Art & Museums

1. E mea nehenehe roa teie tatau!

   This tattoo is very beautiful!

   Usage

   Complimenting a tattoo; in Tahiti tattoos carry lineage and status

   Grammar Note

   tatau is "tatouer". tārava is "to lie across / crossbeam", not a tattoo. The demonstrative is teie; tēia is the Cook Islands Māori form.

2. Tē hina'aro nei au i te hō'ē tatau Mā'ohi.

   I would like a traditional Tahitian tattoo.

   Usage

   Say this to a tattooist; always ask what the design means

   Grammar Note

   tatau is "tatouer"; nana'o ("graver ; tatouer ; sculpter") is a synonym.

3. Tei hea te fare manaha?

   Where is the art museum?

   Usage

   When looking for a museum, e.g. in Pape'ete

   Grammar Note

   fare manaha is "musée". 'ōpuaraa derives from 'ōpua ("projet") and means "plan", not an exhibition or museum.

4. Tē hina'aro nei au e ho'o mai i te hō'ē tao'a rima 'ī Mā'ohi.

   I would like to buy a traditional Tahitian craft.

   Usage

   Use at a market or craft shop

   Grammar Note

   ho'o mai ("acheter") is distinguished from ho'o atu ("vendre") by the directional. rima 'ī is "art" and ta'ata rima 'ī is "artisan".

5. Eaha te aura'a o teie tatau?

   What is the meaning of this tattoo design?

   Usage

   Asking what a design means; Tahitian tattoos encode lineage and role

   Grammar Note

   aura'a is "sens ; signification". The interrogative is Eaha; splitting it as 'Ea aha turns the first part into 'ea, "health".

6. Tē hāmani nei 'oe i te tapa?

   Do you make tapa cloth?

   Usage

   Ask a bark-cloth maker

   Grammar Note

   hāmani is "construire ; fabriquer"; tapa is "étoffe fabriquée à partir de certaines plantes". fa'aauhia comes from fa'aau ("to compare, to contract"), not "to make".

7. Tē hina'aro nei au e ha'api'i i te hāmani tīfaifai.

   I would like to learn how to make tifaifai quilts.

   Usage

   Tīfaifai is the Tahitian appliqué quilt

   Grammar Note

   ha'api'i is "apprendre ; enseigner". tīfaifai is the established local term in French Polynesia.

8. Tē hina'aro nei au e rara i te hō'ē 'ete tiare.

   I would like to weave a tiare flower basket.

   Usage

   Say this at a weaving demonstration

   Grammar Note

   "Rara'a : tresser ; tisser" and "'Ete : panier ; petit sac".

9. Eaha te rima 'ī tā 'oe e rave nei?

   What art or craft do you do?

   Usage

   Ask a maker what craft they practise

   Grammar Note

   rave is "faire ; prendre ; agir". tū'aro means "sport, physical education".

10. Tē hina'aro nei au e fa'a'ite'ite i tā'u mau 'ohipa rima 'ī.

    I would like to exhibit my artwork.

    Usage

    When you want to show your own work

    Grammar Note

    fa'a'ite'ite is the verb form of "Fa'a'ite'itera'a : exposition". tōku is the Māori-type possessive; Tahitian uses tō'u.

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