Word for the Travel Wise (02/03/07)

When temperatures start to climb too high and the ocean breeze off the island isn’t cutting it try asking for one of these to cool you down…

Today’s word is a Tahitian (Maohi) word used in Tahiti:

pia – beer

Tahitian is one of the two official languages of French Polynesia with the other being French. There are approximately 120,000 speakers through the Polynesian Islands. Head to Wikipedia for the background details as always. After you’ve gotten your history fix go to the tourism site for a small useful list of words to help get you by on the islands. Tahiti Explorer looks like it has the small list of words with a few more added on and a nifty pronunciation guide. The same thing goes for the list of words on the Tahiti Traveler without the pronunciation guide, so it’s really up to you to take your pick. Lonely Planet has a guide which probably has the same amount of words in the back of the glossary. Still – better to know a few than none at all.

Past Tahitian words: tamaaraa, pape, niuniu paraparau

Word for the Travel Wise (08/10/06)

Vacationers flying into Tahiti for the month of September and on should take a peak at this cool website I just happened to fall upon this evening. The Tahitian Traveler has a good listing of things to consider beyond sunbathing on the beach all day. World Tourism Day is held sometime in the month of September as is an annual arts and crafts fest. Although Tahiti is well-known as a vacation getaway for newlyweds if you’re a lady going solo in the month of October you may wish to check out the Mister Tahiti contest. Not that I’m suggesting you spend all your time drooling over hot Pacific Islanders, but some added eye candy to the tropical settings around you won’t hurt anything. And mind you – I said eye candy.

Today’s word is a Tahitian (Maohi) word used in Tahiti:

tamaaraa – feast

Tahitian is one of the two official languages of French Polynesia with the other being French. There are approximately 120,000 speakers through the Polynesian Islands. Head to Wikipedia for the background details as always. After you’ve gotten your history fix go to the tourism site for a small useful list of words to help get you by on the islands. Tahiti Explorer looks like it has the small list of words with a few more added on and a nifty pronunciation guide. The same thing goes for the list of words on the Tahiti Traveler without the pronunciation guide, so it’s really up to you to take your pick. Lonely Planet has a guide which probably has the same amount of words in the back of the glossary. Still – better to know a few than none at all.