Me'ae Iipona (Puamau Tikis)

The ceremonial site of Me'ae Iipona at Puamau, on the northeast coast of Hiva Oa, contains the most impressive collection of ancient stone tiki in the Marquesas. The platforms here hold five large carved figures in basalt, including the largest tiki in all of Polynesia — a massive seated figure nearly three metres high.

Reaching Puamau requires a 2-hour journey by 4WD from Atuona along a road that skirts cliff edges and fords streams. The difficulty of the approach means the site is rarely crowded, and arriving at the stone figures in their jungle clearing feels like a genuine discovery. Local guides can provide context about the figures' significance and the history of the site.

things to do sight
A story
The largest tiki in all of Polynesia stands at Iipona — a basalt figure nearly 2.7 metres tall, representing Takaii, a chieftain whose face is frozen in an expression of serene authority that predates any European contact with these islands. Unlike the Easter Island moai, which face away from the sea, the Marquesan tiki face outward, watching. Scholars debate whether they represent deified ancestors or gods; the Marquesans themselves, when asked, give different answers.