Religion & Temples

1. Tei hea te fare pure?

   Where is the church?

   Usage

   Asking for the location of a church for worship

   Grammar Note

   No hea asks "from where" (origin). Location is Tei hea. A church is fare pure (also fare purera'a)

2. E pure vau

   I pray

   Usage

   Expressing the act of praying in a religious context

   Grammar Note

   e + verb indicates present or habitual action

3. Te Atua

   God

   Usage

   Referring to God in Christian faith (Tahiti is largely Protestant)

   Grammar Note

   Atua is a shared Polynesian word for "God / deity"

4. Te reo pure

   Hymn / worship song

   Usage

   Referring to Tahitian traditional hymns (imene)

   Grammar Note

   reo pure is a compound meaning "words/voice of worship"

5. E ha'apa'o vau i te mahana mo'a

   I observe the holy day

   Usage

   Expressing observance of a holy day such as Sunday

   Grammar Note

   "To observe / heed" is ha'apa'o and "holy" is mo'a

6. Te hīmene Tahiti

   Tahitian hymn (imene)

   Usage

   Referring to Tahiti's traditional polyphonic choral hymns

   Grammar Note

   The spelling is hīmene, borrowed from English: "a hymn; to sing a hymn"

7. E pure tātou

   Let us pray together

   Usage

   Inviting others to join in communal prayer

   Grammar Note

   tātou is the inclusive first-person plural (includes listener); it is written with the macron.

8. Māuruuru i te Atua

   Thanks be to God

   Usage

   A religious expression of gratitude or blessing

   Grammar Note

   to is the possessive preposition and cannot mark the recipient "to God"; the recipient takes i te + noun. Atua is the common Polynesian word for a god

9. Eaha tō 'oe ha'apa'ora'a?

   What is your religion?

   Usage

   Respectfully asking about someone's religious background

   Grammar Note

   The interrogative is Eaha; religion is ha'apa'ora'a

10. Te Hīmene tārava

    Himene tārava (Tahitian polyphonic choral singing)

    Usage

    Refers to Tahiti's traditional choral form, a UNESCO Intangible Heritage

    Grammar Note

    tārava means "spread out / multi-directional" describing polyphony

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