Henua's culture
Values and Attitudes
Everyone is proud of their culture, of course. The Henua have particular reason to boast. Sitting on the fringes of Polynesia, they have reaped the benefits and curses of isolation and come out the stronger. At the same time, Henua has been deeply connected with other cultures: Henua was the crucial link in the traditional trade chain that connected East Polynesia with the South American coast. Shaped by its isolation but well aware of the outside worlds to the east and the west, the early Tangata Henua had every reason to believe their land te pito 'o te henua, the Navel of the World. Outside the Navel, across the ocean, were the places called Hiva, a word simply meaning "lands that are not Henua."
Besides the uniqueness of their location, the Henua have much to be proud of. They have created several unique art forms, invented their own system of writing, resisted foreign domination, and inspired other Pacific peoples to pursue the path to autonomy. Traditionally, the Henua were welcoming and hospitable toward the strange Tañata Hiva who sporadically visited the island: it was a rare opportunity to show off their culture and civilization to outsiders. Today, with the explosion in tourists, some Henua have grown more distrustful of foreigners as they arrive, sometimes breaking things, sometimes leaving garbage, usually ignorant of Henua ways and customs. But others embrace Henua's new role as a global archaeological wonder and eco-resort-- and the foreign pounds, lo, and pesos that its new role brings.
The Henua are known for being fun-loving and competitive. A Henua considers it a virtue to be able to make jokes during times of adversity or even tragedy. All major festivals and celebrations have a competitive element, culminating in the annual Birdman Competition, the only known athletic competition to have once selected a national leader. Looking at the antics that election season brings in the country, many joke that little has changed since the Birdman days.
Henua has a long tradition of literacy and scholarship; indeed, today literacy in the national script is key requirement of citizenship. In 1990, the Education Advisorate realized its long dream of a university of higher education on the island. The Hare Nui te Hañaroa (Great School of Hañaroa, usually translated "Academy") operates as a branch of the University of Pape'ete, and it offers general education courses as well as courses in Henua anthropology and ecology. The official medium of instruction is Arero Henua, but some classes are taught in Japanese and French.
Religion
The traditional faith is the state religion. It is based on communal civic rituals at the sacred beach of Anakena, the ceremonial village of Oroño, and ahu (shrines) belonging to each of the seven clans. Although participation in these rites is expected of all citizens, they are free to adhere to other religions. In fact, two of the clan leaders responsible for leading the rituals are Latin-Rite Roman Catholics.
Roman Catholicism is the most common foreign religion on Henua, claiming approximately 3,500 adherents. The main church is in downtown Haña Roa. Two other important churches are the home ahu of clans Haumoana and Kotu'u. Within the Church, Henua comprises a prefecture apostolic that falls under the authority off the Archdiocese of Nouméa in French Melanesia. The current Apostolic Prefect of Haña Roa is Father Rapahaño Itaia, a Haumoana, who was ordained to that position in 2009. Traditionally, the prefectship rotates between members of the two Christian clans.
Most of the 19th-century missionaries were Castilians from Europe and South America, who came alongside a handful of French. The influence of the Castilian missionaries can still be seen in Henua's romanization scheme and in the Henua forms of many Christian names (for example, John is Huana). However, the actions of Castilian-South American "blackbirder" slavers beginning in 1862 drove Henua away from all things Castilian. (It should be noted that the Castilian priests on the island at the time fought hard against the practice.) Politically, the blackbirders pushed Henua into the orbit of Japan; religiously, they were a blow to Christianity in general on the island, and the Isidorian Rite in particular. When the church in Henua was organized on a more formal basis in the 1870s, the Christian community requested to be placed within the Latin Rite, as practiced in France, rather than the Isidorian, and to be placed under a French bishop. Worship practices in Henua nevertheless have retained certain Isidorian elements noticeable to the observer. As part of the Latin Rite, Henua Catholics sing the Mass in Latin, though with liberal amounts of interpolation in the vernacular, including singing. The Vatican Council, concluded in 1990, sparked a renewed interest in the liturgy, seen both in requests for education on how to properly sing the Latin, and in new efforts to creatively integrate local elements. (See the Catholicism page for more information on Catholicism in Ill Bethisad).
Since two of Henua's seven chiefs are adherents of the Christian faith, this does mean that sometimes the island gets a Christian king, who is nevertheless expected to lead the nation in various civic rituals rooted in the traditional religion. The Christian clergy generally allow this to continue in the name of state traditions, but when a Christian chief or king is called upon to thus lead public prayers, he generally gets around it by using such phrases as "Let us each pray to his God", or "In the name of the God that sustains our island". Since such phraseology is not wholly satisfactory to either the Christians or the pagans, the Haumoana and Kotu'u chiefs have historically had a hard time getting elected to the kingship.
Just under 1,000 Henua practice Japanese Buddhism. The Elene family group, numbered around 75, mostly consists of ethnic-Greek Muslims.
Media
Henua remains a land free of television: the infrastructure involved would be too expensive, and widespread satellite TV remains in Ill Bethisad's future. There are two radio stations, both run by the same broadcaster. Ratio te Pito is aimed at older audiences, while Te Re'o (The Voice) is directed toward the youth. Both offer a variety of local, Oceanian, and international music; local and world news; and talk programs of interest to the target audiences.
Movies have become a cottage industry on Henua. A studio in Hañaroa buys films, adds Roñoroño subtitles, and sells them to local projectionists, who show them at venues ranging from small rooms and tents to large outdoor gatherings. The first subtitled movie was the second installment of the American series Tau'a i te Rañi (War in the Heavens), titled Ho'ona Ma'eha (Bright Revenge). Released in 1988, it was first shown in Haña Piko in 1990. Since then, going to the movies to see films from countries around the world has become a popular pastime. Typically, Henua do not get to see movies for at least a year after the rest of the world.
Henua has one newspaper, Te Vaka Ama (The Outrigger), named in reference to canoes as the old means of spreading news. Some reporters for TVA are also employees of the Polynesian United News Agency, and send news releases from Henua to the other Polynesian nations.
Everyone is proud of their culture, of course. The Henua have particular reason to boast. Sitting on the fringes of Polynesia, they have reaped the benefits and curses of isolation and come out the stronger. At the same time, Henua has been deeply connected with other cultures: Henua was the crucial link in the traditional trade chain that connected East Polynesia with the South American coast. Shaped by its isolation but well aware of the outside worlds to the east and the west, the early Tangata Henua had every reason to believe their land te pito 'o te henua, the Navel of the World. Outside the Navel, across the ocean, were the places called Hiva, a word simply meaning "lands that are not Henua."
Besides the uniqueness of their location, the Henua have much to be proud of. They have created several unique art forms, invented their own system of writing, resisted foreign domination, and inspired other Pacific peoples to pursue the path to autonomy. Traditionally, the Henua were welcoming and hospitable toward the strange Tañata Hiva who sporadically visited the island: it was a rare opportunity to show off their culture and civilization to outsiders. Today, with the explosion in tourists, some Henua have grown more distrustful of foreigners as they arrive, sometimes breaking things, sometimes leaving garbage, usually ignorant of Henua ways and customs. But others embrace Henua's new role as a global archaeological wonder and eco-resort-- and the foreign pounds, lo, and pesos that its new role brings.
The Henua are known for being fun-loving and competitive. A Henua considers it a virtue to be able to make jokes during times of adversity or even tragedy. All major festivals and celebrations have a competitive element, culminating in the annual Birdman Competition, the only known athletic competition to have once selected a national leader. Looking at the antics that election season brings in the country, many joke that little has changed since the Birdman days.
Henua has a long tradition of literacy and scholarship; indeed, today literacy in the national script is key requirement of citizenship. In 1990, the Education Advisorate realized its long dream of a university of higher education on the island. The Hare Nui te Hañaroa (Great School of Hañaroa, usually translated "Academy") operates as a branch of the University of Pape'ete, and it offers general education courses as well as courses in Henua anthropology and ecology. The official medium of instruction is Arero Henua, but some classes are taught in Japanese and French.
Religion
The traditional faith is the state religion. It is based on communal civic rituals at the sacred beach of Anakena, the ceremonial village of Oroño, and ahu (shrines) belonging to each of the seven clans. Although participation in these rites is expected of all citizens, they are free to adhere to other religions. In fact, two of the clan leaders responsible for leading the rituals are Latin-Rite Roman Catholics.
Roman Catholicism is the most common foreign religion on Henua, claiming approximately 3,500 adherents. The main church is in downtown Haña Roa. Two other important churches are the home ahu of clans Haumoana and Kotu'u. Within the Church, Henua comprises a prefecture apostolic that falls under the authority off the Archdiocese of Nouméa in French Melanesia. The current Apostolic Prefect of Haña Roa is Father Rapahaño Itaia, a Haumoana, who was ordained to that position in 2009. Traditionally, the prefectship rotates between members of the two Christian clans.
Most of the 19th-century missionaries were Castilians from Europe and South America, who came alongside a handful of French. The influence of the Castilian missionaries can still be seen in Henua's romanization scheme and in the Henua forms of many Christian names (for example, John is Huana). However, the actions of Castilian-South American "blackbirder" slavers beginning in 1862 drove Henua away from all things Castilian. (It should be noted that the Castilian priests on the island at the time fought hard against the practice.) Politically, the blackbirders pushed Henua into the orbit of Japan; religiously, they were a blow to Christianity in general on the island, and the Isidorian Rite in particular. When the church in Henua was organized on a more formal basis in the 1870s, the Christian community requested to be placed within the Latin Rite, as practiced in France, rather than the Isidorian, and to be placed under a French bishop. Worship practices in Henua nevertheless have retained certain Isidorian elements noticeable to the observer. As part of the Latin Rite, Henua Catholics sing the Mass in Latin, though with liberal amounts of interpolation in the vernacular, including singing. The Vatican Council, concluded in 1990, sparked a renewed interest in the liturgy, seen both in requests for education on how to properly sing the Latin, and in new efforts to creatively integrate local elements. (See the Catholicism page for more information on Catholicism in Ill Bethisad).
Since two of Henua's seven chiefs are adherents of the Christian faith, this does mean that sometimes the island gets a Christian king, who is nevertheless expected to lead the nation in various civic rituals rooted in the traditional religion. The Christian clergy generally allow this to continue in the name of state traditions, but when a Christian chief or king is called upon to thus lead public prayers, he generally gets around it by using such phrases as "Let us each pray to his God", or "In the name of the God that sustains our island". Since such phraseology is not wholly satisfactory to either the Christians or the pagans, the Haumoana and Kotu'u chiefs have historically had a hard time getting elected to the kingship.
Just under 1,000 Henua practice Japanese Buddhism. The Elene family group, numbered around 75, mostly consists of ethnic-Greek Muslims.
Media
Henua remains a land free of television: the infrastructure involved would be too expensive, and widespread satellite TV remains in Ill Bethisad's future. There are two radio stations, both run by the same broadcaster. Ratio te Pito is aimed at older audiences, while Te Re'o (The Voice) is directed toward the youth. Both offer a variety of local, Oceanian, and international music; local and world news; and talk programs of interest to the target audiences.
Movies have become a cottage industry on Henua. A studio in Hañaroa buys films, adds Roñoroño subtitles, and sells them to local projectionists, who show them at venues ranging from small rooms and tents to large outdoor gatherings. The first subtitled movie was the second installment of the American series Tau'a i te Rañi (War in the Heavens), titled Ho'ona Ma'eha (Bright Revenge). Released in 1988, it was first shown in Haña Piko in 1990. Since then, going to the movies to see films from countries around the world has become a popular pastime. Typically, Henua do not get to see movies for at least a year after the rest of the world.
Henua has one newspaper, Te Vaka Ama (The Outrigger), named in reference to canoes as the old means of spreading news. Some reporters for TVA are also employees of the Polynesian United News Agency, and send news releases from Henua to the other Polynesian nations.