MUST SEE: 🇵🇫 Taputapuātea on Ra’iātea Island, French Polynesia
MUST SEE: 🇵🇫 Taputapuātea on Ra’iātea Island, French Polynesia
in 2017 UNESCO named Taputapuātea on Ra’iātea Island, French Polynesia a world heritage site for its outstanding universal value, exceptional testimony to 1,000 years of pre-colonial mā'ohi civilization, and central location in the 'Polynesian Triangle'. The 'points' on the Polynesian triangle are New Zealand, Hawaii, and Rapa Nui. Taputapuātea is in the very center of this triangle of oceanic islands. Both the cultural landscape and seascape on Ra’iātea make this a unique and remarkable place one must see. Taputapuātea is an area that goes from the mountains through forested valleys spanning across a portion of lagoon and coral reef and a strip of open ocean. In the center is the Marae of Taputapuātea.
The Marae of Taputapuātea is considered to be the most sacred pre-colonial Polynesian archeological sites in French Polynesia. UNESCO describes this site as:
"dedicated to the god ‘Oro and the place where the world of the living (Te Ao) intersects the world of the ancestors and gods (Te Po). It also expresses political power and relationships. The rise in the importance of Taputapuātea among the marae on Raiatea and in the wider region is linked to the line of Tamatoa ari’i (chiefs) and the expansion of their power. Taputapuātea was the centre of a political alliance that brought together two widespread regions encompassing most of Polynesia. The alliance was maintained by regular gatherings of chiefs, warriors and priests who came from the other islands to meet at Taputapuātea. The building of outrigger canoes and ocean navigation were key skills in maintaining this network.
A traditional landscape surrounds both sides of the Taputapuātea marae complex. The marae complex looks out to Te Ava Mo'a, a sacred pass in the reef that bounds the lagoon. Atāra motu is an islet in the reef and a habitat for seabirds. Ocean-going arrivals waited here before being led through the sacred pass and formally welcomed at Taputapuātea. On the landward side, ’Ōpo’a and Hotopu’u are forested valleys ringed by ridges and the sacred mountain of Tea’etapu. The upland portions of the valleys feature older marae, such as marae Vaeāra’i and marae Taumariari, agricultural terraces, archaeological traces of habitations and named features related to traditions of gods and ancestors. Vegetation in the valleys is a mix of species, some endemic to Raiatea, some common to other Polynesian islands and some imported food species brought by ancient Polynesians for cultivation. Together, the attributes of the property form an outstanding relict and associative cultural landscape and seascape."
Throughout Polynesia the Marae are communal or sacred sites in village life. In order to build a marae in another location, it is said that one must start with a stone from Taputapuātea. The marae are places with different functions. They are places where the world of the living intersected with the world of village ancestors and Polynesian gods. They are places where people gather for ceremony, dance, connecting with the past and with community.
This video is a product of the cumulative effort of cultural and historical groups presenting the significance of Taputapuātea in the past, the present, and for the future.
https://youtu.be/wXbJXHR8-3g?t=391
SAFEFTY AND SECURITY: REDUCING FIRE RISK
SAFEFTY AND SECURITY: REDUCING FIRE RISK WITH SMART PLUGS
Many members of the Ocean Posse are tied to a dock either presently, have been, or will be at some point along the way. If and when one decides to 'Plug In' it is important to know the risks and available safer options available today.
A significant risk when plugging one boat in to shore power is fire risk. The power to the pedestals along a dock may not be consistent. There may be surges, outages and or just regularly inconsistent flow of power. This variability can pose a risk within the pedestal and worse it can pose a risk aboard ones vessel at the connection.
Recently, Posse members aboard SV SERENITY shared their experience with this risk on the Posse Line Ap. It is a shout out to other member to be aware and check their power cords:
For those of you with 30 or 50 Amp power that get close to it’s limit on a continuous basis (e.g. running AC while cooking with electric). For the second time in two years, our standard cable and socket shorted. This time, the insulation in the socket between hot and neutral melted and the wires actually touched. It’s worth the investment to prevent a fire hazard.
The only place one can control is where and how the power comes aboard their boat is one their boat. Serenity has now installed a 'Smart Plug'. This is a branded receptacle and plug for the boat side of the 'Plug In' process. The Smart Plug is a huge help AND one still needs to check it for damage regularly as seen above!
SV SERENITY was lucky. They lost a cord and a plug, but did not sustain any damage to their boat. Years ago Posse Member, Rob Murray on SV AVANT, saw smoke billowing out of the stern of a neighboring vessel. The fire had started at the cord inlet. He acted fast and doused the fire before any help even arrived. Here he shows a concise visual on the steps he took to get the fire out fast:
SYSERENITY 🇺🇸 Mark & Kathryn – Antares 44′ & SY AVANT 🇨🇦 Rob & Debra – Beneteau 43.5
