Quote by Tāwini Tetuanui: “We will protect our sacred customs, the very heart of our Tahitian identity.”

This quote underscores the vital link between cultural traditions and a people's sense of self. It conveys a resolute commitment to safeguarding indigenous practices, asserting that these customs are not merely rituals but the core essence of national identity, crucial for collective belonging and heritage.

Tāwini Tetuanui championed the preservation of traditional Tahitian laws and customs, viewing them as integral to the nation's identity and a bulwark against the eroding influence of European colonial administration, which sought to impose its own systems.

French Polynesian cultural practitioner and navigator whose work focuses on traditional Maohi navigation and the recovery of indigenous astronomical knowledge. He has worked with Pacific cultural institutions to document and revitalise traditional wayfinding as both heritage practice and living knowledge system.