PAPEETE (Tahitipresse/PINA) — A festival designed to promote and maintain Tahitian traditions and customs will begin later this month.
The traditional Heiva will be held from June 21 to July 20 in Tahiti and in some other islands of French Polynesia.
The Heiva 2002 will include events such as canoe races in the Papeete harbor, the traditional songs and dances contest, and traditional sports like stonelifting.
Fruit-carrier races, climbing coconut trees and javelin throws are also among the many events scheduled, said Manouche Lehartel, one of the Heiva organizers.
She was herself a famous traditional dancer in the 1980s and 1990s.
The Autonomy Parade, held each year on June 29, will be among the scheduled events.
This will be the 121st Heiva. The first took place at the end of the 19th century.
