8 unmissable cultural experiences around the South Pacific

With sacred sites, ancient languages and fireside dances, the South Pacific isn’t just for beach holidays.

Australians have long held a fascination for the exotic islands of the South Pacific, and it’s easy to see why. For an island nation where distances are a way of life, the South Pacific is only a short plane ride away from most capital cities – paradise without the jetlag. And while your mind might wander to perfect beaches fringed by palms and a poolside deck chair with your name on it, the South Pacific offers so much more than just relaxation. Spacifica Travel can help you immerse yourself in the culture of this distinctly beautiful region. It’s been dedicated to crafting personalised itineraries filled with unique cultural moments throughout the South Pacific for over 20 years.

With an intricately knitted culture connecting the islands of Polynesia, it’s not hard to discover the culture of the South Pacific if you know where to look. From fireside dances and UNESCO heritage sites to the ghosts of forgotten explorers and the local legends of the sea-faring people, these are the best experiences around the South Pacific to showcase its vast and fascinating cultures.

Tahiti

1. Explore ancient marae and sacred sites

Walking through the many marae (open-air temples) in Tahiti, you can almost hear the ancient Polynesians in song and ritual as the wind gently rocks the palm fronds and the waves crash on the reef. Far from being dusty outdoor museums, the ruins of these marae are reminders of an ancient sea-faring people who thrived on these islands. Their ancestors live and breathe in Tahiti today and are a testament to the tenacity of past Polynesians. Sit for a while among the ruins, feel the history in their shapes and soak up the beauty of this South Pacific paradise.

Walk through Tahiti’s ancient marae. (Image: Stéphane Mailion Photography)

2. Retrace history through the ancestral practice of tapa

Not far from the tropical beaches of Tahiti, you can learn the ancient art of making tapa cloth. Connect to ancient Polynesians as you pick the inner tree bark you’ll use to help tell the tale of the Tahitian goddess, Hina. Making the natural colours from local plants, you’ll be able to paint the story of Hina and learn the importance of tapa as a symbol of identity and cultural pride for Cook Islanders.

Make your own tapa cloth. (Image: Getty/ Ben Krut)

Samoa

3. Witness the fire dance

As the sun sets over the Polynesian waters, settle in and prepare to experience one of Samoa’s most powerful dances: the Samoan fire knife dance, known as siva afi. By the light of the fire, sip your ava and feel the drums pound in your chest, just as generations of warriors have done before you. As you become mesmerised by the feeling, you’ll notice a line of dancers enter the circle, spinning flames while leaping and whirling through the air. Each dancer brings history to their moves as the night is filled with stories that have been shared for a millennium.

Head to a fiafia to see the siva afi. (Image: Samoa Tourism Authority)

4. Help prepare a Sunday umu

Every weekend in Samoa, the aunties gather to prepare the umu. This ceremonial feast is a way of showing their love and commitment to the community, and it begins with smoking banana leaves, peeling taro, wrapping locally caught fish and setting the food to cook in the shade of the palm trees. You’ll be invited to help prepare this dish and join the village as they gather to enjoy their bounty together. While the food cooks, take the time to learn the ways of traditional weaving with village elders.

Feast on tasty umu dishes. (Image: Samoa Tourism Authority)

Cook Islands

5. Craft an ei under the wisdom of the elders

Flowers hold a special meaning throughout the South Pacific, bringing joy and fragrance to the people who call it home. To understand this secret language, learn from the elders of the Cook Islands as you’re taught how to make ei katu, colourful floral garlands. Sitting in the shade of a breadfruit tree, with waves lapping the nearby lagoon, you’ll learn the meaning of these blooms, how and why they’re worn and why this knowledge was carried on through the female elders of the community.

Craft your own ei in the Cook Islands. (Image: Dylan Harrison/ Cook Islands Tourism)

6. Trace ancient paths with a cultural guide

Leaving the gentle lagoons behind, climb the towering Te Rua Manga (The Needle) on Rarotonga, the largest of the Cook Islands. With each step, you’ll enjoy the island views below with the outer reef, coral-laden beaches and jungle coastlines in sight. Follow the paths of ancient chiefs and warriors as you reach the very tip of the island, along volcanic ridges and giant ferns. Listen to the wind as it brings the stories from nearby islands and tells the tales of Islanders past.

Climb Te Rua Manga. (Image: Getty/ Sbossert)

Norfolk Island

7. Wander through the ghosts of Norfolk’s settlements

As you look out on the rugged landscapes and sharp features of Norfolk Island, you can almost hear the ghosts of the recent past among the hills. With a history that beats any Hollywood film, this island has been home to four distinct settlements: Polynesian, penal, Pitcairner and modern. Among the crumbling walls, weathered gravestones and moss-covered buildings lie the memories of far-flung hope, convict struggles and life-long endurance. A visit to Norfolk Island is unlike a visit anywhere else on earth.

Explore Norfolk’s settlements. (Image: Norfolk Island Tourism)

8. Speak the soul of Norfolk: learn the lingo of a proud island people

It could be said that you only really understand a nation through its language, contemplating the nuances of its people as their sounds roll around your tongue. In Norfolk Island, learning the melodies of Norf’k – a living blend of 18th-century English and Tahitian – enables the past to breathe again. The language itself was born from the Bounty’s legacy, the mutinous ship that turned to legend, and tells the tale of tenacity and human ability to create a life no matter where we find ourselves. It’s a theme that abounds in the South Pacific – told in every dance, every weaving and every floral garland.

Throughout its turbulent history, this island has been home to four distinct settlements that helped forge life on Norfolk, from the formation of their unique language to their cultural celebrations. Discover firsthand insight into this history on the Norfolk Island Progressive Dinner tour, a three-course dinner hosted at carefully selected local homes to showcase this rich culture and history.

Discover the culture and nature of Norfolk with Spacifica Travel. (Image: Getty/ Graeme Snow)

To start planning your next holiday to the South Pacific, visit spacificatravel.com, call 1800 000 150 or email sales@spacificatravel.com.