FABLED ISLAND

hey he [Music] the the hoola dance symbol of Escape for those who dream of romance and adventure in the South [Music] Pacific Tahiti one of the few spots in this troubled world where it's still fun to be alive and where having fun is a full-time occupation Tahiti fabled island where the Sun Shines on emerald green Seas on unspoiled dazzling beaches on lush tropical forests where you'll be lulled to sleep by the soft rhythm of waves breaking on nearby coral [Music] reefs where you can have a lagoon for a private bathtub where unexpected guests are [Music] welcome where your neighbors have a kind of cheeky way of saying hello and there generous too even if it means sharing their last [Music] coconut wahini means girl their charm gentleness and Beauty have been immortalized by Paul Goan the famous artist who found the island a refuge from Modern civilization Still Standing today as a reminder of their ancient Polynesian gods and idol worship is the Mari of rahu rahu sacrificial Altar and religious grounds where High priests held important religious ceremonies and where human sacrifices were made to Plate the gods of War and Peace these practices became a thing of the past when a Catholic Mission from Peru arrived in 1773 the First Methodist missionaries came from England 25 years later things haven't changed much since the English Navigator Captain Wallace first saw these Shores from the ship dolphin nearly 200 years ago an unfamiliar figure enters upon the scene in fact a whole flock of them the sightseers have arrived and the click of the camera has become all as powerful as the beat of native [Music] [Applause] drums they are a strange TR Tribe Called tourists the boy is explaining and they fly all over the South Pacific in a big Silver Bird and they'll pay real money for such useless things as grass skirts hotels are rising or rather spreading because the most popular ones are colonies of native Bungalows built of bamboo from the look of things the Sandy Shores of Tahiti may become another W Kei Riviera or Miami as the well-healed traveler looks for new lands in which to go native youth rules Tahiti more than half of its population of 40,000 is under 20 years old and a mixture of many strains Polynesian Chinese Spanish English and French in 1880 Tahitian King pomare fif seeded his tiny country to France in 1946 tahitians became French [Music] citizens the center of tahan life is the busy sea port of papete the only Waterfront in the world where luxury liners grimy Freighters fishing boats and Yachts of all sizes tie up right on Main Street in fact the port is a Haven and an exclusive club for amate Sailors with the time and money to travel at their Leisure throughout the southern seas because of this papete is a lively Town day or night there's a carnival atmosphere and the music and mert is long loud and unconfined among the first Sailors to find out about this happy State of Affairs were Captain bl's Crew on the Bounty they came saw and started the most famous Mutiny in history they just didn't want to go home Pap's traffic bikes scooters cars and buses whiz along at a rapid clip traffic jams are minor but give them time the shops are run mainly by the Island's 6,000 Chinese who are among tahiti's most solid citizens the most famous Waterfront bar is Quinns scene of some of the most colorful fights and frolics in Pap's history [Music] movies are popular in Tahiti it's the only place where the natives can escape the tourists because what tourist comes to Paradise to look at movies it'll be on The Late Late Show anyhow when he gets home advertising the current flicker is no problem despite the lack of newspapers coming attractions are circulated throughout the island by girls on bikes [Music] and if they stop for a swim in a lagoon or a 10 course Feast called a Tamara or an allight hoola dance it doesn't really matter because tahitians will go to the movies no matter what's playing [Music] this is a big day for Tahiti the land of Eternal spring is about to join the rest of the world a 12,000 ft air strip built to accommodate jet planes has just been completed until now the only way to reach this fabled island was by ship or flying boat now the jet age has come to Tahiti and almost the entire population is on hand for the airport's opening and and of course no big event can be celebrated properly without the inevitable hoola on Sunday everyone goes to the horse races tahitians love to gamble they don't care about the odds and no risk is too wild Win Lose or Draw they just laugh and try again they're off and running bearback in the South Pacific sweep States the also ran has no saddle No Rider and no pay off Tahiti is a lively place but the visitor carries away deeper memories of a closeness to Nature sharing with you her Secrets even though briefly of peace and Harmony if you return her attractions will be as great for as the French in Tahiti say the more Tahiti changes the more she is the same [Music] oh [Music]