Te Puna Ora: The Source of Life
8/20/2026 | 55mVideo has Closed Captions
As the climate crisis threatens Tahiti, three women begin a journey to protect their home.
Follow three Indigenous women - a community leader, a spearfisher and a teenage activist - as they cultivate an alliance at the front lines of climate change. Inspired by myths and rituals that shaped their Tahitian culture, these women move beyond bureaucracy and toward grassroots empowerment to oppose overdevelopment, take back indigenous land, and demand recognition from international leaders.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Funding provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Te Puna Ora: The Source of Life
8/20/2026 | 55mVideo has Closed Captions
Follow three Indigenous women - a community leader, a spearfisher and a teenage activist - as they cultivate an alliance at the front lines of climate change. Inspired by myths and rituals that shaped their Tahitian culture, these women move beyond bureaucracy and toward grassroots empowerment to oppose overdevelopment, take back indigenous land, and demand recognition from international leaders.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipNATIVE: We are all connected.
NATIVE: When the forests disappeared, we lost our homes.
NATIVE: We lost a lot of our cultural practices after colonization.
NATIVE: But now we're trying to get things back.
IWALANI: Through your art form, people will see your humanity.
NATIVE: We will do whatever it takes for the many generations to come.
♪ ♪ (waves lapping).
(soft singing in Tahitian).
(singing continues).
♪ (peaceful music playing) ♪ ♪ ♪ POEMA: Okay.
(muted water bubbling).
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (birds chirping).
(Poema sings in Tahitian).
INSPECTOR: Yes.
(speaking Tahitian).
(distant traffic noise).
(waves lapping).
(children playing distantly) (water lapping).
(waves lapping).
(people chattering).
(waves lapping).
(people chattering).
(Poema softly sobbing).
(people chattering).
(indistinct chattering).
♪ (soft spiritual music playing) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (spiritual music continues) ♪ (waves lapping).
♪ (rhythmic music playing) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (muted water bubbling).
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (water lapping).
(fishing line clinking).
Woohoo!
(laughs).
Yoo-hoo.
(laughs).
(birds chirping).
(speaking Tahitian).
♪ ♪ (street noise).
(waves lapping).
(speaking Tahitian).
(speaking Tahitian).
(laughs).
(speaking Tahitian).
(dog barking).
(muffled angry voices).
(thunder crashing).
(thunder crashing).
♪ (dramatic music playing) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (peaceful music playing) ♪ ♪ ♪ (birds chirping).
♪ ♪ (waves lapping).
♪ ♪ (waves lapping).
(both chuckling).
(Hinano speaking Tahitian).
(waves lapping).
♪ (dramatic music playing) ♪ (sail rustling).
(distorted water sounds).
♪ (tense music playing) ♪ ♪ ♪ (chanting in Tahitian).
(chanting in Tahitian continues).
(chanting in Tahitian continues).
♪ (rhythmic percussive music playing) ♪ ♪ ♪ (soft spiritual singing).
♪ (uptempo dramatic music playing) ♪ (rain pattering).
(rain pattering).
(speaking Tahitian).
(distant waves crashing).
♪ (upbeat dance music playing) ♪ ♪ ♪ (indistinct chattering).
(soft rhythmic drumming).
(soft rhythmic clapping).
(shell horn blowing).
(soft chattering).
(crowd cheering and clapping).
(crowd cheering and clapping).
(background chattering).
(soft chuckling).
(shell horn blowing).
(man speaking Tahitian).
(background chattering).
(singing in Tahitian).
(singing in Tahitian continues).
(singing in Tahitian).
(speaking in Tahitian).
(shell blowing softly).
(indistinct chattering).
(crowd cheering and clapping).
(speaking in Tahitian).
♪ (uptempo rhythmic music playing) ♪ ♪ ♪ (speaking Tahitian).
(birds chirping, waves lapping).
(chuckles).
(cheering).
♪ (gentle music playing) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (dramatic music playing) ♪ (anchor rattling).
(child softly murmuring).
(child speaking Tahitian).
(husband speaks Tahitian).
(singing in Tahitian).
♪ (tense spiritual music playing) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (stirring music playing) ♪ (busy city sounds).
(music plays through credits).
(music plays through credits) (waves crashing).
NewIndigeneity Is At Risk Because Of Land Development in Tahiti
Video has Closed Captions
From water scarcity to loss of culture, land development is concerning Tahitians. (2m 42s)
NewPoema Teachers Her Children to Protect the Ocean and Land
Video has Closed Captions
Poema teachers her children to protect the ocean and land. (2m 12s)
Te Puna Ora: The Source of Life Preview
As the climate crisis threatens Tahiti, three women begin a journey to protect their home. (30s)
NewWhere Do The Indigenous People of Tahiti Go After All This?
Video has Closed Captions
Land development has made Tahiti inaccessible and unaffordable for the Indigenous peoples. (2m 15s)
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Funding provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the National Endowment for the Arts.