Internal Autonomy Day (French: Fête de l’autonomie; Tahitian: Heiva o te)[1] is an official holiday in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France. It is celebrated annually on 29 June, to honor Tahitian and French Polynesian self-rule. The day also marked the annexation of the Kingdom of Tahiti and the turnover of native sovereignty by King Pōmare V to France.[2]
Pro-autonomy political parties celebrate the holiday on 29 June while Oscar Temaru, former President of French Polynesia who advocated independence from France, noted that the day should known as "Mourning Day" instead.[2] The date French Polynesia achieved internal autonomy was on 6 September 1984.[3]
The holiday is mainly celebrated in the capital of Papeete, on the island of Tahiti. It is celebrate with parades, entertainment and concert on the waterfront of Papeete.
Abolition and replacement
editOn 30 April 2024, a unanimous decision was made by the Council of Ministers in session with President Moetai Brotherson to abolish Internal Autonomy Day and replace it with Matariʻi, a public holiday in native observance of the Pleiades on November 20th inspired by the success of similar Matariki celebrations in New Zealand, the act would be implemented officially on 2025.[4]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Kennedy, David M.; Center for International Studies (2001). Africa, Asia, and Oceania: Culturegrams 2002. Orem, UT: CultureGrams. p. 100. ISBN 978-0-89434-421-3. OCLC 48029327.
- ^ a b "Tahiti Observes Internal Autonomy Day". AGlobalWorld.com. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
- ^ Stanley, David (2004). South Pacific. David Stanley. p. 124. ISBN 978-1-56691-411-6.
- ^ Prevost, Bertrand (30 April 2024). "Férié le 20 novembre, Matari'i remplace la fête de l'autonomie". Tahiti Infos (in French).
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