Volcanic rock rises out of the sea to create one of the Marquesas' most beautiful and remote islands. Making the most of it's limited resources, Fatu Hiva is known for its tikis carvings and the living tradition of tapa making.
Tapa, cloth pounded out of bark, was used to make the island's traditional garment-- the "parau" or pareo. Nowadays, it is rarely used for clothing, but remains an art form, in which the Polynesian culture lives on.
tiki...
The significant tiki carvings that dot the island tell the history of the people who lived there.
balcony view from the M.S. Paul Gauguin...