Tahitian Academy

[1] The first Academy included as members: The membership of the first academy indicates that the Tahitian language was used by many members of the ruling categories (civil servants, politicians, men of the Church), including native metropolitans (Yves Lemaître, but also Paul Prévost, a linguist based in Papeete after training at INALCO).

The Academy first chose a Tahitian name: Fare Vana'a takes up that of an institution of ancient society, the place where old men passed on their traditional knowledge to young people.

It then drafted articles of association, providing for an office (To'ohitu) of seven members elected for one year (director, chancellor, secretary, treasurer and 3 assessors).

In November 2002, after several months of intensive work in coordination with a committee of academicians composed of Bishop Hubert Coppenrath, Patua Coulin (known as “Mama Vaetua”), John Doom, John Martin, Raymond Pietri, Winston Pukoki and Maco Tevane, the digital Tahitian-French dictionary was produced by two passionate young Polynesians (Teiva Saranga and Kaimana Van Bastolaer) and implemented online in the form of a public website in order to disseminate the work of the Academy to as many people as possible.

Particular attention was paid to the use of spelling respectful of the work of the institution, in particular at the level of the long vowels called "Tarava".