The Maohi were a UNPO member between 1994 and 2007. 

Represented at UNPO by Hiti Tau, a coalition of Maohi community organisations, the Indigenous people of French Polynesia used their participation to draw international attention to issues of self-determination, environmental justice, and the enduring legacy of French colonialism and nuclear testing. Hiti Tau argued that decades of French nuclear experiments at Moruroa and Fangataufa atolls had caused severe and lasting damage to Maohi health, land, and marine ecosystems, and demanded independent investigations, medical compensation, and full accountability from the French state. Beyond the environmental dimension, the movement highlighted the broader struggle for political autonomy and recognition of Indigenous rights, pointing to continued restrictions on local governance, land tenure, and cultural self-expression. 

Through UNPO, Hiti Tau advanced the Maohi claim to self-determination under international law, submitting statements to the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations and collaborating with Pacific NGOs to strengthen regional solidarity. The organisation also addressed the interconnected challenges of economic dependency, cultural erosion, and environmental degradation, linking them to global patterns of nuclear colonialism. 

The Mā’ohi are the indigenous people of Tahiti and the wider Society Islands, and the name is closely tied to their sense of identity, ancestry, and cultural heritage. The term is used both in a cultural sense (to describe traditions, language, and identity) and in a political sense (as a symbol of indigenous rights and sovereignty). As such, the name “Mā’ohi” itself is a reference of indigenous identity, promoted by cultural revival movements. Their identity is expressed through reo Mā’ohi (the tahitian language), oral traditions, navigation knowledge, dance, and religious practices, all of which connect them to the wider Polynesian world but also mark them as distinct. Over the generations, Mā’ohi cultural identity has been maintained despite colonisation, and in recent decades there has been a strong revival of language, arts, and traditional practices. This distinctiveness is also reflected in how the Mā’ohi understand their relationship to their environment. Land (fenua) and sea are not just resources but sacred elements tied to genealogy and spirituality, anchoring identity through concepts of custodianship and ancestral presence. Mā’ohi kinship systems and social practices emphasise communal ties and reciprocity, values that continue to shape community life even as modern influences spread.

The Maohi are the indigenous people of the islands of French Polynesia, which consists of the island of Tahiti and 117 other islands and atolls. They are of Polynesian and European descent and form more than 80 percent of the region’s population of close to 300,000. The islands’ official languages are Tahitian and French. Even though their culture and traditions are still heavily influenced by origins in ancient polytheist beliefs, today’s Maohi are overwhelmingly Christian.

The Maohi arrived on the coast of what is now known as French Polynesia almost 2,300 years ago. They lived without external influences until the 18th century and, in 1880, France officially seized control of all islands, making them French colonies. The Maohi managed to remain relatively self-sufficient despite French control, depending mainly on their traditional lifestyle for their livelihood. However, this changed drastically when France moved its nuclear testing program from Algeria to French Polynesia in 1960. The environment and people’s health have suffered under the French nuclear tests that have been taking place in the area. Even though the exact effects are not exactly known, especially in Moruroa, the tests have inflicted long-term environmental damage to the geographical structuring of the atoll.

In 1977, French Polynesia was granted partial internal autonomy; in 1984, the autonomy was extended. French Polynesia became a full overseas collectivity of France in 2003. French Polynesia was relisted in the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories in 2013, making it eligible for a UN-backed independence referendum. The relisting was made after the indigenous opposition was voiced and supported by the Polynesian Leaders Group, Pacific Conference of Churches, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Non-Aligned Movement, World Council of Churches, and Melanesian Spearhead Group.