Heiva i Bora Bora

Heiva, Fête, Party, Celebration. Bora Bora celebrates July 14 or Bastille Day as part of the Society Island’s month long summer celebrations or Heiva in July that include dancing and athletic competitions, canoe races, and a big colorful parade. It’s interesting to see the islands celebrate a date that is not at all significant locally. Bastille, Paris and the French Revolution are rather remote but at least the locals definitely put a Polynesian spin on the celebration. Any reason to party is a good reason! My favorite was the “Fruit Running” competitions where athletes run with big logs with bunches of bananas, breadfruit, pineapple and flowers secured at each end.

Running with fruit:

 

Bora Bora Yacht Club and the cruisers were well represented in the parade: