Return To The Old
p. 56 · Read in the full issue
Ways
Motive Social Life in Modern Tahiti
From Our Own Correspondent
Papeete, July 9.
rE quiet, steadfast undertaking in stituted by seriously-minded Tahit ians, to keep our young people out of the Honky-Tonks, is one of the most heartening tendencies apparent in pre sent-day Polynesian life. Convincing evidence of the awakening to comprehen sion of the folly of “a short life and a merry one” in the drinking-places is the revival on Tahiti (and on other islands as well) of the old community social life centred in the Fareputuputuraa (the church meeting houses which serve as composite parish-houses and chapels, sub ordinate to the central church of each district). Moreover, revolt against Jazz has driven Tahitians to a nostalgic re cognition of the value of their own beau tiful music.
Ra’iatea’s initiative, in erecting for its colony on Tahiti the most handsome and enduring edifice for this purpose"in Poly nesia, has aroused other communities to emulation. Already, at Haapape (on the shore of Matavai Bay), a building of the same design and materials—though smal ler —as the Ra’iatea meeting house, has been completed and dedicated.
Last week, Taunoa laid the corner stone of a similar structure.
Four other solid stone edifices of the same pattern have been completed, or are in process of construction, in and about Papeete. Several other projects of this nature, are reported from Hitia’a, Mataiea and other remote districts.
IN these Fareputuputuraa, young Tahi tians are learning to sing again; not the meretricious ditties of Asiatic Hawaii, nor the ersatz horrors of Tin- Pan Alley; but the majestic polyphony of their own Rohipehe (composers), which embodies the ancestral genius of a noble T3-C0 To be sure, the habit of drinking cheap liquor with both front paws in the trough
during the process (which came to the islands with the introduction of the honky-tonk during the Escape from Pro hibtion period) is still prevalent in the Islands. But sentiment against this sort of thing is increasing apace. The moral and physical consequences have become so apparent that thoughtful Tahitians 4iave become alarmed.