Frangipani flower

The Tiaré flower is indigenous to Micronesia. It has become the national emblem of French Polynesia. As part of its heritage, many rites and customs are linked to this ancestral flower. It has also made a name for itself around the world thanks to its inimitable fragrance. But it is above all through monoi that it has become more popular. Here's a closer look at tiare flower and its unsuspected virtues.

The symbolism of the Tiaré flower

Tiaré Tahiti is a shrub that can grow up to 4 m tall. It is thought to have been brought to the Tahitian islands by the various human journeys. In the past, tiare flowers belonged exclusively to the king, and were also used to celebrate noble weddings. The houses and beds of the bride and groom were adorned with tiare flowers a month before their union. Composed of 5 to 9 petals, the tiare flower is associated with purity. It can be white, white and yellow, or even all yellow. It is often confused with the frangipani flower.

Emblem of Polynesia, the tiare flower has become popular and is used to make the traditional headdress known as Horo. They are also still used for mystical purposes, notably to make love filters or aphrodisiac bouquets such as Umuhei.

As a symbol of the South Pacific, this exotic flower can be found everywhere. It adorns the airplanes of Tahiti's local airlines, graces the fronts of many of the country's banks, and graces the signs of spas, to name but a few. The intoxicating fragrance of this local flower is omnipresent throughout the island. Very powerful, it is reminiscent of the sweet fragrance of jasmine.

Wearing a tiare flower: a Tahitian custom

The tiare flower symbolizes romance and love. Kumu Hei is a tiare-based love potion. It is also regularly worn by locals as floral jewelry. Traditionally, women wear the open flower and men the bud. There's a whole symbolism and floral language around the Tahitian flower. Indeed, it is worn on the ear and its position is not insignificant:

• Left: the person is already in a relationship
• Right: single
• One on each ear: married, but open to other proposals
• Upside down (backwards): the person is immediately available

When arriving in Polynesia, all tourists receive a whole necklace of tiare flowers or a single flower. This is a way of welcoming them. Tiare flowers are also featured on traditional dance costumes (Ori tahiti).

Different names for tiare flowers

The Tahiti Tiare is a bush that can grow up to 4m high. It gives rise to the famous flowers of the same name. It is also a complex plant. Indeed, according to ancestral beliefs, flowering follows a particular order, linked to life. Each flower on each branch has a religious connotation and a different name.

When the flowers begin to appear, the first 4 buds are dedicated to the gods:

• Oteo the first button. It belongs to Taaroa, the creator of the world
• Umoa, the second button, belongs to the god of space and the tiare Ma'hoi: Atea
• Umatatea is the third button, which belongs to Tane, the god of beauty
• Umoa Tea is the last bud before flowering and belongs to Hina, the moon goddess

Then, the 6 other open flowers are dedicated to humans in a very precise order:

• Ua Pua te tiare is the flower of lovers and the one that begins to open
• Ua Uaa te tiare and the flower has just bloomed, it belongs to men
• Ua Mahora te tiare, the flower is blooming and belongs spread out to lovers
• Ua Maemae te tiare represents the wilted flower. It symbolizes love that lasts
• Ua Oriorio te tiare, the curled flower represents an unhappy couple
• U amaro te tiare, the dried flower symbolizes death
  
  

Tiare flower in cosmetics

In France, the Tahitian flower has made a name for itself thanks to monoï. This is an ancestral concoction designed by the Tahitians to protect skin and hair from birth to middle age. This mixture of germinated, grated and fermented coconut oil is exposed to the sun for a few days. Of course, the Tiare flower bud is also added to give the scent so emblematic of this natural treatment. This treatment is an invitation to well-being in all seasons.

But it's not the only cosmetic product based on Tiare flower. Indeed, the essential oil is also widely renowned for its bewitching scent, but also for its soothing active ingredients. The sacred flower may also be found in cosmetics such as body and face creams, to bring a unique and delicious fragrance to the skin.