Biography :

‘Ia ora na, My name is Hereata, and I was born and raised in Tahiti, French Polynesia. I studied Literature and Arts at the Université de la Polynésie Française in Pape’ete, where I earned my Bachelor’s degree. I hold two Master’s degrees: one in French and Comparative Literature and another in Cultural Studies from Université Paul-Valéry in Montpellier. During my research master in France, I started to dive into Oceanian literature with a strong focus on deconstructing traditional myths and exploring postcolonial identities. I'm deeply honored to pursue my passion for research within the Oceanian Poetic Collaborations project, and I look forward to contributing to the recognition of the oral, literary, and cultural expressions of my fenua.

Research project :

My research project, conducted within the framework of the Oceanian Poetic Collaborations program, seeks to reconceptualize Oceanian poetry by moving beyond textual analysis to explore its sonic, embodied, and material dimensions. Oceania is deeply rooted in oral traditions, with poetry drawing its vitality from this living heritage. As the first regions impacted by the Anthropocene, Pacific Islands face the ongoing legacies of colonialism, globalization, and climate change, all of which profoundly reshape both the land and cultural identities. In response, poets have increasingly turned to their voices as a means of denouncing the injustices and disruptions of their time.

Central to this research is an exploration of how poetic performances forge connections between diverse entities: human voices, non-human elements (such as the sea and the wind), and the material world. These interactions transform the very embodiment of poetry, which cannot be confined to written text alone. Instead, Oceanian poetry unfolds as a living event—a dynamic network of connections that reflects the ways of being and knowing the world intrinsic to Oceanian cultures.

This approach will also provide deeper insight into how contemporary poetry functions as a powerful tool for both defending Indigenous identities and safeguarding the environment and the ocean. Through poetic performance, these struggles intertwine, manifesting as forms of resistance deeply rooted in the cultural and ecological landscapes of Oceania.

Fields of interest:

- Oceanian Literature

- Performance Poetry

- Indigenous Knowledge Systems/ Indigenous Ways of Knowing

- Oral Narratives and Storytelling

- Postcolonial Studies