Sunday, June 14, 2020

Bora Bora - where is it? i don't speak Taihitian. Not to worry. It's easy and English or French will do


Sofitel, Bora Bora. From Wikipedia on Bora Bora, South Pacific.

Every day Google sends me a picture. I like almost all of them. So long as pictures show scenery and plants, that is fine by me. Peaceful. Not dangerous. Drone views okay.

So today up comes an island mountain surrounded by sea and in the centre foreground a string of villas on, I image stilts, in a curve. I wish the picture was captioned. But you have to click that you like what you see to get the location.

It was Bora Bora. I googled that. French Polynesia, Leeward islands. Known as the pearl of the Pacific.
Bora Bora.
The name is delightful. Alliterative and amusing. Memorable and magical.

LANGUAGE
From Wikipedia
In ancient times the island was called "Pora pora mai te pora", meaning "created by the gods" in the local Tahitian dialect. This was often abbreviated Pora Pora meaning simply "first born". Because of ambiguities in the phonemes of the Tahitian language, this could also be pronounced Bola Bola or Bora Bora. 

 From Wikivoyage

Language[

The main languages that are spoken by people in Bora Bora Island are French and Tahitian although most inhabitants that interact with visitors have good comprehension of the English language. Most tourists that visit the island are Americans, Japanese and Europeans.
Some key words for in the local language in Bora Bora include:
(My memory aids in brackets)
  • Hello - Ia Ora na (yo-rah-nah) (A bit like the Maori Kio Ora)
  • Goodbye - Nana (nah-nah) (Goodbye to nanna is Nah-nah nanna)
  • Yes - E (ay) The ayes have it.  
  • No - Aita (eye-tah)
  • Man - Tane (tah-nay)
  • Woman - Vahine (vah-he-nay)
  • Child - Tamarii (tah-ma-ree-ee)
  • Friend - Hoa (ho-ah)
  • Polynesian - Ma' ohi (mah-o-hee)
  • Big - Nui (new-ee)
  • Small - Iti (ee-tee) - remember the song about the 'tsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow dot bikini'? Well, here on Bora-bora, ee-tee is small, considering at local prices, for dinner I shall order the small one)
  • Morning - Poipoi (poy-poy)
  • Small island formed by coral and sand - Motu

Culture[edit]

There are about 10,600 people living in Bora Bora, these people have a firm grip on the culture, myths and traditions that have been handed down from the Polynesian gods. They have traditional songs and dances for the island. They love to share their culture with the visitors. The pace is laid-back with a relaxing atmosphere. They live by a philosophy:
 ‘aita pea pea’ which means ‘not to worry’ or 'no worries'.
What to Do and See

 SCENERY
Extinct volcanoes. (Many islands have mountains which are the tips of what was once a volcanic eruption.)
Coconut trees
Coconut trees with bands to repel coconut crabs also called crab robbers. US govt photo. 
Take photos.
Hiking and climbing.

 SEA
Snorkelling. 
Scuba diving. 
Deep sea fishing. Parasailing.
If you are not into diving
1 Bora Bora Lagoonarium is an enclosure with a submarine.

 SEE
Protestant Church

Maohi Protestant church in Anau, Bora Bora.

 Marae temple(s)

 Ship from WW2

 Snack Stop:
Bloody Mary bar.

 Shopping
The speciality of Bora Bora is Black Pearls. Commonly known around the world as Tahitian Black Pearls, the pearls of Bora Bora are indigenous to the remote lagoons of French Polynesia in the South Pacific. . The most popular place to buy and make your own Black Pearl Jewellery is The Farm at the Bora Bora Pearl Company.

 Getting there
Covid-19 conditions must be taken into account. 
Flights go from Tahiti. The flight takes about an hour. Bora Bora is north west of Tahiti.
It seems horrendously expensive. I've encountered horrendously expensive on islands in the Caribbean. So, not to worry that I cannot go there and have to learn about it online. The language learning has been delightful. I can point to myself and say, bora bora, which means first born.
Courses to learn other languages if you already speak French



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