Welcome to the summary page for FabulousFusionFood's Gambier Islander recipes, part of Oceania. This page provides links to all the Gambier Islander recipes presented on this site, with 0 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 Gambier Islands recipes added to this site.

Gambier Islander cuisine is a blend of traditional Polynesian and French culinary influences, featuring fresh seafood, tropical fruit, and local ingredients like coconut milk and taro. Popular dishes include poisson cru (raw fish marinated in coconut milk), suckling pig, and various desserts made with local fruit. Mangarevan culture shares a common origin with Tahitian and both cultures share some common cuisine elements.

These recipes, for the major part, originate in the Gambier Islands. Otherwise they are fusion recipes with major Gambier Islander influences.

The Gambier Islands (French: Îles Gambier or Archipel des Gambier), are an archipelago in French Polynesia, located at the southeast terminus of the Tuamotu archipelago. They cover an area of 27.8 km² and are made up of the Mangareva Islands, a group of high islands remnants of a caldera along with islets on the surrounding fringing reef, and the uninhabited Temoe atoll, which is located 45 km (28 mi) south-east of the Mangareva Islands. The Gambiers are generally considered a separate island group from Tuamotu both because their culture and language (Mangarevan) are much more closely related to those of the Marquesas Islands, and because, while the Tuamotus comprise several chains of coral atolls, the Mangareva Islands are of volcanic origin with central high islands.

Administratively, the Gambier Islands are inside the commune of Gambier, which also includes several atolls in the Tuamotu Archipelago. The town hall (mairie) of the commune of Gambier is located on Mangareva, which is the largest island in the Gambier Islands group. The population of the Gambier Islands was 1,431 people at the 2017 census, all living in the Mangareva Islands. The largest settlement is: Rikitea.

The Gambier Islands include the Mangareva Islands (the Gambier Islands proper), which have an enclosing coral reef which is broken by only three passages to the open sea, and Temoe atoll, which is located 45 km (28 mi) south-east of the Mangareva Islands. In the Mangareva Islands, besides Mangareva proper (the main island), the other notable high islands of the group are Akamaru, Angakauitai, Aukena, Kamaka, Kouaku, Makapu, Makaroa, Manui, Mekiro and Taravai. These are primarily of volcanic origin. A number of others are actually coral islands, hence of secondary volcanic origin, including Papuri, Puaumu, Totengengie and the Tokorua group.

The Gambier Islands are divided into the uninhabited Temoe atoll and the Mangareva Islands:

Central Laggon	Low Islands
high island of Mangareva	Tenoko
islet of Rumarei	Papuri
Aukena	Teauaone
Akamaru	Tepapuri
Kamaka	Puaumu
Taravai	Vaiatekeue
Angakauitai	Teauotu
	Apou
	Tuaeu
	Totegegie
	Tarauru Roa
	Gaioio
	Tauna
	Tekava
	Kouaku

Etymology: The term Society Islands was first used by Captain James Cook when he visited the Leeward Islands, a subgroup of six of the modern-day Society Islands, during his expedition to the south Pacific Ocean in 1769. It has been asserted that the name honors the Royal Society, the sponsor of his voyage, but this is disputed. Cook wrote in his journal:
To these six islands, [Raiatea, Tahaʻa, Bora Bora, Huahine, Tupai, and Maupiti], as they lie contiguous to each other, I gave the names of SOCIETY ISLANDS, but did not think it proper to distinguish them separately by any other names than those by which they were known to the natives.

Gambier Islander Cuisine:

Gambier Islander cuisine is a vibrant blend of traditional Polynesian and French culinary influences. It emphasizes fresh, local ingredients, particularly seafood, tropical fruit, and vegetables. The cuisine reflects the islands' rich cultural heritage and natural bounty and is influenced by Tahitian cuisine (Mangareva and Tahitian culture and language share a common origin).

Significant dishes include:
Poisson Cru Raw fish marinated in coconut milk and lime, often served as a starter.
Fafaru Fermented fish dish, known for its strong aroma, typically served with coconut milk.
Ahima'a Traditional cooking method using an underground oven for slow-cooked meals.
Po'e A sweet pudding made from fruits like banana or papaya, served with coconut milk.
Tama’ara’a A festive meal featuring various dishes cooked in an ahima'a.