Among winter surfing, Polynesian restaurants, and ancestral tattoos, Tahitians have recreated their culture in the Basque Country. A tight-knit community that shares its warmth.
The 12-degree ocean doesn’t scare these surfers from French Polynesia. Despite thick wetsuits and the Basque winter, their passion remains strong. These young Tahitians, recently settled between Anglet and Biarritz, have found their balance between studies, work in the restaurant industry, and surf sessions. The proximity to the ocean allows them to maintain this sacred connection with the sea, which is crucial in their culture. “We always have the motivation, and as long as there are waves, let’s go!” one of them declares.
Beyond surfing, an entire community has reformed on the Basque coast, forging even stronger bonds than in Tahiti.
A restaurant like a Polynesian headquarters Viana Houariki came to Anglet for love. Her brother and a friend from Tahiti followed to work at the Polynesian restaurant she opened, Manava. This place has become much more than just an establishment: it’s the headquarters of the local Tahitian community. “To not forget my origins, I thought to myself, I will set up this Polynesian restaurant. It’s important for us to have Tahitian staff, that way it really stays true to Polynesian culture,” she explains.
In the kitchen, one of the young surfers, Ariihau Bennett, has chosen to start a new life here. The climate is completely different from Tahiti, but the warm welcome from the Basques has facilitated his integration. “Now we are like a small family, a small Tahitian community here, and it’s nice, especially being far from Tahiti, and here, we are all together as a family,” he confides. The restaurant allows them to rediscover the flavors of the archipelago: raw fish and traditional dishes revive memories of the country.
Stella Taputu, who arrived in Bayonne in 1985 with her military husband, is the elder of this community. She joyfully notes that the group has grown over the years. “Here in Bayonne, we have our clan, and we are well. I am very happy to be surrounded by all these young people, and I stay young, I live young,” she smiles. Baptiste, Viana’s Basque husband, has also immersed himself in this culture that he has been discovering daily for four years. He particularly appreciates the Polynesian mindset: “They are always smiling, they have a mindset that you don’t necessarily find everywhere in France.”
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