Society Islands in the context of "Hawaiians"

French Polynesia (/ˌpɒlɪˈniːʒə/ POL-ih-NEE-zhə; French: Polynésie française [pɔlinezi fʁɑ̃sɛːz] ; Tahitian: Pōrīnetia farāni) is an overseas collectivity of France and its sole overseas country. It comprises 121 geographically dispersed islands and atolls stretching over more than 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) in the South Pacific Ocean. French Polynesia is associated with the European Union as an overseas country and territory (OCT). The total land area of French Polynesia is 3,521 square kilometres (1,359 sq mi), with a population of 282,596 as of September 2025 of which at least 205,000 live in the Society Islands and the remaining population lives in the rest of the archipelago.

French Polynesia is divided into five island groups: the Austral Islands; the Gambier Islands; the Marquesas Islands; the Society Islands (comprising the Leeward and Windward Islands); and the Tuamotus. Among its 121 islands and atolls, 75 were inhabited at the 2017 census. Tahiti, which is in the Society Islands group, is the most populous island, being home to nearly 69% of the population of French Polynesia as of 2017. Papeete, located on Tahiti, is the capital of French Polynesia. Although not an integral part of its territory, Clipperton Island was administered from French Polynesia until 2007.

Native Hawaiians (also known as Indigenous Hawaiians, Kānaka Maoli, Aboriginal Hawaiians, or simply Hawaiians; Hawaiian: kānaka, kānaka ʻōiwi, Kānaka Maoli, and Hawaiʻi maoli) are the Indigenous people of the Hawaiian Islands.

Hawaiʻi was settled at least 800 years ago by Polynesians who sailed from the Society Islands. The settlers gradually became detached from their homeland and developed a distinct Hawai'ian culture and identity in their new home. They created new religious and cultural structures, in response to their new circumstances and to pass knowledge from one generation to the next. Hence, the Hawaiian religion focuses on ways to live and relate to the land and instills a sense of community. Though a unique civilization, they have retained synergy with other Polynesian peoples across the Pacific. The Hawaiian language, for example, shares many similarities with other Polynesian languages.

Tetiʻaroa (French, officially: Tetiaroa, [tetjaʁɔa]) is an atoll in the Windward group of the Society Islands of French Polynesia, an overseas territorial collectivity of France in the Pacific Ocean. Administratively, it is part of the commune of Arue. Once a holiday location for Tahitian royalty, the islets are under a 99-year lease signed by the actor Marlon Brando, and are home to The Brando Resort, sublet to the Brando family.

Tahiti (English: /təˈhiːti/ ; Tahitian [taˈhiti], [ˈthaiti]; French: [ta.iˈti]) is the largest island of the Windward group of the Society Islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France. It is located in the central part of the Pacific Ocean and the nearest major landmass is the North Island of New Zealand. The island was formed from volcanic activity in two overlapping parts, Tahiti Nui (bigger, northwestern part) and Tahiti Iti (smaller, southeastern part); it is high and mountainous with surrounding coral reefs. Its population was 189,517 in 2017, making it by far the most populous island in French Polynesia and accounting for 68.7% of its total population; the 2022 Census recorded a population of 191,779.

Tahiti is the economic, cultural, and political centre of French Polynesia. The capital of French Polynesia, Papeʻete, is located on the northwest coast of Tahiti. The only international airport in the region, Faʻaʻā International Airport, is on Tahiti near Papeʻete. Tahiti was originally settled by Polynesians between 900 and 1100 CE. They represent about 70% of the island's population, with the rest made up of Europeans, Chinese and those of mixed heritage. The island was part of the Kingdom of Tahiti until its annexation by France in 1880, when it was proclaimed a colony of France, and the inhabitants became French citizens. French is the sole official language, although the Tahitian language (Reo Tahiti) is also widely spoken.

Tahitian (autonym: reo Tahiti, pronounced [ˈreo tahiti], part of reo Māʼohi, [ˈreo ˈmaːʔohi], languages of French Polynesia) is a Polynesian language, spoken mainly on the Society Islands in French Polynesia. It belongs to the Eastern Polynesian group.

As Tahitian had no written tradition before the arrival of the Western colonists, the spoken language was first transcribed by missionaries of the London Missionary Society in the early 19th century.

The Leeward Islands (French: îles Sous-le-Vent, pronounced [il suləvɑ̃], lit. 'Under-the-Wind Islands'; Tahitian: Fenua Raro Mata’i) are the western part of the Society Islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France, in the South Pacific Ocean. They lie south of the Line Islands (part of Kiribati), east of the Cooks and north of the Austral Islands (also part of French Polynesia). Their area is around 404 km (156 sq mi) and their population is over 36,000.

The Windward Islands (French: Îles du Vent [il dy vɑ̃]) are the eastern group of the Society Islands in the French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the southern Pacific Ocean. These islands were also previously named the Georgian Islands in honour of King George III of the United Kingdom.

Papeete (Tahitian: Papeʻetē, pronounced [pa.pe.ʔe.te]; old name: Vaiʻetē) is the capital city of French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of the French Republic located in the Pacific Ocean. The commune of Papeʻetē is located on the island of Tahiti, in the administrative subdivision of the Windward Islands, of which Papeʻetē is the administrative capital. Both the President of French Polynesia and French High Commissioner reside in Papeʻetē.

It is the primary center of Tahitian and French Polynesian public and private governmental, commercial, industrial, and financial services, the hub of French Polynesian tourism and a commonly used port of call. The Windward Islands are themselves part of the Society Islands. The name Papeʻetē, means "water from a basket"— this was an effect of a naming taboo during Pōmare I's reign where the Tahitian contemporary word for water vai was substituted with pape, the old name Vaiʻetē is still recognised in some areas such as the Marquesas. The urban area of Papeʻetē had a total population of 124,724 inhabitants at the 2022 census, 26,654 of whom lived in the commune of Papeʻetē proper.

Moʼorea (English: /ˌmoʊ.oʊˈreɪ.ɑː/ or /ˈmoʊ.oʊreɪ/; Tahitian: Moʼoreʼa, [moʔore(ʔ)a]), also spelled Moorea, is a volcanic island in the French Polynesia, lying 17 kilometres (11 mi) northwest of Tahiti. Moʼorea and Tahiti are the largest members of the Windward Islands, a group that is part of the larger Society Islands archipelago.

Moʼoreʼa means 'yellow lizard' in Tahitian: Moʼo = lizard; Reʼa (from reʼareʼa) = yellow. An older name for the island is ʼAimeho, sometimes spelled ʼAimeo or ʼEimeo (among other spellings that were used by early visitors before Tahitian spelling was standardized). Early Western colonists and voyagers also referred to Moʼorea as York Island or Santo Domingo.