Polynesia: Moorea
Tahitian Maraes are open temples, used for sacred
ceremonies. The ancient Polynesians were polytheists. They traveled to these
temples to honor their gods and ask them to influence events such as the
quality of their harvests or victories against enemies.First fruits and best catch of the day were taken to the Marae as offerings for the gods.
Before the arrival of Europeans in the 18th century, they
were the center for social, political and religious activity-including human
sacrifice.
During the 1994 restoration by archaeologists from the Tahiti Museum, human bones were discovered under some of the structures. They were probably the remains of sacrifices to the Polynesian god ʻOro, revered in Tahiti.
Text & photo: Janin Klemenčič.
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