TAHITIAN LYRICS

'Ua rahu te atua (i) to'u 'ai'a
Hono no'ano'a o te motu rau
Heihei i te pua ri'i au é
E firi nape morohi 'ore
'O ta'u ia e fa'ateniteni nei

Te Tuoro nei te reo here
O te hui'a
'A hi'i to aroha
'Ia ora o Tahiti Nui é

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FRENCH TRANSLATION

Mon pays est né de Dieu  
Collier d'îles multiples  
Aux délicates senteurs  
Reliées d'une tresse immortelle  
Aujourd'hui je te loue  
Voici que s'élève la voix de tes enfants  
"Répands ton amour"  
Pour que vive Tahiti Nui 

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ENGLISH TRANSLATION

God created my country  
Garland of multiple islands  
With such delicate fragrances  
linked up as an everlasting braid  
Today let me praise you  
Listen to your children's voice  
Crying out "Lavish your love"  
So that Tahiti Nui can live. 

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French Polynesia
"Ia Ora 'O Tahiti Nui" (Long Live Tahiti Nui)

Words by:Maeva Bougues, Irmine Tehei, Angèle Terorotua, Johanna Nouveau,
Patrick Amaru, Louis Mamatui and Jean-Pierre Célestin
Music by:Maeva Bougues, Irmine Tehei, Angèle Terorotua, Johanna Nouveau,
Patrick Amaru, Louis Mamatui and Jean-Pierre Célestin
Adopted:1993

A French "overseas country" in the South Pacific, also including Tahiti, "La
Marseillaise" is its official anthem, however, a local anthem was adopted in
1993, and is played every June 29 during the Internal Autonomy Festival, and
every time French Polynesia participates in an international conference.

The anthem was chosen from among 17 works during a competition launched by the
Council of Ministers on May 17, 1992. The French Polynesia Assembly adopted
this composition as the Territory’s official anthem during its June 10, 1993
session. The anthem was composed and written by a group of people, they all
agreed to give the Territory all royalties from the anthem.

A bit of a controversy ensued when the anthem was unveiled, the lyrics (and the
title) refer to "Tahiti Nui"; while Tahiti is the largest island and is where a
majority of the population and the capital are situated, it excludes the other
islands and archipelagoes in the territory. There were requests to change the
lyrics to "Maohi Nui" instead, which is more representative of Polynesia.

MUSIC

