Event· Rurutu· French Polynesia: Tuamotus, Marquesas, Gambier & Australs
Tere Festival Rurutu (January stone lifting)
22° 26.9′ S · 151° 20.7′ W · approximate
Every January the whole island makes the Tere A'ati, a procession around Rurutu on foot, horseback, bike or car, stopping at sacred sites to retell ancestral legends. It ends with a feast, music, dance and traditional stone-lifting contests.
Practical
Coordinate is the Moerai mairie annexe; the three villages (Moerai, Avera, Hauti) take turns hosting, and the procession ends in the host village's main square. Stone lifting is listed among the cultural activities, and Tahiti Tourisme shows it at a Tere A'ati; the exact contest day varies. Other Rurutu festivities: Tere Matahiti (New Year house visits), the 'fête du Me' and Tiurai (July). January is cyclone season, so few yachts are here; fly in or watch the weather closely.
Best for
Living Austral culture
Season
January