Island Of Tahiti Research Articles

Selecting HyperNav deployment sites for calibrating and validating PACE ocean color observations

A novel ocean profiling float system for calibrating and validating satellite-based ocean color observations has been developed and tested. The float-based radiometric sampling system, herein referred to as HyperNav, is complementary to traditional moored in-situ observing systems and provides additional capability due to the relatively small platform size and high radiometric accuracy that allows for opportunistic deployments at locations during seasons and conditions that are best for ocean color observations. The purpose of this study is to optimize the deployment locations of an array of HyperNav systems to support the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission by performing System Vicarious Calibration (SVC) observations. Specifically, we present the development of logistical and scientific criteria for selecting suitable sites for developing an SVC network of profiling-float-based radiometric systems capable of calibrating and validating ocean color observations. As part of the analyses described in this paper, we have synthetically deployed HyperNav at potential US-based and international sites, including: north of Crete island; south-east of Bermuda island; south of Puerto Rico island; southwest of Port Hueneme, CA; west of Monterey, CA; west of Kona, HI; and south-west of Tahiti island. The synthetic analyses identified Kona, Puerto Rico, Crete, and Tahiti as promising SVC sites. All sites considered are suitable for generating a significant number of validation match-ups. Optimally deploying HyperNav systems at these sites during the PACE post-launch SVC campaign is expected to cost-effectively provide a large number of SVC match-ups to fulfill the PACE calibration requirements.

A Comparative Study of the Floristic Diversity and Structure of Relictual Littoral and Swamp Forests in the Island of Tahiti (French Polynesia, South Pacific)

A Comparative Study of the Floristic Diversity and Structure of Relictual Littoral and Swamp Forests in the Island of Tahiti (French Polynesia, South Pacific)

Sub-daily rainfall patterns in the mountainous regions of the Island of Tahiti: Insights from a one-year rain gauge network expansion

Study regionThe Island of Tahiti in French Polynesia (17.5°S,149.5°W), with a focus on the mountainous regions of the island interior. Study focusThe high topography of Tahiti creates an obstacle for wet air masses traveling along the surface of the South Tropical Pacific Ocean, which forces air flow uplift and triggers orographic rainfall. Although the main physical processes behind orographic rain enhancement on tropical islands were identified, the ways they shape Tahitian rain fields are still not fully understood, particularly due to a lack of observations. To address the limitations posed by this shortage of rain data, this study describes the temporary expansion of the rain gauge network of Tahiti towards the mountainous island interior, and uses the resultant dataset to investigate the spatial and temporal patterns of orographic rainfall at sub-daily resolution. New hydrological insights for the regionThe analysis of the rain gauge observations on daily and shorter time-scales leads to the identification of three main types of rainfall patterns: (1) a Dry Season Trade Winds type linked to a persistent Trade Winds Inversion (TWI) and characterized by moderate orographic rainfall in windward slopes, dry conditions in most leeward areas, and localized mid-afternoon showers in the mountains downwind of the main summit of the island; (2) a Transition Season Trade Winds type linked to atmospheric disturbances weakening the TWI, and characterized by intense orographic rainfall in windward slopes and mountains, and frequent showers in leeward areas by overshoot of the main crest; and (3) a SPCZ-related type occurring when the South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) crosses Tahiti during the wet season, and characterized by intense and widespread rainfall throughout the island with clear diurnal cycle and peak intensities recorded in the mid-afternoon.

Suicide attempts in French Polynesia during the era of COVID-19: a prospective analysis over three years

Past studies in French Polynesia have identified suicide as a significant concern, with a measured annual incidence of 79.4 attempts per 100,000 population during 2008-2010. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a monitoring system was established to track and investigate suicide attempts (SA). A prospective study was conducted between April 2020 and March 2023, including all patients referred to the French Polynesia Hospital Center for SA. Demographic factors as well as clinical parameters were analyzed. During the study period, 895 SAs were registered and confirmed, with a crude annual rate of 106.7 events and the adjusted rate at 113.2 per 100,000 population. Substantial majority of SA happened in the island of Tahiti. Half of the subjects did not have psychiatric diagnosis. There was a significant increase in SA from year 1 to year 3, with young people (female more than male) particularly at risk, especially in Tahiti. The normalized incidence among females younger than 20-year-old was as high as 310.4 per 100,000 population. Our data revealed an overall 34.4% increase in SA in French Polynesia, with a striking 54.9% increase during the third year of pandemic. The last year's record high incidence, is confirmed by increased activity on suicide hotlines, notably in Tahiti. A correlation between COVID exposure and suicidal behaviors, both at the individual and social level, is suspected with young female in Tahiti being the most vulnerable. These findings highlight the need for reinforced prevention and an efficient suicide monitoring system even after the public health emergency was declared over. The study is investigator-initiated without funding.

“Weather, People, Ship”: The Environment’s Impact on Cook’s First Voyage into the Pacific

This research explores how the eighteenth-century Pacific environment shaped James Cook’s first voyage into the South Seas. Although a multitude of different investigations and numerous biographies on Cook examine this exploration, there is limited analysis of its environmental dimension. This study offers a new perspective on this famous voyage – in terms of cultural and technological impediments – from the Island of Tahiti to Aotearoa New Zealand, and to the Eastern Coast of Australia. Through a reading of expedition accounts that focus on environmental elements, it is possible to shed new light on the failure to discover the Southern Continent, uncover mistakes in observations about new territories, and understand conflicts with Indigenous people. The aim of this article is to widen the discussion about eighteenth-century European explorers by highlighting the impact of rain, winds, heat, and waters on human will and actions.

Monitoring absolute vertical land motions and absolute sea-level changes from GPS and tide gauges data over French Polynesia

In this study, we estimate the absolute vertical land motions at three tidal stations with collocated Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers over French Polynesia during the period 2007–2020, and obtain, as ancillary results, estimates of the absolute changes in sea level at the same locations. To verify our processing approach to determining vertical motion, we first modeled vertical motion at the International GNSS Service (IGS) THTI station located in the capital island of Tahiti and compared our estimate with previous independent determinations, with a good agreement. We obtained the following estimates for the vertical land motions at the tide gauges: Tubuai island, Austral Archipelago −0.92 ± 0.17 mm/yr, Vairao village, Tahiti Iti: −0.49 ± 0.39 mm/yr, Rikitea, Gambier Archipelago −0.43 ± 0.17 mm/yr. The absolute variations of the sea level are: Tubuai island, Austral Archipelago 5.25 ± 0.60 mm/yr, Vairao village, Tahiti Iti: 3.62 ± 0.52 mm/yr, Rikitea, Gambier Archipelago 1.52 ± 0.23 mm/yr. We discuss these absolute values in light of the values obtained from altimetric measurements and other means in French Polynesia.

Hybrid Deep Learning Model for Mean Hourly Irradiance Probabilistic Forecasting

For grid stability, operation, and planning, solar irradiance forecasting is crucial. In this paper, we provide a method for predicting the Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI) mean values one hour in advance. Sky images are utilized for training the various forecasting models along with measured meteorological data in order to account for the short-term variability of solar irradiance, which is mostly caused by the presence of clouds in the sky. Additionally, deep learning models like the multilayer perceptron (MLP), convolutional neural networks (CNN), long short-term memory (LSTM), or their hybridized forms are widely used for deterministic solar irradiance forecasting. The implementation of probabilistic solar irradiance forecasting, which is gaining prominence in grid management since it offers information on the likelihood of different outcomes, is another task we carry out using quantile regression. The novelty of this paper lies in the combination of a hybrid deep learning model (CNN-LSTM) with quantile regression for the computation of prediction intervals at different confidence levels. The training of the different machine learning algorithms is performed over a year’s worth of sky images and meteorological data from the years 2019 to 2020. The data were measured at the University of French Polynesia (17.5770° S, 149.6092° W), on the island of Tahiti, which has a tropical climate. Overall, the hybrid model (CNN-LSTM) is the best performing and most accurate in terms of deterministic and probabilistic metrics. In addition, it was found that the CNN, LSTM, and ANN show good results against persistence.

Detection of Mycobacterium angelicum in Human Urinary Tract, French Polynesia.

We definitively characterized Mycobacterium angelicum, an aquatic zoonotic opportunistic pathogen of the M. szulgai complex, using a polyphasic approach that included whole-genome sequencing. The sequence was obtained on the island of Tahiti, French Polynesia, from a urine specimen collected from a patient experiencing a urinary tract infection.

CAROLINE study: Incidence and characterization of melanoma in French Polynesia.

e21505 Background: Epidemiology of metastatic melanoma in French Polynesia has never been described. Yet melanoma is known to be associated with sun exposure. The aim of this monocentric study was to assess the epidemiology of metastatic melanoma in French Polynesia. Methods: Here we analyzed data of all patients diagnosed with metastatic melanoma from January 2015 to December 2020 in the only public hospital in French Polynesia and described epidemiological, survival findings and molecular characteristics. Clinical, molecular and radiological data were collected. Results: Out of 69 patients, the majority were male (74%) and median age was 65 years old. Patients were more often native from French Polynesia (59%) and Metropolitan France (32%), 80% of patients were living in Tahiti Island. Most patients had metastatic cutaneous melanoma and only 3 had metastatic uveal melanoma. A total of 37 patients had an available BRAF molecular profile and 35% were BRAF mutated. 28% were metastatic at diagnosis. First line treatments were nivolumab (31%) and pembrolizumab (15%). The ORR was 45.88% (15/33) and 2 patients had CR. Overall, the median OS was 12.2 months [95% CI, 8.64- 43.27]. Conclusions: Most patients with metastatic melanoma were from Tahiti Island and there were no major disparities between the other archipelagos. Yet facilities of access to care may vary from geographical zones. Massive prevention is still crucial.

Modeling long-distance seed dispersal of the invasive tree Spathodea campanulata in the Society Islands.

Long-distance dispersal is a key factor explaining the success of invasive alien species, particularly across oceanic islands. However, it is often not feasible to reliably measure long-distance seed dispersal (LDD) over many kilometers in the field. Here, we used a three-dimensional kinematic trajectory model (Computing Atmospheric Trajectory tool [CAT]) initiated on the basis of regional wind field data to assess the potential for LDD of a wind-dispersed invasive tree, Spathodea campanulata (African tulip tree), across the Society Islands (French Polynesia, South Pacific Ocean) following its initial planting and spread on the island of Tahiti. The main objective of our study was to determine whether S. campanulata could be expected to spread naturally among islands. Atmospheric dynamics, seed terminal velocity, precipitation, and temperature of air masses were considered to assess the potential for LDD between oceanic islands, with the island of Tahiti serving as the island source for multiple, geographically distant invasions. Aerial trajectories of modeled S. campanulata seeds indicated that wind-dispersed seeds originating from trees on the island of Tahiti could reach most of the Society Islands and disperse as far as 1364 km. This result suggests that Spathodea can be expected to spread naturally among the Society Islands. When rainfall events were modeled as causal agents of seed settlement, fewer seeds reached distant islands, but more seeds settled on the closest island (20 km away). Including effects of island topography ("barrier effects") also resulted in more seeds settling on the closest island and fewer seeds reaching the most distant islands. Overall, our findings suggest that recent atmospheric models can provide valuable insights into LDD and invasion patterns of wind-dispersed invasive species.

海洋マントルカンラン岩から探る海洋リソスフェアの熱化学状態

The life cycle of the oceanic lithosphere commences in the spreading axis and ends in the subduction zone. To trace the cooling and evolutional history of the Earth, the change in thermochemical state during the life cycle of present‒day oceanic lithosphere is desired to be elucidated. In terms of the material science, spatial limitation of human‒accessible Earth interior is a bottleneck in reconstructing the thermochemical state of the oceanic lithosphere. Yet, by combining active sampling methods using ocean research vessels (ocean drilling, ocean bottom dredging, submersible survey, etc.) and passive sampling methods using Earth’s deep materials exposed to the surface owing to tectonic forces and volcanoes, we can collect samples that cover a considerable dimension. Here, I present efforts toward the elucidation of the thermochemical state of the oceanic lithosphere during its life cycle from the spreading axis to the subduction zone. The Oman ophiolite is presented as an analogue of oceanic lithosphere formed in the vicinity of a fast‒spreading axis, whereas the peridotite xenoliths from Tahiti Island are treated as an analogue of thermochemically disturbed oceanic lithosphere by a mantle plume, and those from petit‒spots are considered as an analogue less affected by thermochemical disturbance considering the lack of mantle plume beneath the petit‒spots. A heterogeneous thermal state corresponding to the segment structure is inferred in the fast‒spreading axis. The thermochemical state of the aging oceanic lithosphere is modified by mantle plume and petit‒spot magmatism, but pristine state can be reconstructed by using suitable peridotite xenoliths whose heating‒cooling and melting history is well characterized. The peridotite xenoliths from the petit‒spots can enhance a step toward reconstructing the thermochemical state of the deep oceanic lithosphere because deep‒rooted garnet‒stable peridotite xenoliths can be found.

Anomalous Zenith Total Delays for an Insular Tropical Location: The Tahiti Island Case

The weighted mean temperature of the troposphere, Tm, is a key parameter in GNSS meteorology. It can be routinely derived based on meteorological data from radiosonde (RS) or numerical weather models. Alternatively, it can be also derived through a least-squares model of the ratio between the precipitable water vapor from RS data and the zenith wet delay estimates from GNSS measurement in the precise point positioning mode. In this last case, we found anomalous Tm values for the remote sub-tropical humid location of the Tahiti Island in the South Pacific Ocean and traced these anomalous values to anomalous zenith total delays (ZTD) that seem to have an accuracy poorer by one order of magnitude than the claimed accuracy of ZTD delays from worldwide databases. The possible causes of these discrepancies are discussed.

The Truth behind Chapter 25 in Omoo

The Truth behind Chapter 25 in Omoo Mark Howard Melville's first two novels, Typee (1846) and Omoo (1847), are based on his experiences as a mariner and beachcomber in the Pacific in the 1840s. This paper will focus on the first half of Omoo, which centers on his time serving as a crewman aboard the Australian whaling ship Lucy Ann in 1842. Melville changed the names of the vessel and the chief mate in Omoo. The Lucy Ann became the Julia and the forceful first mate, James German, was renamed John Jermin. While he was aboard the Lucy Ann, Melville heard an anecdote from James German about a shipwreck he had experienced some years earlier. Melville remembered the story and later incorporated parts of it into chapter 25 of Omoo. He embellished what he heard from German with additional material from another contemporary shipwreck account involving the Australian whaler Mary. The details of the latter shipwreck were published in American newspapers at the time Melville was writing Omoo. Just how he blended these two stories into something new is of interest as an example of Melville's creative processes at work. The relevant part of chapter 25 opens with the whaleship Julia approaching Papeete harbour on the island of Tahiti to seek medical help for her ill captain. Heading out of the harbour is a small schooner with a white crewman aboard who turns out to be "an old shipmate of Jermin's, one Viner, long supposed dead, but now resident on the island." The meeting of these men, under the circumstances, is one of a thousand occurrences appearing exaggerated in fiction; but, nevertheless, frequently realised in actual lives of adventure. Some fifteen years previous, they had sailed together as officers of the bark Jane, of London, a South Seaman. Somewhere near the New Hebrides, they struck one night upon an unknown reef; and, in a few short hours, the Jane went to pieces. The boats, however, were saved; some provisions also, a quadrant, and a few other articles. But several of the men were lost before they got clear of the wreck. [End Page 135] Click for larger view View full resolution The title page of the first edition of Omoo (1847). Image courtesy of Brian Yothers. [End Page 136] The three boats, commanded respectively by the captain, Jermin, and the third mate, then set sail for a small English settlement at the Bay of Islands in New Zealand. Of course they kept together as much as possible. After being at sea about a week, a Lascar in the captain's boat went crazy; and, it being dangerous to keep him, they tried to throw him overboard. In the confusion that ensued, the boat capsized from the sail's "jibing;" and a considerable sea running at the time, and the other boats being separated more than usual, only one man was picked up. The very next night it blew a heavy gale; and the remaining boats in taking in all sail, made bundles of their oars, flung them overboard, and rode to them with plenty of line. When morning broke, Jermin and his men were alone upon the ocean; the third mate's boat, in all probability, having gone down. After great hardships, the survivors caught sight of a brig, which took them on board, and eventually landed them in Sydney. Ever since then our mate had sailed from that port, never once hearing of his lost shipmates, whom, by this time, of course, he had long given up. Judge, then, his feelings, when Viner, the lost third mate, the instant he touched the deck, rushed up and wrung him by the hand. During the gale his line had parted; so that the boat, drifting fast to leeward, was out of sight by morning. Reduced, after this, to great extremities, the boat touched, for fruit, at an island of which they knew nothing. The natives, at first, received them kindly; but one of the men getting into a quarrel on account of a woman, and the rest taking his part, they were all massacred but Viner, who, at the time, was in an adjoining village. After staying on...

Patterns of population decline following European contact and colonization: The cases of Tahiti and the Marquesas

Recent archaeological data assess that Tahiti and the Marquesas Islands were densely populated at contact with the Europeans and then experienced a tremendous decline. This phenomenon is most often attributed to epidemics, while a steady negative increase is rarely mentioned. This paper shows that the population of Tahiti was most probably around 110,000 – or even reached 180,000 – at contact, based on a retrodiction from the 1881 census using data on epidemic mortality and annual decline rates observed in the second half of the nineteenth century in Tahiti, the Marquesas, and other Eastern Polynesian islands in similar situations, according to missionary, administrative, and medical reports. Our ‘model’, or reconstitution, provides estimates on the impact of both types of mortality. Due to no exposure to childhood and other diseases common on the continents, the Polynesians had low immunity, as shown by age-specific death rates until the 1918 flu and the 1951 measles epidemics. Following the European contact, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), tuberculosis (TB), and other introduced infectious diseases resulted in a steady population decline due to reduced birth rates and very high death rates. Health services were available for the Europeans soon after the takeover, however the natives got access to health services much later with their sporadic and fragmental provision. The constant negative increase extended far beyond the colonial period, including after effective drugs were discovered in the 1880s, becoming the main contributor to the overall demographic decline in the Marquesas, where health services were missing most of the time before 1924, mostly in the South-Eastern group.

Assessing habitat suitability for the translocation of Ochrosia tahitensis (Apocynaceae), a critically endangered endemic plant from the island of Tahiti (South Pacific)

Reintroduction or translocation of threatened plant species, as part of in situ conservation efforts, often failed because of the lack or the poor quality of remaining natural habitats due to human disturbances and invasion by alien species, especially in island ecosystems. We conducted a study on Ochrosia tahitensis (Apocynaceae), a critically endangered endemic small tree in the tropical high volcanic island of Tahiti (French Polynesia, South Pacific) to find the most suitable sites for future translocation. Distribution models were produced based on climate, topography, and plant community inventories (i.e. species composition and abundance, canopy height and openness, basal area of woody species) of the few remnant populations. Results show that this species, comprising 32 reproductive trees within 16 populations known in the wild, remains restricted to a few ecological refuges representing a very small part of its potential ecological range located on the northwest side of the island, and shares its current habitats with a set of more common native woody species found in mesic-wet forests. The use of native plant communities as a proxy for habitat suitability along with species distribution modelling can enhance translocation success in island ecosystems, but only if the major threats causing population decrease, mainly forest destruction and fragmentation and invasive alien species, are effectively managed.

First Record of Pandeid Jellyfish, Eutiara decorata Berberian, Michenet and Goy, 2021 (Hydrozoa, Anthoathecata, Pandeidae), from Japan

Two specimens of pandeid species, Eutiara decorata Berberian, Michenet and Goy, 2021 were collected from Kumejima Island in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. These specimens with a small white apical process were not yet fully-grown adults. A hyperiid amphipod, Brachyscelus crusculum, was attached to Eutiara decorata in situ. Eutiara decorata has only been reported in Tahiti Island, French Polynesia, in 2021. This is the first record from Japan and the second record of occurrence since its original description.

Charles Darwin's Traverse of the South Pacific: A New Appraisal

H.M.S. Beagle in 1835-36 spent 127 days on the transect of the South Pacific Ocean with Charles Darwin aboard. 54 of those days were spent in or near island environments as the ship visited several of the Islands of the Galápagos, the main island of Tahiti and the Bay of Islands, New Zealand: Darwin also had good views of about a dozen other islands. His methods of working were largely similar to that adopted on other sectors of the voyage – the transects of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. He was relatively well-equipped, observed and recorded carefully, constantly revising his notes as new information came to hand and as he compared one island environment with another. Although there are few signs of evolutionary insights at this stage, he was using conceptual frameworks that were important to him later. Thus, he was interested in the behaviour of animals, sometimes adopted an ecological approach, and was considering landscapes in the context of change through geological time. There are signs that he was already adopting a ‘Lyellian' or gradualist viewpoint, particularly in the context of the development of volcanic and coral islands. This paper evaluates these visits, where appropriate, making comparisons with recent visits by the present author, in which he has attempted ‘to take the archives to the field' comparing the present situation with Darwin's records.

First Isolation of Virulent Tenacibaculum maritimum Isolates from Diseased Orbicular Batfish (Platax orbicularis) Farmed in Tahiti Island.

The orbicular batfish (Platax orbicularis), also called ‘Paraha peue’ in Tahitian, is the most important marine fish species reared in French Polynesia. Sudden and widespread outbreaks of severe ‘white-patch disease’ have occurred since 2011 in batfish farms one to three weeks after the transfer of juveniles from bio-secured hatcheries to lagoon cages. With cumulative mortality ranging from 20 to 90%, the sustainability of aquaculture of this species is severely threatened. In this study, we report for the first time the isolation from diseased batfish of several isolates belonging to the species Tenacibaculum maritimum, a major pathogen of many marine fish species. Histopathological analysis, an experimental bath challenge and a field monitoring study showed that T. maritimum is associated with ‘white-patch disease’. Moreover, molecular and serological analyses performed on representative isolates revealed some degree of genetic diversity among the isolates, a finding of primary importance for epidemiological studies and the development of management and control strategies such as vaccination.

The Warrior, The Voyager, and the Artist: Three Lives in an Age of Empire by Kate Fullagar

Reviewed by: The Warrior, The Voyager, and the Artist: Three Lives in an Age of Empire by Kate Fullagar Laura M. Stevens Kate Fullagar, The Warrior, The Voyager, and the Artist: Three Lives in an Age of Empire (New Haven: Yale Univ. Press, 2020). Pp. 306; 33 b/w illus. $40.00 cloth. In The Warrior, The Voyager, and the Artist, Kate Fullagar tells the stories of three lives that left evidence of their intersection in two eighteenth-century portraits. These individuals are the painter Joshua Reynolds, the Cherokee leader Ostenaco, and Mai, a young man of Ra’iatea, one of the Society Islands in the South Pacific. Ostenaco and Mai never met each other, but they both had their portraits painted by Reynolds while they visited London. The portraits are Syacust Ukah, painted in 1762, and Omai, for which Mai sat in 1775. Fullagar positions her project within “two resurgent cultural concerns: the possibilities of life writing and the moral legacy of empire” (5). In addressing the first concern, she aligns her work with “[t]he so-called New Biography, with at least an eye out for the constructed nature of selves” (5), and in relation to the second, she cites ongoing debates between “apologists” for the British Empire and scholars advancing “The New Imperial History” (254, n. 6). These two sets of concerns, methodologies, and debate inflect each other, with, for example, a foregrounding of questions about the degree to which notions of selves are shaped by culture and by asymmetrical dynamics of power. These lives are worth telling, even as they pose oppositional challenges. Reynolds left a large footprint in archives, print, and painting, and he has been the subject of previous biographies, even as he remains a somewhat elusive figure because of the great care he clearly took to avoid controversies and thus maintain interpersonal relationships along with power. Fullagar positions herself in a somewhat crowded tradition of scholarship on Reynolds by considering him as “an imperial subject” with “mixed views on empire” (8, 7). If the main task for the book’s sections on Reynolds is to sift through a dense array of primary and secondary texts, the sections on Ostenaco and Mai entail a challenge familiar to scholars of Indigenous studies: to find and describe fully resolved human beings, with their own thoughts, agendas, and feelings, in an archive shaped by imperialist biases and erasures. Ostenaco (also known as Usteneka) was a prominent warrior and diplomat among the Overhill Cherokees of the 1750s and 1760s, who resided in present-day eastern Tennessee. The archival traces of Ostenaco’s life are fairly substantial but scattered, for he shows up with some frequency in colonial government records and in publications such as the memoirs of Henry Timberlake, a Virginia-born soldier who became acquainted with Ostenaco while on an expedition to the Overhill towns and then accompanied him on his transatlantic journey. A “chief prosecutor of the deadly Anglo-Cherokee War of 1760–61,” Ostenaco visited London along with two other Cherokees for ten weeks in 1762 “to secure the war’s termination with King George III of Britain” (3). There is also a dearth of documentation around the portrait that links these two subjects of the book. As Fullagar notes, the painter’s “pocketbooks merely state that the ‘King of the Cherokees’ came to his studio on 1 July.’” Why and how Reynolds came to paint Ostenaco is not clear; also mysterious is the fact that Reynolds kept the painting, titled it (erroneously) “Scyacust Ukah,” but “ever afterward hid it from view” (88). Mai is less visible than Ostenaco in colonial records before his visit to Britain, but there is more documentation of his two-year stay there. A young man [End Page 261] who fled his birthplace of Ra’iatea for the island of Tahiti, because of an invasion from neighboring Bora Bora, he boarded the Adventure, which accompanied the Resolution on Cook’s second voyage in 1774, ostensibly preparing it for its return voyage, and then quietly stayed on the ship when it departed. Mai’s efforts to befriend the ship’s captain, Tobias Furneaux, paid off when Furneaux persuaded Cook to allow...

Learning to Surf (Seʻe) on a Wave, from Island to Urbanesia

This paper looks at the role of artists and art instruction in New Caledonia, with particular emphasis on workshops used to teach traditional arts in a contemporary Pacific context. It articulates realistic insight into the life of Pacific artists and their work as and with tagata fenua (the Kanaky people of New Caledonia) and Polynesian participants from Uvea, Futuna, Tahiti, and other islands. Workshops at the Siapo Art Centre are designed to find ways to adapt the cultural environment to urban situations with the support of local associations, the government, and social agencies in order to develop long term initiatives. By focusing on the Kupesi Contemporary Artist in Residence program at the University of New Caledonia–Higher School of Teaching and Education (École Supérieure du Professorat et de l’Éducation, UNC ESPE) center, as well as other projects, this essay provides a window into the role of public art education in the Pacific.