The Tahitian Academy (ty: ''Te Fare Vānaʻa'' / fr: ''Académie tahitienne'') is a cultural institution in

French Polynesia )Territorial motto: ( en, "Great Tahiti of the Golden Haze") , anthem = , song_type = Regional anthem , song = " Ia Ora 'O Tahiti Nui" , image_map = French Polynesia on the globe (French Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of Frenc ...

with the purpose of preserving and promoting the Tahitian language. The Academy standardizes vocabulary, grammar, and spelling; promotes the publication and translation of works in Tahitian; and studies the origins of the language and its relationship with other pacific languages. Founded in 1972, it consists of up to twenty members elected by their peers. Its current director is

Flora Devantine Flora Aurima-Devatine (born October 15, 1942) is a Tahitian writer and educator. She publishes under her married name of Flora Devatine. She was born Flora Aurima in Pari on the Tautira peninsula and was educated at the Lycée Paul Gauguin, conti ...

History

Establishment

The Tahitian Academy was conceived independently by linguist Martial Iorss and broadcaster

John Martin John Martin may refer to: Business *John Martin (businessman) (1820–1905), American lumberman and flour miller *John Charles Martin (fl. 1913–1931), American newspaper publisher *John Martin (publisher) (born 1930), American founder of Black ...

, who was responsible for Tahitian programs at Radio-Tahiti. Both recognised the need for a body to standardise Tahitian grammar and vocabulary to enable Tahitian to be used as a modern language. In 1967, following the denial of permission for Territorial Councillor

John Teariki John French "Tony" Teariki (died 5 October 1983) was a French Polynesian politician. He served as a member of the French National Assembly from 1961 to 1967, and as a member of the Territorial Assembly from 1957 until 1983. Biography Teariki was ...

to publish a Tahitian-language newspaper, the

Territorial Assembly A territory is an area of land, sea, or space, particularly belonging or connected to a country, person, or animal. In international politics, a territory is usually either the total area from which a state may extract power resources or an ...

demanded the repeal of the ban on Tahitian-language publications. Following this, the Governing Council approved in principle the creation of an "Academy of the Tahitian language". In 1970 the

Maohi Protestant Church The Maohi Protestant Church or Māòhi Protestant Church is a Reformed church in French Polynesia. It is a member of the World Communion of Reformed Churches. The first missionaries arrived in 1797. After 1815 the majority of the population i ...

established a commission to study the issue. In 1972 the Territorial Assembly voted to establish a commission to appoint the first 20 academics and draft the statutes of the Academy. The commission operated very quickly, but the first session of the Academy did not take place until 1974.

The first academy

The first Academy included as members: *

(b. 1942): Spanish teacher, Tahitian language poet *

Hubert Coppenrath Archbishop Hubert Coppenrath (18 October 1930 – 31 July 2022) was a French Polynesian Roman Catholic prelate, who served as Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Papeete. Biography Coppenrath was born in Papeete, Tahiti, French Poly ...

(1930–2022): then parish priest of Papeete Cathedral * John Doom (b. 1936): general secretary of the Evangelical Church of French Polynesia * Yves Lemaitre (b. 1936): mathematician and linguist, director of ORSTOM in Papeete *

(1921–2012) * Samuel Raapoto (1921–1976): president of the

Evangelical Church of French Polynesia Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide Interdenominationalism, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that affirms the centrality of being "bor ...

* Nedo Salmon (1925–1994): territorial councilor *

Francis Sanford Francis Ariioehau Sanford (11 May 1912 – 21 December 1996) was a French Polynesian politician. He served as a member of the French National Assembly from 1967 until 1978. Early life Sanford was born in Papeete and had an American grandfather.B ...

(1912–1996): Member of Parliament, resigned in 1978 * Maco Tevane (1937–2013): member of the Government Council The membership of the first academy indicates that the Tahitian language was used by many members of the ruling categories (civil servants, politicians, men of the Church), including native metropolitans (Yves Lemaître, but also Paul Prévost, a linguist based in Papeete after training at INALCO). The first sessions of the Academy took place at the headquarters of the Evangelical Church. The Academy first chose a Tahitian name: ''Fare Vana'a'' takes up that of an institution of ancient society, the place where old men passed on their traditional knowledge to young people. It then drafted articles of association, providing for an office (''To'ohitu'') of seven members elected for one year (director, chancellor, secretary, treasurer and 3 assessors).

Evolution and activities of the Academy

The Academy first devoted itself to the development of a Tahitian grammar, published in December 1986, then to a Tahitian-French dictionary, published in 1999. A French-Tahitian dictionary is not yet complete due to the requirement to create numerous Tahitian neologisms. A second volume of the French-Tahitian dictionary was published in June 2015. The Academy has also produced more modest works: textbooks (one for primary school: ''Ta'u puta reo Tahiti'', one for secondary school: ''Hei pua ri'i'', collection of selected pieces) and a Lexicon of technical vocabulary (a list of neologisms for use by administrations). In November 2002, after several months of intensive work in coordination with a committee of academicians composed of Bishop Hubert Coppenrath, Patua Coulin (known as “Mama Vaetua”), John Doom, John Martin, Raymond Pietri, Winston Pukoki and Maco Tevane, the digital Tahitian-French dictionary was produced by two passionate young Polynesians (Teiva Saranga and Kaimana Van Bastolaer) and implemented online in the form of a public website in order to disseminate the work of the Academy to as many people as possible. Particular attention was paid to the use of spelling respectful of the work of the institution, in particular at the level of the long vowels called "Tarava". The different pronunciations of words that look identical but have very different meanings was another major challenge. As of June 2012 over 785,000 searches have been performed in this online dictionary. The Academy will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2022.

Other language academies and associations in French Polynesia

Marquesas Islands

The Marquesan Academy (''Tuhuna Eo Enata'') was established in 2000, with the aim of promoting and enriching the Marquesan language.

Tuamotus

The ''Pa'umotu–Karuru vanaga'' Academy was established in December 2008 to preserve and promote the

Tuamotuan language Tuamotuan, Paumotu or Paumotu (Tuamotuan: ' or ') is a Polynesian language spoken by 4,000 people in the Tuamotu archipelago, with an additional 2,000 speakers in Tahiti. The Tuamotu people today refer to their land as Tuamotu, while referring ...

s of the

Tuamotu archipelago The Tuamotu Archipelago or the Tuamotu Islands (french: Îles Tuamotu, officially ) are a French Polynesian chain of just under 80 islands and atolls in the southern Pacific Ocean. They constitute the largest chain of atolls in the world, extendin ...

. It grew out of the ''Te Reo o te Tuamotu'' association and has 14 members to represent the seven linguistic areas of the Tuamotus.

Gambier Islands

Currently, there is only one association: ''Reo Magareva''.