The departure of varua from the island of Tahiti

Faatura i te tiàturiraa a te ui tupuna,

Faatura i te faanahoraa a to tahito,

Faatura i te rereraa varua i TATAA.

Each island has one main rereraa varua (take off place of the souls), and Tahiti’s is Tataa hill.
Past generations have handed down to us te rereraa varua i Tataa, the entire hill of Tataa in its natural state. It is the faatura (respect) of past generations that has enabled Tataa hill to be preserved in its entirety to this day.
It is the responsibility of our generation to continue to preserve te rereraa varua i Tataa in its entirety and pass it down to future generations.

It is not a question of believing or not believing, but of respecting.

We owe respect to the beliefs of the first people, we owe respect to the

values ​​of the ancient Polynesians

In the past, when a person died, his tino (body) was taken care of by his relatives and the tahuà (priests).
As for his varua (soul, spirit, conscience), it was believed to leave the body after 3 days at the latest. Scented maire ferns were woven into a conical hat called fare maire, which was placed on the head of the deceased to accommodate his varua, as it exited his body through the skull. Indeed, the skull was believed to be the usual exit the varua would take to leave the body.

Ua unuhi te varua, the spirit of the deceased has gone.

For varua of the deceased on the island of Tahiti, this was the start of a long and difficult journey to Tataa hill, described by Teuira Henry as “the meeting place in Tahiti for all disembodied souls”.

Along the way, varua may encounter dangers such as feiā tahutuahu and tahuà nanati, who capture weak, troubled or confused varua and use them to carry out their evil deeds.

To escape these dangers, varua try to reach Te-ara-varua, the major route, the energy line that links Matarufau, the extreme SE tip of Tahiti to Tataa, the extreme NW tip of Tahiti.

Varua can also choose to follow the mountain ridge line or skirt the barrier reef.

Photo : coral plaques Punaauia  St Etienne Church

Approaching Tataa hill, varua meet the gardians of the entrances of the sacred zone.

For varua arriving on the Faaa side, it is the dog called Piihoro who stands on the land named Pofatu-Hurihuri. 

For varua arriving on the Punaauia side, it is the giant Atua-Òa who dwells on the land named  Òfaì-Putuputu.

What do these gardians check? Who can enter the sacred zone and who can’t? Are there favourable moments? Unfavorable ones? We don’t know, and we encourage you to imagine the meetings.

Once authorized to continue their tere (journey), varua head for one of the fresh-water springs located near Tataa hill, Vaituparere spring on the Faaa side,

and Punaau spring on the Punaauia side.

Varua plunge into one of them for an invigorating bath, then climb Tataa hill nearby.
The stop at the top of Tataa hill is the major step of their journey on the island of Tahiti. There they concentrate, reflect and analyse. They must free themselves of all that encumber them. They must acquire a great lightness in order to leave the island, to leave the human world. 
This is the reason why our Department of Culture and Heritage states that, as varua prepare themselves to leave the island of Tahiti, “silence, calm, serenity and simplicity must reign on Tataa hill. The site of Tataa holds a meditative function. Thus, any project linked to any activity or entertainment are unthinkable on Tataa hill” (SCP April 2017).

That stop on the hill can take time, several nights, several moons perhaps. When their thoughts are calmed down, peace, serenity and mental clarity are experienced. Varua can then focus on the choice available to them, they must choose between 2 stones, 2 doors, 2 paths, Te Ôfaì ora and Te Ôfaì pohe.

Once their choice is made, they taa (detach themselves, separate) from the island of Tahiti to continue their journey, they leave the human world and enter the varua space.
Te Rangi Hiroa says that “varua glide on the golden light of the setting sun”.

The inhabitants of Fanatea know that a varua has left Tahiti upon hearing the special sound of a wave slapping into the small pass of Veo.
                                                 Paaìna te miti i Veo ra e
                                                Tapaò faaìte i to Tefana
                                                Ua reva tei herehia.

Some varua may decide to set off alone, while others may wait for the right moment, a particular night, and set off in group.

The same Department of Culture and Heritage has stated that “the site of Tataa must remain untouched by any human activity, entertainment or development and must remain in its natural state” (SCP April 2017).

There is only one rereraa varua per island, the one in Tahiti is Tataa.

Tataa hill also welcomes varua from other islands. Maori descendants of Tainui canoe say that their parents' wairua, after leaving Te Reinga Wairua, fly to Tataa hill, which makes sense given that the Tainui canoe came from Tefana-i-Ahuraì, the town called Faaa today.

It is therefore important to keep Tataa hill in its pristine state, since it is still active today.