Welcome to the summary page for FabulousFusionFood's French Polynesian recipes, part of Oceania. This page provides links to all the French Polynesian recipes presented on this site, with 24 recipes in total.

This is a continuation of an entire series of pages that will, I hope, allow my visitors to better navigate this site. As well as displaying recipes by name, country and region of origin I am now planning a whole series of pages where recipes can be located by meal type and main ingredient. This page gives a listing of all the French Polynesian recipes added to this site.

French Polynesia produces a significant array of fruits and vegetables as natural local produce (especially coconut), which feature in many of the dishes of the islands, as does fresh seafood. Foods like faraoa 'ipo, poisson cru and rēti'a are commonly eaten. The islands of Tahiti and the Marquesas indulge in a unique food made by preserving breadfruit, known as ma, which either can be baked further in the earth oven, or consumed directly mixed with fresh breadfruit as popoi mei (as is in the Marquesas).

These recipes, for the major part, originate in French Polynesia. Otherwise they are fusion recipes with major Samoan influences.

French Polynesia (Polynésie française in French and Pōrīnetia farāni in Tahitian), is an overseas collectivity of France and its sole overseas country. It comprises 121 geographically dispersed islands and atolls stretching over more than 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) in the South Pacific Ocean. French Polynesia is associated with the European Union as an overseas country and territory (OCT). The total land area of French Polynesia is 3,521 square kilometres (1,359 sq mi), with a population of 278,786 (Aug. 2022 census) of which at least 205,000 live in the Society Islands and the remaining population lives in the rest of the archipelago.

French Polynesia is divided into five island groups: the Austral Islands; the Gambier Islands; the Marquesas Islands; the Society Islands (comprising the Leeward and Windward Islands); and the Tuamotus. Among its 121 islands and atolls, 75 were inhabited at the 2017 census. Tahiti, which is in the Society Islands group, is the most populous island, being home to nearly 69% of the population of French Polynesia as of 2017. Papeete, located on Tahiti, is the capital of French Polynesia. Although not an integral part of its territory, Clipperton Island was administered from French Polynesia until 2007.

Hundreds of years after the Great Polynesian Migration, European explorers began traveling through the region, visiting the islands of French Polynesia on several occasions. Traders and whaling ships also visited. In 1842, the French took over the islands and established a French protectorate that they called Établissements français d'Océanie (EFO) (French Establishments/Settlements of Oceania).

In 1946, the EFO became an overseas territory under the constitution of the French Fourth Republic, and Polynesians were granted the right to vote through citizenship. In 1957, the territory was renamed French Polynesia. In 1983, it became a member of the Pacific Community, a regional development organization. Since 28 March 2003, French Polynesia has been an overseas collectivity of the French Republic under the constitutional revision of article 74, and later gained, with law 2004-192 of 27 February 2004, an administrative autonomy, two symbolic manifestations of which are the title of the President of French Polynesia and its additional designation as an overseas country.

Etymology: France started to exert its influence over French Polynesia, also known as the Society Islands, in the 19th century. Tahiti and the neighboring islands were legally seized by France in 1842, and they were placed under French administration. France expanded its dominance over the islands throughout the ensuing decades by setting up a network of administrative offices, schools, and other institutions. French Polynesia is the name given to the islands in 1957.

French Polynesia is currently a French overseas territory, which means it is a part of France but yet enjoys some autonomy. French Polynesia has its own administration and enjoys considerable self-governance, especially when it comes to managing its natural resources and the tourism industry. The territorial legislature chooses the president of French Polynesia, who is the country’s head of state. In addition to having its own flag, anthem, and currency (the CFP franc, tied to the euro), French Polynesia is also a sovereign state. Additionally, it has a distinctive culture that combines French and Polynesian customs and is well-known for its music, dancing, and visual arts.

French Polynesian Cuisine:

French Polynesia produces a significant array of fruits and vegetables as natural local produce (especially coconut), which feature in many of the dishes of the islands, as does fresh seafood. Foods like faraoa 'ipo, poisson cru and rēti'a are commonly eaten. The islands of Tahiti and the Marquesas indulge in a unique food made by preserving breadfruit, known as ma, which either can be baked further in the earth oven, or consumed directly mixed with fresh breadfruit as popoi mei (as is in the Marquesas).

As well as native dishes you also find foreign influences, French and Chinese being the most notable.