Trace the remarkable journey of French Polynesia, from ancient Polynesian voyagers to its modern status as a French overseas collectivity.
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Navigators Who Read the Ocean
This series, Echoes of the Past, traces the layered history of French Polynesia, from its earliest human arrivals through colonization and into the modern era.
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1
Magellan Sailed Past Without Stopping
Ferdinand Magellan crossed the Pacific in 1521 and spotted the Tuamotu atolls, but never set foot on them.
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2
Pomare Kings and the French Protectorate
The Pomare dynasty unified Tahiti through a combination of political cunning and European firepower.
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3
From Colony to Autonomy in Polynesia
In 1880, King Pomare V handed full sovereignty to France, and these islands became an outright colony — a status that would last over six decades.
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4
When Bora Bora Became America's Base
After the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, the United States needed a secure refueling and resupply point in the South Pacific. Bora Bora fit the bill perfectly.
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5
Mushroom Clouds Over Paradise Atolls
Between 1966 and 1996, France detonated 193 nuclear devices in the Tuamotu Archipelago, making it one of the most heavily tested regions on Earth.
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