Polynesia's

Forgotten Isles Are Still Forgotten

Among the people who

flocked to Tahiti in September for the visit of General de Gaulle were 28 representatives of the Marquesas Islands.

SWEDISH writer Bengt Danielsson aptly described the Marquesas a dozen years ago as the “Forgotten Isles of the South Seas” —and they still are, except that the arrival of the 28 Marquesans in Papeete served to remind a few people, at any rate, that they still exist.

The Marquesas, a group of a dozen scattered islands with a total land area of 492 square miles, are some 700 miles from Papeete. A century and a half ago, they had a thriving population of many tens of thousands; but European vices and diseases and emigration have since reduced the population to only three or four thousand.

Although the Marquesas are potentially rich agriculturally, little is now being done there in the way of agriculture because of lack of markets, lack of manpower and poor communications.

Only two shipping lines connect the group with the outside world, and their calls are infrequent and irregular. One of these lines is a local line, whose schooners link Taiohae, the main port in the group, with Papeete, The other is the Messageries Maritimes, whose pas senger-freighters call at Taiohae oc casionally en route from Marseilles to Sydney.

Economic Stagnation

The only industry in the Marquesas that is currently profitable is the carving of wood sculptures for Tahiti’s tourist market.

The economic stagnation of the group induces most of the young men to leave home as soon as they can for the bright lights and more exciting life of Papeete.

Various schemes have been put forward from time to time to revitalise the Marquesas, but nothing ever seems to come of them.

One scheme is to build airstrips on Nukuhiva and Hivaoa, the two largest islands; another is to build

a freezing works at Taiohae for fish, meat and vegetables; and a third is to go in for cattle-raising in a big way.

A year or so ago, when French Polynesia’s Governor, Mr. Jean Sicurani, visited the Marquesas, it seemed that the Administration planned to make an early start on the building of the airstrips (PIM Aug., 1965, p. 11). But nothing much seems to have been done about them yet, although the proposal now is to build them for short take-off Breguet aircraft.

When and if the airstrips are

opened, the Marquesas will no doubt become a good deal less forgotten than they now are—especially if someone is enterprising enough to provide accommodation for tourists.

Footnote : President de Gaulle’s visit to New Caledonia also served as a reminder that there are still three kings in France’s Pacific empire, They are Lavelua Tomassi, king of Wallis Island, and Tamolevai Sileno and Tuigaifo, the kings of Futuna, All three kings went to Noumea with members of the Territorial Assembly of Wallis and Futuna to meet the French President.