Raiatea (or Ra’iatea), is the second largest of the Society Islands, after Tahiti, in French Polynesia. The island is widely regarded as the ‘center’ of the eastern islands in ancient Polynesia and it is likely that the organised migrations to Hawaii, Aotearoa (New Zealand) and other parts of East Polynesia started at Ra’iatea. A traditional name for the island is believed to be Havai’i. Situated on the south east coast is the historical Taputapuatea marae which was established by 1000AD.
