Tahitian Academy

The Tahitian Academy (Tahitian: Te Fare Vānaʻa, French: Académie tahitienne) is a cultural institution in French Polynesia with the purpose of preserving and promoting the Tahitian language. The Academy standardizes vocabulary, grammar, and spelling; promotes the publication and translation of works in Tahitian; and studies the origins of the language and its relationship with other Pacific languages.^[1] Founded in 1972, it consists of up to twenty members elected by their peers.^[1]

Its current director is Flora Devantine.^[2]

History

Establishment

The Tahitian Academy was conceived independently by linguist Martial Iorss and broadcaster John Martin, who was responsible for Tahitian programs at Radio-Tahiti.^[1] Both recognised the need for a body to standardise Tahitian grammar and vocabulary to enable Tahitian to be used as a modern language.^[1] In 1967, following the denial of permission for Territorial Councillor John Teariki to publish a Tahitian-language newspaper, the Territorial Assembly demanded the repeal of the ban on Tahitian-language publications.^[1] Following this, the Governing Council approved in principle the creation of an "Academy of the Tahitian language".^[1] In 1970 the Maohi Protestant Church established a commission to study the issue.^[3] In 1972 the Territorial Assembly voted to establish a commission to appoint the first 20 academics and draft the statutes of the Academy. The commission operated very quickly, but the first session of the Academy did not take place until 1974.^[1]

The first academy

Hubert Coppenrath, one of the first members of the Academy

The first Academy included as members:

Flora Devantine (b. 1942): Spanish teacher, Tahitian language poet
Hubert Coppenrath (1930–2022): then parish priest of Papeete Cathedral
John Doom (b. 1936): general secretary of the Evangelical Church of French Polynesia
Yves Lemaitre (b. 1936): mathematician and linguist, director of ORSTOM in Papeete
John Martin (1921–2012)
Samuel Raapoto (1921–1976): president of the Evangelical Church of French Polynesia
Nedo Salmon (1925–1994): territorial councilor
Francis Sanford (1912–1996): Member of Parliament, resigned in 1978
Maco Tevane (1937–2013): member of the Government Council

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 first sessions of the Academy took place at the headquarters of the Evangelical Church. 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).^[1]

Evolution and activities of the Academy

The Academy first devoted itself to the development of a Tahitian grammar, published in December 1986, then to a Tahitian-French dictionary, published in 1999. A French-Tahitian dictionary is not yet complete due to the requirement to create numerous Tahitian neologisms. A second volume of the French-Tahitian dictionary was published in June 2015.^[4]

The Academy has also produced more modest works: textbooks (one for primary school: Ta'u puta reo Tahiti, one for secondary school: Hei pua ri'i, collection of selected pieces) and a Lexicon of technical vocabulary (a list of neologisms for use by administrations).

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". The different pronunciations of words that look identical but have very different meanings was another major challenge. As of June 2012 over 785,000 searches have been performed in this online dictionary.

The Academy celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022.^[5]

Other language academies and associations in French Polynesia

Marquesas Islands

The Marquesan Academy (South Marquesan: Tuhuna Eo Enata) was established in 2000, with the aim of promoting and enriching the Marquesan language.^[6]

Tuamotus

The Pa'umotu–Karuru vanaga Academy was established in December 2008 to preserve and promote the Tuamotuan languages of the Tuamotu archipelago.^[7] It grew out of the Te Reo o te Tuamotu association and has 14 members to represent the seven linguistic areas of the Tuamotus.^[6]

Gambier Islands

Currently, there is only one association: Reo Magareva.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h "Présentation Générale" (in French). Académie tahitienne. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
^ "Flora Devatine, ses poèmes honorés à l'Académie française". Tahiti Infos (in French). 23 July 2017. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
^ "After 200 years, Tahitian is far from dead". Pacific Islands Monthly. Vol. 41, no. 11. 1 November 1970. p. 87. Retrieved 22 October 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "Un nouveau tome du dictionnaire de l'Académie tahitienne" (in French). Tahiti Infos. 29 June 2015. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
^ "L'Académie tahitienne Fare Vana'a célèbre son jubilé" (in French). TNTV. 7 September 2022. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
^ ^a ^b "Des académies au service des langues" (in French). Tahiti Infos. 28 January 2020. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
^ "Les Paumotu ont leur académie". Les Nouvelles. 26 December 2008. Archived from the original on 30 December 2008.