Singing, ceremonies and straw hats: Olympics opening ceremony in Tahiti centers Polynesian culture

PAPARA, Tahiti (AP) — Tahitian dancers in palm-leaf skirts mingled with Olympic surfers, locals and vacationers because the opening ceremony for the Summer time Video games commenced in French Polynesia on Friday morning, some 10,000 miles away from the principle ceremony in Paris.

“The folks of Tahiti, we’re all enchanted to have these Olympics video games right here and to welcome all our buddies from all around the world,” President of French Polynesia Moetai Brotherson instructed The Related Press. “This can be a once-in-a-lifetime alternative for us. All of the world is us for this mighty wave.”

Simply steps from the ocean and set in opposition to the plush inexperienced mountains of Tahiti, the occasion was closely centered on Polynesian tradition: Guests had been welcomed with conventional Tahitian singing, dancing and ceremonies. Native authorities, Olympics and browsing officers had hand-woven palms positioned round their necks upon arrival. White tents supplied a shady spot for distributors to promote native greens, Polynesian crafts and meals.

Throughout one a part of the ceremony athletes sealed banana leaves right into a vessel, following an ancestral custom in Polynesian tradition — referred to as Rahiri — used as a prelude to vital occasions to safe the peace and union of these competing. Throughout one other a part of the ceremony, athletes from totally different nations poured sand right into a single communal container, symbolizing unity and respect for the ocean.

Earlier than the occasion, surfer Caroline Marks from the US mentioned she was excited to be returning to the Olympics after she positioned fourth on the Tokyo Olympics, the place Olympic browsing first debuted.

“That is approach totally different from Tokyo, once we had been in pandemic and there have been no spectators — it felt secluded,” she instructed AP. “This Olympics undoubtedly have a special vibe and it’s nice to be again.”

The occasion was open to the general public, with locals and vacationers alike attending.

“I feel it’s a very nice alternative for us to indicate our tradition to the world and actually reveal that we exist,” mentioned native guesthouse proprietor Hiro Boosie, 25. “We need to present what sort of folks we’re to the world.”

Regardless of further safety comparable to police checkpoints and a few street closures nearer to the Olympic venues, vacationers mentioned that they felt their go to to Tahiti through the Olympics was up to now a clean and welcoming expertise.

“The locals are superb, and I really feel that it’s truly very effectively organized for vacationers to be right here,” mentioned Dhikra Bahri, 23, who was visiting from Tunisia.

Worldwide Browsing Affiliation president Fernando Aguerre introduced that the browsing competitors would begin the next day. Surf forecasts predict the situations might be favorable. Solely 4 days of a 10-day window might be allotted for the competitors, dependent upon wave situations.

All through the week, opponents had been seen paddling out to the world-famous waves of Teahupo’o beginning earlier than dawn to reap the benefits of unique entry to the situation for coaching forward of the competitors.

In Teahupo’o, residents have spent the ultimate days earlier than the competitors getting ready their city for the inflow of additional folks: Households have cleaned trash and particles from beachside strolling paths, prolonged their enterprise hours and constructing selfmade dust street bumps.

The 2024 browsing occasion units the Olympic report for the competitors held furthest away from a number metropolis. ___

AP Summer time Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games