Maco Tevane, real name Marc Maamaatuaiahutapu (13 August 1937 – 21 August 2013) was a French Polynesian author, playwright, and politician who served as Minister of Culture in the government of Gaston Flosse in the 1990s. He was a defender of Polynesian culture and the Tahitian language and is considered the founding father of popular Tahitian theatre. He was the father of politician

Heremoana Maamaatuaiahutapu Heremoana Maamaatuaiahutapu is a French Polynesian civil servant, politician, and Cabinet Minister. He is a member of Tapura Huiraatira. He is the son of politician Maco Tevane and the brother of TNTV director Mateata Maamaatuaiahutapu. Early ...

and TNTV director Mateata Maamaatuaiahutapu.

Early life

After graduating from high school with a national diploma he worked as a surveyor for the land registry before working for the lands service. After gaining a qualification in teaching Tahitian he worked as a court interpreter and then for the Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision Française as a television host. In August 1972 he founded the

Tahitian Academy The Tahitian Academy (ty: ''Te Fare Vānaʻa'' / fr: ''Académie tahitienne'') is a cultural institution in French Polynesia with the purpose of preserving and promoting the Tahitian language. The Academy standardizes vocabulary, grammar, and spell ...

. In 1974 he was one of its first academic members. In 1979 he created the Artistic Conservatory of French Polynesia to promote traditional arts and culture.

Political career

In October 1966 Tevane was elected as a municipal councillor in

Papeete Papeete (Tahitian language, Tahitian: ''Papeete'', pronounced ) is the capital city of French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of the France, French Republic in the Pacific Ocean. The Communes of France, commune of Papeete is located on the isl ...

. From 1972 to 1982 he worked as an advisor to the French Polynesian government. He frequently represented French Polynesia at meetings of the South Pacific Commission. He stood unsuccessfully for the National Assembly in the

1978 French legislative election The French legislative elections took place on 12 and 19 March 1978 to elect the sixth National Assembly of the Fifth Republic. On 2 April 1974, President Georges Pompidou died. The non-Gaullist center-right leader Valéry Giscard d'Estaing ...

, losing to Gaston Flosse. He ran again in the 1981 election, but gained only 3.9% of the vote. Shortly before the

1982 French Polynesian legislative election Legislative elections were held in French Polynesia on 23 May 1982 for the Territorial Assembly. Following the elections, a government was formed by Tahoera'a Huiraatira and Aia Api, who had won 16 of the 30 seats in the Assembly. Campaign A tot ...

he founded the Social Democrat party with Frantz Vanizette, but gained only 2.8% of the vote. In September 1991 he was appointed Minister of Social Affairs, Employment, and Labour in the government of Gaston Flosse. He later served as Minister of Culture and the Environment. He resigned as a minister in August 1994 following a coalition realignment.

Plays

* 1972: ''Te pe'ape'a hau 'ore o Papa Penu e o Mama Roro'' (The incessant arguments of Papa Penu and Mama Roro) * 1974: ''Te huno'a mana'o 'ore hia'' ("The Unexpected Son-in-Law")

Honours

In 1983 he was made a Chevalier of the Ordre national du Mérite. In 1989 he was made an officer. In June 2000 he was appointed an Officer of the

Order of Tahiti Nui The Order of Tahiti Nui was established on 5 June 1996 by the Assembly of French Polynesia to reward distinguished merit and achievements in the service to French Polynesia. History The Order of Tahiti Nui was established June 5, 1996 by resolu ...

. In November 2016 Taunoa College was renamed as Maco Tevane College in his honour.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tevane, Maco 1937 births 2013 deaths People from Papeete Tahitian-language writers French Polynesian academics Ministers of culture of French Polynesia Here Ai'a politicians Officers of the Ordre national du Mérite category:Members of the Tahitian Academy Recipients of orders, decorations, and medals of French Polynesia