French Polynesia’s 2024 stamp program started with a new Lunar New Year artist. Once again, FARE RATA’s annual Zodiac stamp begins the year, and boy is it a beautiful one. Raiatea born artist Évrard Chaussoy supplied the impressive sculpture for the Wooden Dragon release. He combines traditional New Year elements with a distinct Polynesian style.
So far Fare Rata, the Polynesian post office, hasn’t issued an info sheet on the stamp, but when they do, I’ll be able to add post marks, FDCs and a few more detail. Chaussoy’s design is a dramatic shift from the one created by Cédric Sengues designs. Just compare his 2012 Dragon stamp to Chaussoy’s.
With last year’s Rabbit, Sengues wrapped up 2 Lunar cycles that began in 2010 and made way for what hopefully is the first in a full cycle from Chaussoy.
2023 was an excellent year for Polynesian stamps, but arguably their strongest design was the last one issued – MOURNER COSTUME/’AHU HEVA TŪPĀPA’U.
This costume from the pre-European period was worn during funerary rites carried out during the mourning ceremonies of an arii’i (chief), ari’i nui
(supreme chief) or ari’i rahi (grand chief). Circulaire_costume BD.pdf (farerata.pf)
I loved this stamp because it led me to all sorts of Polynesian cultural sites. Finding new ideas and people to explore is what philately is all about.
Fare Rata supplies great info sheets on each stamp, and good cancels. This year, I’ll be able to add FDCs for a change. They recently set up a new store front which has some excellent scans of all the FDCs, not to mention stamps. 2024 should be a good year for this page. Over the next couple of days, I’ll wander over the 2023 post and add the covers.
2024 is off to a strong start.
Enjoy
Catpaw
February
Year of the Dragon
1 stamp, sheets of 10, FDC, cancel
mixed
Designer/artist: Evard Chaussoy
Evrard Chaussoy, Artist – Tahiti, French Polynesia
Release date: February 9, 2024
March
Women’s Day – Yvonne Katupa – Māmā Yvonne
1 stamp, sheets of 25, FDC, cancel
offset
Don’t miss the design in the selvedge!
Yvonne Katupa – Kui Haka’iki, or “Mother of Chiefs”
Mrs. KATUPA was the mother of the mayors of the Marquesas Islands, on the one hand because she was indeed the oldest mayor — she was deputy mayor for 23 years! —, and on the other hand, because Māmā Yvonne embodied all the affection, all the love shown to a mother by her children, her Marquesan peers who succeeded one another over time and who had the greatest respect for her, an almost veneration, to the point that they never made any decision without the precious, unavoidable advice of their dear Kui Haka’iki, Māmā Yvonne.
For she was an admirable and unparalleled woman, honored by the entire Marquesan community, and her fame extended beyond the borders of our islands, throughout the Pacific. Born of her Marquesan culture, nourished by the myths and traditions of ‘Enana-‘Enata, she has dedicated her entire life to the preservation and transmission of her cultural heritage. Like the great pahu that resonate on the majestic and grandiose tohua of the valleys of her island, she has been the beating heart of her community, the awakened conscience of the young generations in the making, an essential pillar who has worked tirelessly for the well-being of the inhabitants of her valleys of Hatihe’u and ‘A’akapa.
read the entire post here: Message of condolences from the Vice-Presidency following the death of Yvonne KATUPA – The Presidency of French Polynesia (presidence.pf)
You can translate the article and the bottom section, in French translates well.
You can download the pdf issued by Fare Rata here: Circulaire_droitsfemmeYK_BD.PDF (farerata.pf) It includes a good bio on Mrs. Katupa.
Designer: Heretu Tetahioutupa
Photographer: Ingalil Hubert/ COMOTHE
Release date: March 8, 2024
May
80 Years of the Birth of Henri Hiro
1 stamp, sheets of 25, FDC, cancel
offset
Poet, activist, playwright. Hiro wrote in both French and Tahitian.
Tahitian activist and poet/playwright Henri Hiro wrote in both French and Tahitian languages, expressing two forms of thinking about colonialism in French Polynesia, while an activist in the anti-nuclear and independence movement in Papeete, Tahiti. Now a national hero of Tahiti, the late poet has also been an inspiration to other Oceania artists and activists, especially in islands like American Samoa where present day colonialism erases the position of a “post-colonial” critique. Notions such as “indigenous” and “native” sometimes seem to substitute for and to weaken arguments of sovereignty and culture/language foundations in present day colonized nations.
McMullin, Dan Taulapapa. “‘Here Is the Fire That Devours Me’: Tahitian Spirituality and Activism in the Poetry of Henri Hiro.” Journal of Francophone Studies 8.3 (2005): 17. Print. (1) “Here is the Fire that Devours Me”: Tahitian spirituality and activism in the poetry of Henri Hiro | Dan Taulapapa McMullin – Academia.edu (you need to create an account)
The above quote is an excerpt from the abstract for “Here is the Fire that Devours Me”: Tahitian spirituality and activism in the poetry of Henri Hiro by Dan Taulapapa McMullin. Published in 2005, Journal of Francophone Studies. If you can access the paper, grab it. It’s a lengthy examination of Hiro, and writing, from an Oceania writer, not a western source. It is a complex examination and worth the time to read it.
Designer: FARE RATA post
Release date: May 31, 2024
June
Miss Tahiti Booklet – 2024
8 stamps in booklet format
offset
Designer: FARE RATA post
Release date: June 12, 2024
Teahupo’o – Surfing Events – 2024 Olympics
1 stamp, sheets of 25, FDC, cancel
offset
Surfing will make its second Olympics appearance in 2024. The venue is Teahupo’o.
Surfing: Top facts about Paris 2024 Olympic venue Teahupo’o, Tahiti (olympics.com)
Several Polynesian athletes have participated in the Olympic Games: Maurice APEANG, the first Tahitian selected for the Munich Games in 1972, Paul BONNO who followed in his footsteps in 1976 in Montreal, Anne-Caroline GRAFFE, silver medallist in London in 2012 and the surfer Michel BOUREZ selected for the Tokyo Games, the last torchbearer of the Olympic torch in Tahiti, who lit the cauldron with emotion and panache in To’ata Square on June 13, 2024. TEAHUPO’O SURF EVENTS – PARIS 2024 (farerata.pf)
Designer: FARE RATA post
Release date: June 12, 2024
Heiva Tu’Aro
2 stamps, 2 sheets of 25, 2 FDCs, cancel
offset
Traditional sports – Coconut tree climbing, stone lifting, javelin throwing, coconut husking, copra, fruit carrying, wrestling, canoeing
Designer: FARE RATA post
Release date: June 12, 2024
August
Ambassador Object of French Polynesia – Maro ‘Ura
1 stamp, sheets of 25, FDC and cancel coming
offset
Maro ʻura traces the history and underlines the cultural importance of one of the most prestigious objects of the great chiefdoms of the Society Islands
… Who were maro ‘ura girdles worn by and in what context?
The maro ‘ura were worn by the ari‘i rahi, the high chiefs of the Society Islands. These objects were very rare and were only worn during important ceremonies such as their investiture
3_MARTINE_AUBLET_MARO_URA_DEPLIANT_AIDE-VISITE_HD_EN_web.pdf (quaibranly.fr)
The link above is a downloadable pdf that goes into detail about the Maro ‘ura and its cultural significance. It was issued in 2022 to accompany an exhibition at the musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac. The Maro ‘ura used on this stamp is featured on the pdf. The pdf goes on to explain how the Maro ‘ura were lost to history as colonization took root on the islands.
The maro ‘ura were treasures associated with the great chiefdoms of the Society Islands. The thousands of coloured feathers that composed them were invaluable. But they were also eminent objects of power. By connecting the wearer to the gods ritually, visually and spiritually, they rendered them exceptional beings and underlined their political and religious power not commensurate with that of other men. Traces of the maro ‘ura were lost in the early 19th century; some were gifted to missionaries when converting the islands to Christianity, and they subsequently all disappeared.
Release date: August 23, 2024
Eels in Polynesia – Puhi paa
Artist: T. Plenet
Release date: September 27, 2024
0 Comments