The annual Ti’a Ma’i Festival (this year’s edition of Heiva i Tahiti) will take place on the island of Tahiti. A vibrant celebration marking 140 years of the Heiva i Tahiti, Tahiti Ti’a Mai will feature traditional Tahitian dance and musical performances, fire walking, sports, and historical and art exhibitions. Immerse yourself in 140 years of cultural history as we come together to celebrate the unique traditions of The Islands of Tahiti.
Events celebrating the occasion will include dance (ori Tahiti) accompanied by drums and traditional instrumentation, fire performances and more.
This 2021 edition of Heiva i Tahiti is not the usual annual event. This year’s event maintains the spirit and most important elements of the original in a collaborative series of performances and demonstrations, rather than in a competitive format. The event will bring together 23 groups for six evenings of unforgettable shows.
The Heiva, which means gathering in Tahitian, is an expression of joy, strength and resilience of the Polynesian people. The performances and traditions expressed at Heiva were discouraged by early colonial missionaries and prohibited by the Pomare Code of 1819 which sought to suppress Polynesian culture.
This history combined with recent world events, make this year’s Ti’a Ma’i Festival a more poignant celebration than ever before, a jubilee of the lasting traditions and spirit, or Mana, of The Islands of Tahiti.
To learn more and purchase tickets to this year’s event please visit Heiva i Tahiti website.
