Notre Histoire

Our History

Ia ora na, I am Hinatea Colombani, Tahitian dance teacher and passionate about Polynesian history and culture

A unique means of expression, the 'Ori Tahiti liberates, it is for me a true means of physical, individual, cultural expression and spiritual connection.

The love of Fenua

I have a deep love for my Fenua and my goal is to share this love with as many people as possible, by transmitting Polynesian culture in Tahiti and internationally. This passion I inoculated to my sidekick Moe, passionate about plants, cultural objects and percussions. In 2008, with his support, I founded the Matehaunui dance school and in 2016 the 'Arioi cultural center took shape.

A dream that we manage to project in a place, where we combine our artistic, agricultural, creative and cultural fields.

So for me the 'Ori Tahiti is a major pillar of Polynesian culture, but beware, it is not the only one.

Passion for culture

My cultural journey began at a young age through life lessons from my grandparents. I then built my Tahitian dance education by learning, in my opinion, from the best: Makau Foster from the Poerani dance school, Mehiti Hart, Manouche Lehartel from the Toa Reva group, Mamie Louise and Vanina Ehu from the Conservatoire de la Polynésie Française.

A dream that we manage to project in a place, where we combine our artistic, agricultural, creative and cultural fields.

So for me the 'Ori Tahiti is a major pillar of Polynesian culture, but beware, it is not the only one.

The richness of our roots

For me, dance goes beyond the simple artistic pleasure that it provides, it allows to federate, to unify, to transmit messages, emotions and stories that have built the identity of my Fenua, my land. It is still necessary to understand this History, its language, its depth.

In ancient times, the 'Arioi were the custodians of artistic, cultural and religious traditions. The FARE 'ARIOI were places of transmission and teaching. This is how the great 'Arioi project came about. I consider this website as well as the cultural center located in Papara, as being spaces, means of revolutionary transmission. Both through face-to-face cultural activities, trainings and with an online cultural program.

So for me the 'Ori Tahiti is a major pillar of Polynesian culture, but beware, it is not the only one.

The creation of "Arioi Access", the online cultural video program allows you to learn fundamental knowledge, to understand it and to feel the "Mana", the spiritual force of our History. You will also find in our "Polynesian culture" section blog articles, a virtual "Marae" and many other treasures at your disposal for free. It is undeniable that I like to transmit and accompany everyone on their Polynesian cultural path. And to make sure that everyone becomes an ambassador of our islands, of our History, of our values.

Peter, our friend is a computer scientist, he joins the adventure in 2017 and suggests the launch of online courses to scale up the sharing. During this year, I join PRISM, the Tahitian incubator located at the CCISM and file the project 'Arioi Experience, a platform for booking cultural activities paired with an app and online videos. The craze for these activities is such that the creation of online content is relegated to "later". Arioi Experience is strongly positioned on the local and tourist market. Professional partnerships with major players such as the Museum of Tahiti and its islands and the airline Air Tahiti Nui solidify the progress of 'Arioi. The success of the project has been achieved since 2016, but the recent health crisis linked to COVID-19 has disrupted this well-oiled mechanism and the cultural experiences have been put on hold .... Since then, other partners support the progress of the 'Arioi projects, such as AVIS TAHITI. Optimism and audacity will allow us to focus on digital. This is how "Arioi Access", a project in gestation for more than 2 years, finally takes shape during the confinement and is now available to the whole world. Today, it is with great pride that 200 years after the prohibition of the practice of Polynesian dances, songs, languages ... 'ARIOI launches its cultural E-learning and advocates the massive democratization of the Polynesian culture.

And a great pride for me because the videos are produced and broadcasted from the 'Arioi Cultural Center in Papara. By sharing knowledge, it is also the sharing of values, of Polynesian codes of life that I wish to make accessible to all.