Island

From The Tetiaroa Society Blog:

The traditional blessing of our Ecostation took place on April 24, to instill the spirit and knowledge of Tahitian demi-god Honuura. The ceremony was led by spiritual leader Teihotaata Punitai, with the support of the Committee of Elders from Te Pu Atiti’a, an association that works to preserve Tahitian culture and customs.

Teihotaata Punitai blessed Tetiaroa Society’s Ecostation with the Tahitian name “Te Fare rau ihi” – The House of Multiple Sciences – which also refers in local terms to the marriage of science and wisdom.

Maeva and Maco Bougue, Marie Teihotaata, Marie Tepava, and Hinano Murphy, president of Te Pu Atitia, supported the ritual at the Ecostation on motu Onetahi.

Hinano Bagnis, Ph.D., executive director of Tetiaroa Society said, “The blessing ceremony was an essential first step before opening the Ecostation and we are all extremely honored by the name given by Teihotaata Punitai and the Committee of Elders. We have taken the wisdom of our ancestors and can now apply it to our future, to help preserve and sustain Tetiaroa and the world around us.”

Read more here: http://tetiaroasociety.org/te-fare-rau-ihi/

When Marlon set sail on his journey to begin filming ‘Mutiny on the Bounty’, he had no idea what a profound experience he would eventually encounter. Marlon fell in love with Tahiti and its people. He went on to purchase a twelve-island atoll named Tetiaroa and began plans to develop the land into a place where he could further explore the benefits of eco-conscious living through research while simultaneously making it grounds for an environmentally-friendly and self-sustainable resort. The plans went through many redesigns but Marlon’s wishes were finally carried out when The Brando resort opened on Tetiaroa in the summer of 2014.

The Brando resort project was spearheaded by Richard Bailey of Pacific Beachcomber,  a longtime friend of Marlon’s who had been working with him on the project for years. The Brando resort features 35 luxury villas, restaurants, a spa, a fitness center, and a resort pool. Activities at the resort include snorkeling, scuba diving, and exploring the nearby islands and Tahitian culture. It uses much of the sustainable technology that Marlon so fervently championed to ensure there is little impact on the surrounding environment.

Tetiaroa Society was established in 2010 to further support Marlon’s vision for his beloved atoll to become a model of sustainability and a place for world changing science. A tax-exempt 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Tetiaroa Society boasts a world-class scientific advisory board and attracts researchers from around the world to study its unique terrestrial and marine environments for local and global purposes. Research institutions from French Polynesia, Europe and the United States have conducted studies into important issues like ocean acidification, coral reef protection, and mosquito population control, among many other subjects, helping Tetiaroa become known for its scientific opportunity – just as Marlon envisioned.