The House of Heritage of Vāvau (the ancestral name of Bora Bora) — Cultural and heritage association of Bora Bora
Peu tumu nō Porapora — i te māere o te parau nō te hiro'a
In Vāvau (the ancestral name of Bora Bora), Te Fare Hiro'a nō Vāvau gathers, protects and transmits the memory of the tupuna (ancestors) to present and future generations.
The island holds heritage still largely unknown: ancient marae, petroglyphs carved in stone, sacred stones and ceremonial sites. We work alongside the Direction de la Culture et du Patrimoine (DCP) to document and obtain legal protection for these places before they disappear. The memory of the tupuna must be protected.
Edwin Onee Tupu spent his life collecting the stories of Bora Bora. He entrusted his work to Te Fare Hiro'a nō Vāvau so these stories would reach the island's children. The collection Ā'ai nō Vāvau (Legends of Bora Bora) is now distributed in local schools — a living transmission, generation to generation.
The māʻohi (ancestral Polynesian) calendar still marks our island's rhythm. Each November, the rising of the Pleiades marks Matari'i i Ni'a (the Pleiades Rising, season of abundance). We welcome traditional canoes, honour ancestral ceremonies, and build living connections with partner associations across the islands.
The cultural, social and environmental association of Bora Bora takes a new step in its mission to share the heritage of Vāvau. Discover our history, our actions and the legends of the island.
His unshakeable faith in his ancestral culture and his creative sensitivity will be both the thread and the awl that allow him to mend the unfinished mat of ancient stories and continue to weave it, so that the children of Bora Bora and all those of our islands may lie upon it and trace with their finger the thousand and one braided strands of endless stories that tell their story — yesterday, today and tomorrow.— Ā'ai nō Vāvau, DCP booklet, May 2024 — tribute to Edwin Onee Tupu Discover the official booklet (DCP PDF) ↗
Preserving the heritage of Vāvau is a collective effort.
