News from the Atoll
A New Year Under the Polynesian Sky
“According to Polynesian cosmogony,
in the beginning there was nothing. No sky, no land, no stars.
Only the Pō, the primordial world, dark and infinite.
Within this void floated a shell.
Inside it was Ta‘aroa, the primordial god, with no father or mother, born from emptiness itself. When he awoke, he broke open his shell and emerged… only to discover that he was alone.
Finding no presence, no life, he made a foundational decision: he shattered his shell to give birth to the world.
Each fragment became creation: Each fragment became creation: the land, the sky, the elements, plants, and living beings.Even his own body took part in this genesis, like a slow dance emerging from darkness.
Thus, from emptiness, the world was born. The stars accompany this cycle. ”
- Legend shared by our guides from Tetiaroa
Since time immemorial, the sky has been an essential point of reference for many civilizations and especially for Polynesian peoples. The stars connect land to seasons, to the sacred, and to the pathways of the ocean : they guide navigation, voyages, and the cycles of life.
At this time of year, marked by Matari‘i i ni‘a , the Pleiades reappear in the sky.
On the horizon, only the tip of the Scorpius constellation remains visible: its tail forms a hook - Māui’s ‘āmua , a symbol of fishing, abundance, and prosperity to come.
Like these celestial bodies that return each year to mark the passage of time, the transition into a new year invites us to honor what has already taken shape, to continue what is in motion, and to make space for what is yet to be born.
Under the stars of Tetiaroa, we wish you a luminous year, guided by this new cycle, renewal, and the momentum of creation.
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Tetiaroa Society is a US registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (Tax ID #45-1080688). We host scientific research, develop and implement conservation and education programs, and curate the island's knowledge base. We partner with The Brando to establish Tetiaroa as a model for sustainability, where businesses, non-profits, scientists, educators and the local community work together for common goals. Our program objectives are summarized in our Conservation and Sustainable Use Plan, which is available on our website.