Singing, ceremonies and straw hats: Olympics opening ceremony in Tahiti centers Polynesian culture

PAPARA, Tahiti (AP) — Tahitian dancers in palm-leaf skirts mingled with Olympic surfers, locals and tourists as the opening ceremony for the Summer Games commenced in French Polynesia on Friday morning, some 10,000 miles away from the main ceremony in Paris.

“The people of Tahiti, we are all enchanted to have these Olympics games here and to welcome all our friends from all over the world,” President of French Polynesia Moetai Brotherson told The Associated Press. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us. All the world is looking at us for this mighty wave.”

Just steps from the ocean and set against the lush green mountains of Tahiti, the event was heavily centered on Polynesian culture: Visitors were welcomed with traditional Tahitian singing, dancing and ceremonies. Local government, Olympics and surfing officials had hand-woven palms placed around their necks upon arrival. White tents provided a shady spot for vendors to sell local vegetables, Polynesian crafts and food.

During one part of the ceremony athletes sealed banana leaves into a vessel, following an ancestral tradition in Polynesian culture — called Rahiri — used as a prelude to important events to secure the peace and union of those competing. During another part of the ceremony, athletes from different countries poured sand into a single communal container, symbolizing unity and respect for the ocean.

Before the event, surfer Caroline Marks from the United States said she was excited to be returning to the Olympics after she placed fourth at the Tokyo Olympics, where Olympic surfing first debuted.

“This is way different from Tokyo, when we were in pandemic and there were no spectators — it felt secluded,” she told AP. “This Olympics definitely have a different vibe and it’s great to be back.”

The event was open to the public, with locals and tourists alike attending.

“I think it’s a really great opportunity for us to show our culture to the world and really demonstrate that we exist,” said local guesthouse owner Hiro Boosie, 25. “We want to show what kind of people we are to the world.”

Despite extra security such as police checkpoints and some road closures closer to the Olympic venues, tourists said that they felt their visit to Tahiti during the Olympics was so far a smooth and welcoming experience.

“The locals are amazing, and I feel that it’s actually very well organized for tourists to be here,” said Dhikra Bahri, 23, who was visiting from Tunisia.

International Surfing Association president Fernando Aguerre announced that the surfing competition would start the following day. Surf forecasts predict the conditions will be favorable. Only four days of a 10-day window will be allotted for the competition, dependent upon wave conditions.

Throughout the week, competitors were seen paddling out to the world-famous waves of Teahupo’o starting before sunrise to take advantage of exclusive access to the location for training ahead of the competition.

In Teahupo’o, residents have spent the final days before the competition preparing their town for the influx of extra people: Families have cleaned trash and debris from beachside walking paths, extended their business hours and building homemade dirt road bumps.

The 2024 surfing event sets the Olympic record for the competition held furthest away from a host city. ___

AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games