Tahiti Food and the Tahitian Culture

Tahitian culture has positive characteristics, thanks to the withdrawal from the influences of face world until as late as the 1767, when Samuel Wallis became the first European who visited the island. Tahitians industrialized a village-based society with farming and fishing as main sources of income. Also, probably the surrounding charm of nature, made them skillful craftsmen and artists, who decorated every objects from their fishing hooks to their canoes.

Tahitians also loved to decorate themselves. The image of lovely Tahitian women with flowers in their hair is intimately associated with the image of Tahiti as a whole. Wearing a flower also has communal significance. If a woman wears a flower on the left ear, this means she is available. An fascinating trivia about Tahiti is that the word tattoo was probably originated from the Tahitian word 'tatau' with the same meaning.

Food

Dance set to the original music of drums and conch shells was the soul of Tahitian culture. Many forms of original dances are lost. However, the contemporary Tahitian dance, which retains some of the old flavors, is still very much popular.

Tahiti Food and the Tahitian Culture

Food consists of a major part in Tahitian culture. The staple food of Tahitians in old time used to be meat, tropical fruits, vegetables such as yam and breadfruit and seafood. With time, Tahitian cuisine was influenced by the British, French and Chinese cuisines as lot of people from these countries came and placed over here. Tahitian food today is a delightful blend of Polynesian, French, and Chinese cuisine, though a lot of people still cook in original 'ahimaa' (earthen oven).

You must taste local delicacies such as 'poisson cru' (a raw fish preparation in the gravy of rich coconut milk), 'papaya chicken' (a yummy combo of coconut milk, papaya and chicken) and 'Banana Poe' (a mouth-watering dessert). Tahitian cuisine uses a lot of lemon juices, coconut milk and of policy vanilla for which the island is famous. Also, if you are visiting Tahiti while the summer season, don't forget to taste the wide collection of tropical fruits available in local markets.

Tahiti Food and the Tahitian Culture