Who Are the Marquesans?
The Marquesans (Enata) are the indigenous Polynesian people of the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia, numbering approximately 9,000-10,000 today. They speak Marquesan, a Polynesian language with northern and southern dialect groups. The Marquesas lie nearly 1,500 kilometers northeast of Tahiti, among the most isolated inhabited islands on Earth. At European contact, the population was estimated at 100,000; by 1900, it had crashed to under 2,000 due to introduced diseases. The Marquesas are famous for their monumental stone tiki sculptures and elaborate tattooing traditions. Paul Gauguin and Herman Melville both lived in the Marquesas, drawn by their remote beauty.
Tattooing Tradition
Marquesan tattooing was among the most elaborate in Polynesia—and the world. Full-body tattooing covered men from face to feet in intricate geometric and figurative designs. Tattoos marked social status, genealogy, personal achievements, and spiritual protection. Specific designs were reserved for chiefs and warriors. Tattooing was performed by specialists (tuhuna) using bone combs and natural pigments. The practice was suppressed by missionaries in the 19th century and nearly disappeared. Since the 1980s, tattooing has been revived as an assertion of Marquesan identity. Contemporary tattoo artists study historical designs, and tattooing has become central to cultural renaissance across Polynesia.
Monumental Art
The Marquesas are famous for their monumental stone tiki—large carved figures representing deified ancestors or gods. These sculptures, some reaching several meters in height, marked sacred sites and ceremonial centers (tohua). Stone platforms, petroglyphs, and carved architectural elements demonstrate sophisticated artistic traditions. Each valley and island developed distinctive styles. European collectors removed many portable objects; museums worldwide hold Marquesan artifacts. Recent archaeological research has documented the extent of stone construction. These monumental remains, set in dramatic volcanic landscapes, have attracted renewed interest. UNESCO World Heritage nomination for Marquesan cultural landscapes is under consideration.
Contemporary Marquesans
Modern Marquesans have experienced remarkable demographic recovery from the population nadir. The six inhabited islands—Nuku Hiva, Hiva Oa, Ua Pou, Ua Huka, Tahuata, and Fatu Hiva—support growing communities. Copra production, fishing, and increasingly tourism provide economic activities. Cultural revival movements promote Marquesan language, art, and traditions. The Festival of Marquesan Arts, held every four years, celebrates tattoo, dance, and craft. Marquesan is taught in schools, though French dominates official contexts. Questions of autonomy within French Polynesia arise. How the Marquesans maintain their distinctive identity—the most culturally conservative of French Polynesian groups—while developing economically shapes this remote island people's future.
References
- Handy, E. S. C. (1923). The Native Culture in the Marquesas
- Dening, G. (1980). Islands and Beaches: Discourse on a Silent Land
- Ivory, C. S. (2005). Marquesan Art in the Early Contact Period