On Bora Bora, the patron saint of the island is Saint Therese, canonized in 1997, yet her annual pilgrimage draws residents who also recite prayers at ancient stone temples called marae, built centuries before the first missionaries arrived.
How does a place where nearly everyone is Catholic also maintain a spiritual landscape of sacred plants, ancestral prohibitions, and stone altars oriented by the stars? The easy answer — that missionaries simply replaced one religion with another — misses the more interesting reality. On Bora Bora, Catholicism and pre-Christian Polynesian beliefs have not so much blended as they have settled into a layered relationship, where different practices address different needs. This article traces that relationship: what the marae were for, how conversion reshaped the spiritual map, and what persists beneath the surface of a modern Catholic majority.
Bora Bora’s religious landscape is overwhelmingly Catholic — the island belongs to the Diocese of the Society Islands — but that fact alone tells you little about how spirituality actually works here. Catholicism coexists with traditional beliefs in sacred plants (ta’haloa), mystical practices (kahunhua and tarawa), and a deep respect for marae as places where the human and divine still meet. The relationship is not a simple fusion; it is more like a conversation across centuries, with different traditions answering different questions.
Travelers curious about lived religion, not just church attendance
Readers researching Polynesian spiritual history
Anyone planning to visit a marae or attend a pilgrimage
| Tradition | Core Belief / Practice | Status Today | Where Encountered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catholicism | Monotheism, veneration of saints, sacraments, annual pilgrimages | Majority religion; island belongs to Diocese of the Society Islands | Churches in Vaitape and across the island; Saint Therese pilgrimage |
| Marae worship | Stone platforms for offerings, chief investitures, communication with gods | Partially restored sites; still considered sacred ground with tapu (prohibitions) | Marae Marotetini near Faanui Bay; other sites in valleys |
| Ta’haloa / plant-based spirituality | Sacred plants used for healing; believed to link deities and humans | Practiced by some families; knowledge passed orally | Not publicly advertised; learned through local guides |
| Protestantism | Evangelical and mainline Protestant worship | Minority presence; churches in Vaitape and Uturoa | Protestant churches on the island |
| Soka Gakkai Buddhism | Nichiren Buddhist practice, peace-focused | Small community; temple in Vaitape | Soka Gakkai temple, Vaitape |
Before the Missionaries: The Marae and the Old Order
Long before European contact, the spiritual life of Bora Bora was organized around marae — open-air stone platforms built from coral and basalt slabs. These were not simply temples in the Western sense. They functioned as the axis between the human world and the divine, where chiefs (arii) were invested with authority, offerings were made to gods, and the community gathered for major rituals. The orientation of each marae followed cosmological principles, aligning with celestial bodies and the island’s geography.
Several marae still exist on Bora Bora, though many are overgrown or partially dismantled. The best-known is Marae Marotetini, located in the valley of Povai near Faanui Bay. It has been partially restored and is sometimes included in guided tours. The site features stone platforms and an ahu (an altar-like structure) where rituals once took place. Visitors are asked to stay on marked paths and not to move any stones — the ground remains tapu, or sacred, in the understanding of many local families.
What exactly was worshiped at these sites is harder to pin down. Polynesian religion in the Society Islands recognized a pantheon of major gods — such as Ta’aroa, the creator god — alongside numerous local deities and ancestral spirits. The marae were places where the boundary between these beings and humans could be crossed, but the specifics of ritual practice varied by island and by clan. Some accounts suggest that human sacrifice occurred at certain high-status marae, though the historical record is fragmentary and contested. What is clear is that the arrival of Christianity did not erase this landscape so much as overlay it.
A common outsider assumption is that marae are simply “ruins” — abandoned relics of a dead religion. For many Bora Bora families, they remain spiritually active places, even if formal worship there ended generations ago. Treating them as archaeological curiosities misses the point entirely.
Conversion and the Catholic Present
Christianity arrived in the Society Islands with Protestant missionaries from the London Missionary Society in the early 19th century, followed later by French Catholic missionaries. Today, the vast majority of Bora Bora’s residents are Catholic, and the island falls under the Diocese of the Society Islands. Churches are open to everyone and are almost always available for prayer and meditation, with interiors decorated with scenes from the life of Jesus and Mary.
The most visible expression of Catholic devotion is the annual pilgrimage for Saint Therese, the patron saint of Bora Bora. Pilgrims recite prayers, attend mass, sing songs, and — in a detail that catches many visitors off guard — bathe in the turquoise waters of the lagoon as part of the observance. Public confessions and confessionals are also available for tourists who wish to participate. The pilgrimage draws residents from across the island and represents the public face of Bora Bora’s Christianity.
If you are on Bora Bora during the Saint Therese pilgrimage, you are welcome to attend the mass and public prayers. Dress modestly (shoulders and knees covered), and follow the lead of local participants during the lagoon bathing — it is a devotional act, not a swim.
But Catholicism here is not a simple transplant. Priests who serve the island have supported the concept of “sacred ground,” which resonates with the older understanding of marae as places where the divine touches the human. The veneration of saints, too, maps onto a Polynesian sensibility that honors multiple spiritual intermediaries. This is not syncretism in the sense of blending two systems into one; it is more like a bilingualism, where a person can attend mass on Sunday and still respect the tapu of a marae without feeling any contradiction.
What Persists: Ta’haloa, Kahunhua, and the Unseen
Beyond the marae and the churches, a less visible layer of spiritual practice continues. Ta’haloa are sacred plants used for healing, believed to provide a link between deities and humans. Knowledge of which plants are ta’haloa, and how to use them, is typically passed down within families rather than taught publicly. Other practices — referred to in some sources as kahunhua and tarawa — involve mystical or healing arts that intertwine with Catholic practice in ways that outsiders rarely see.
These traditions are not advertised. You will not find a ta’haloa workshop on a tourist brochure. They exist in the domain of family knowledge, oral transmission, and personal belief. Some residents practice them openly; others keep them private. What matters is that they are not seen as competing with Catholicism. A person might pray to Saint Therese for one kind of help and consult a family elder about ta’haloa for another. The two systems address different domains of life.
The term “ta’haloa” itself is sometimes used broadly to refer to sacred or powerful plants, but specific species and their uses vary by family and island. There is no single, standardized list. If a guide or local mentions ta’haloa, they are referring to a living tradition, not a fixed doctrine.
This persistence of pre-Christian practice within a Catholic majority is not unique to Bora Bora — similar patterns exist across Polynesia — but it takes a specific form here. Because the island is small and relatively isolated, the transmission of family knowledge has been less disrupted than in more urbanized parts of the Society Islands. That said, generational change is real. Younger residents who have moved to Tahiti or France for education or work may not have learned the plant traditions of their grandparents. Whether these practices survive another generation is an open question.
How the Spiritual Landscape Differs Across the Islands
Bora Bora is part of the Society Islands, but its religious profile is not identical to that of Tahiti, Moorea, or the more remote atolls. The following table captures some of the key differences within French Polynesia.
| Island / Group | Dominant Religion | Notable Feature | Marae Presence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bora Bora | Catholic (Diocese of the Society Islands) | Saint Therese pilgrimage; ta’haloa traditions; Soka Gakkai temple in Vaitape | Several, including partially restored Marae Marotetini |
| Tahiti | Protestant (Maohi Protestant Church) and Catholic | Larger Protestant presence due to early LMS missions; more visible religious diversity | Marae Arahurahu (restored, near Papeete); others less accessible |
| Moorea | Catholic and Protestant | Smaller population; less institutional religious infrastructure | Marae Titiroa and others, less visited |
| Tuamotu Atolls | Catholic majority | More isolated; traditional knowledge may be more intact in some families | Fewer standing marae; coral-based structures |
| Marquesas | Catholic majority | Distinct cultural history; larger marae complexes (e.g., Puamau) | Extensive marae and tiki sites, some well-preserved |
One key difference is the strength of Protestantism. On Tahiti, the London Missionary Society established a strong foothold in the early 1800s, and the Maohi Protestant Church remains a major institution. On Bora Bora, Catholicism is far more dominant, though Protestant churches do exist in Vaitape and Uturoa. The presence of a Soka Gakkai Buddhist temple in Vaitape is a more recent development, reflecting the migration of workers and families from other parts of the Pacific and Asia.
It is tempting to describe Bora Bora’s religion as a “blend” or “fusion” of Catholic and Polynesian beliefs. That framing oversimplifies. Most residents identify as Catholic without qualification. The traditional practices that persist are not a parallel religion — they are family knowledge, healing traditions, and a respect for sacred places that exist alongside, not in place of, church attendance.
- Bora Bora is overwhelmingly Catholic, but the island’s spiritual landscape includes marae, sacred plants, and family-based healing traditions that predate Christianity.
- Marae are not ruins — they remain sacred ground, and visitors should treat them with the same respect as an active church.
- Practices like ta’haloa are not advertised; they are part of private family knowledge and are not performed for tourists.
- The relationship between Catholicism and older traditions is not syncretism but coexistence — different practices address different aspects of life.
Questions Readers Ask
Can I visit a marae on Bora Bora?
Yes. Marae Marotetini near Faanui Bay is the most accessible and has been partially restored. It is best visited with a local guide who can explain the site’s history and the tapu (prohibitions) still observed there. Do not touch or move any stones.
Are there any non-Christian religious communities on the island?
Yes. Protestant churches operate in Vaitape and Uturoa, and a Soka Gakkai Buddhist temple is located in Vaitape. These represent minority communities but are established parts of the island’s religious landscape.
Is the Saint Therese pilgrimage open to tourists?
Yes. Visitors are welcome to attend the mass, prayers, and public observances. The lagoon bathing is a devotional act — participate only if you understand and respect its meaning. Dress modestly.
Do local people still practice pre-Christian traditions?
Some families maintain knowledge of sacred plants (ta’haloa) and healing practices (kahunhua, tarawa). These are private, family-based traditions, not public performances. They coexist with Catholic practice rather than replacing it.
Is Bora Bora’s religion the same as Tahiti’s?
Not exactly. Bora Bora is more uniformly Catholic, while Tahiti has a stronger Protestant presence due to earlier London Missionary Society activity. Both islands have marae and traditional knowledge, but the balance of influences differs.
What the Landscape Reveals
Standing at Marae Marotetini, with the valley rising behind it and the lagoon visible through the trees, you are in a place that has been sacred for centuries — first to the old gods, then to the chiefs who were invested there, and now to families who still consider it tapu. A few kilometers away, the church in Vaitape holds mass every Sunday, and the pilgrimage to Saint Therese draws the island together once a year. These are not competing claims on the truth. They are different ways of marking the same human need: to locate the sacred in a specific place, to pass it down, and to keep it alive.
For a deeper look at how traditional knowledge is expressed in daily life, read about Bora Bora’s harvest festival ceremonies, where older rhythms of gratitude and community still set the calendar.
Sources and further reading
Fenua Tahiti. “Let’s Discover Religious Beliefs and Practices in Bora Bora.” 🔗
Far and Away Adventures. “The Sacred Sites of Bora Bora: A Historical Guide.” 🔗
Via Lala. “Culture à Bora Bora.” 🔗
Related reading on IslandHopperGuides
Exploring the Cultural Significance of Bora Bora’s Petroglyphs — how pre-Christian symbols and carvings connect to the island’s spiritual history.
Bora Bora Through the Ages: A Historical Overview of Cultural Developments — the broader timeline of cultural change, including the arrival of Christianity.
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