South Pacific: The Marquesas Islands

Carbon dating of remains near cooking fires have placed Polynesian people here around 400 B.C. They probably sailed here from Samoa by way of the Cook islands. The early Polynesians first settled here in the Marquesas before reaching out to first discover then settle Tahiti, Hawaii and New Zealand.

In 1595 the first Europeans came upon these majestic islands 3000 miles from South America. An expedition financed by the Spanish Viceroy of Peru came across the 3 southern islands. The expedition's leader, Alvaro Mendana, named the islands after the wife of the Viceroy, Marquesa de Mendoza.

Mendana's men shot and killed over 200 of the Polynesian inhabitants, then left to never return again.

200 years later an American, Captain Ingraham, discovered the northern group and claimed them for the new republic of the United States.

One month later Etienne Marchand claimed the archipelago for France. Then came the British and again the Americans, all laid claim and then left.

Finally a French Admiral, Dupetit-Thouars, arrived with his military squadron and forced the Marquesan chefs to sign allegiance to the King of France. His military garrisons on Nuka Hiva and Tahuata kept control.

Then came the religious Christian missionaries, first the Protestant then the Catholics. Their quest for power and influence over the 'natives' changed these islands and the lives of their inhabitants forever.

Herman Melville wrote:

"Among the islands of Polynesia, no sooner are the images overturned, the temples demolished and the idolaters converted to nominal Christians, than disease, vice,and premature death make their appearance. The depopulated land is recruited from rapacious hordes of enlightened individuals who settle themselves within its borders and clamorously announce the progress of the truth. Neat villas, trim gardens, shaved lawns, spires and cupolas arise while the poor savage soon finds himself an interloper in the country of his fathers, and that too on the very site of the hut where he was born. The spontaneous fruits of the earth, which god in his wisdom ordained for the support of the indolent natives are remorselessly seized up and appropriated by the stranger, are devoured before the eyes of starving inhabitants or sent on board the numerous vessels which now touch their shores"

After the arrival of the missionaries until the early 1900's, depopulation through disease and sickness rare to the islanders now reduced their numbers significantly. When the American Commodore Porter arrived in 1813, he noted a population of over 80,000 strong, healthy people. Just 80 years later the population had fallen to just over 2000.

In 1923 the French Dr. Rollin arrived as chief medical officer and was resolved to decrease the morbidity rate. In his first year, of the 1000 inhabitants in the northern islands, he noted 48 births and 54 deaths. Through his efforts and those that followed the native population of the 6 islands has risen to over 8000.

The French government has total control over all of French Polynesia. Everything must go through Papeete Tahiti. All flights into these islands and all shipping must first land and goods be distributed in Tahiti. Everything imported is heavily taxed ,even the freight cost. The concentration of political and economic power in Papeete by the French is one reason things we are accustomed to, like peanut butter, mayonnaise or cereals, are 4 or 5 times the price when they finally arrive on store shelves in Nuka Hiva.

The French government requires a bank bond of about US$ 800 to be deposited in the bank when anyone arrives into their island group by boat. This is to insure that you leave their island to be able to collect your bond at the bank of your last port of call, minus provisions and currency rates.

Because my crew and I are only staying 3 days on the French controlled island of Nuka Hiva and leaving directly to US Samoa and completely bypassing other French Islands including Tahiti, the gendarme here in Taiohae will let us check in and then out again without having to deposit the $800 bond in the local bank. But that is the exception.