The Dutch, the British, and the French were rushing around the islands of the pacific staking their claims. Often under the guise of bringing Christianity to non believers. What happens though when a local Queen has already been converted and here comes another ship of Europeans of another country and denomination? A war. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.
I usually am a fan of French colonial stamps but this one leaves me a little flat. I suppose spear fishing is exotic if not unique, I did a British Guyana stamp showing an Indian spear fishing here, https://the-philatelist.com/2018/11/13/british-guiana-1934-interesting-picture-but-the-wrong-type-of-indian/ . The French presence in Tahiti was cloaked though in the duty of of bringing civilization and Christian Salvation to Tahiti. Might a small part of that include giving the local fellow a fishing pole?
Todays stamp is issue A12, a 2 Centimes stamp issued by the French Colony of French Oceania in 1934. This was a long running 37 stamp issue in various denominations. Among the variations were versions overstamped France Libre to signal Tahiti being in Free French hands during the war and a version considered fake that lack the RF in the corner. They were put out by the Vichy government but not actually used for postage. According to the Scott catalog the stamp is worth 35 cents unused.
Tahiti was first occupied by Polynesians around 300 AD. They had came by small boat from the west. European visitors included first Portuguese, then Dutch, then British, and even Spaniards coming from the other direction, their colony in Peru. Individual islands in the area often had a local King or Chief who was affiliated but not directly ruled by Queen Pomare. The London Missionary Society had established a permanent presence in the area in 1797. They were Protestants lead by a Welch Congregationalist. In 1812, they succeeded in converting the Royal Family of Tahiti.
In 1834, a group of French Catholic Missionaries landed but were not allowed to stay. They reported back that Tahiti was still far from civilized. The easily understood and true point that they harped upon was the tradition of Queen Pomare to eat the eye of a defeated foe. Ignoring the sovereignty of the “eye eating” Queen, France unilaterally declared Tahiti a French Protectorate to allow their Catholic Missionaries to operate freely. They backed up their words with a few gunboats and 400 marines. The Tahitians fought and fought hard. It took over 3 years for the last of the Queen’s strongholds to fall to the French. Giving hope to the Tahititians and making the French quite nervous was the presence of a large British naval squadron off shore. The ships were vaguely on the Tahitian side as they were aware of the presence of the London Missionary Society.
Queen Pomare sought refuge on the nearby island of Raiatea that had successfully repelled a smaller French landing. British Admiral George Seymour was invited ashore to have an audience with Queen Pomare. She tried to get the British to intervene on Tahitians behalf. She pointed to how long they had held out and how much stronger the British fleet in the area was. The Admiral came out and said that in his opinion the French declarations regarding Tahiti were null and void but that he did not have authority to intervene without instructions from London. Despite having disappointed Queen Pomare, he was allowed to return to his ship with his eyes. She then agreed to a new offer from the French that she be allowed to return to her Throne on Tahiti in return for accepting French Protectorate status. Queen Pomare IV stayed on her Throne for another 30 years in her new status. The French apparently got used to working with an eye eater.
The London Missionary Society had a lasting effect. Even after 150 years of French Catholic rule, the church going population of Tahiti is 60 percent Protestant versus 30 percent Catholic. One wonders if the French Marines, many who died, would have elected to stay on their gunboats if they knew the outcome.
Well my drink is empty and I will pour another to toast the efforts of the London Missionary Society. Tahiti definitely seems a place you should go in with your eyes wide open. Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.