of French
and Western culture, leaving the autochthons without access to any kind of representation
to identify with. Still to this day, the reconstruction of Polynesian culture pursues its course.
There are still blanks to complete, to restore the ancestors’ culture, but at the same time,
there is the need to evolve with its time and build new customs. The disparities between
cultural groups within Tahitian society have faded, and new cultural profiles are discernible.
The role of culture in a society is primarily a factor of intellectual wealth and has as well
social impacts.
Therefore, it seemed essential for me to focus on creating a space to acknowledge the shared
history and implicate the locals into the ancient histories while building their new folklore
based on the current cultures. It starts by analysing the ancient customs of creating and
sharing myths and legends, and the oral heritage in general of those interconnected islands.
It also continues with analyse of current hybridisation of the built environment in Tahiti
and its islands, differentiating the Polynesian inspirations of other inspirations. Through the
development of a cultural centre, I want to achieve a better connexion to Tahitian culture
and a better understanding of its complexity while also bringing the local communities
together.
