Ma'a Tahiti

Ma’a Tahiti, meaning Tahitian food, consists of a vast variety of traditional specialties that Tahitians typically prepare for festive occasions and Sunday family gatherings. A traditional Tahitian meal typically includes both raw and cooked food items such as fish, seafood, meat, different root crops (sweet potatoes, yams, and taro), and a variety of exotic fruits and desserts, all of which are usually washed down with Tahitian punch, beer, wine, or coconut water. Typically, the food is encased in leaves, and it is then prepared in an underground oven called ahima’a, which cooks the food by steaming it to perfection using heated volcanic stones. Once cooked, the dishes are served in containers made of wood or braided leaves, and the food is meant to be eaten with hands. Traditional ma’a Tahiti is a staple at any island celebration or feast, including the traditional Tahitian feast known as tama’ara’a.