Tahurai Henry
Tahurai Henry, the heir of Teahupo’o
"I’ve been a father for 24 hours. I am a son of Teahupo’o. Now so is my baby.
My ancestors left Aitutaki (Cook Islands) long ago. They came here by sea in a Polynesian canoe. I am a descendant of the first Tahitians to have inhabited the lands facing the Teahupo’o wave. My grandmother spoke Tahitian better than French and I grow up at her side. To communicate with her, I had to learn the language, our culture and our legends. I am proud of my ancestors and grateful to know that I belong to this story. I was a ‘half-caste’ child, white with light eyes, half-Tahitian and half white. Today, I have the feeling of being one of the heirs and guardians of Teahupo’o, of having to impart to the youngest generation what I have been able to learn, of having the responsibility to share such a beautiful spot because it does not belong to me.
"Teahupo’o is more than a wave, it’s a spirit, it’s something overpowering that needs to be respected, its people as much as its lands."
As surfers, our eternal struggle is to protect this peaceful haven. I try to take action in my own small way to preserve the authenticity of Teahupo’o. I am the representative for the Teahupo’o surf community for the 2024 Olympics. Along with my wife Hinatea, we’ve built our lives around sharing an authentic experience with others. That’s why we opened a guesthouse on the south-west coast of the island, at the end of the road and a three-minute walk to the heart of the family lands. We are surrounded by trees and have direct access to the wave. I don’t think I could be happy without having the sea close by. The ocean is my whole life, it’s what calms me, centres me. When I’m happy I go to the sea, when I’m sad I go to the sea, when I’m upset, I go to the sea. It’s like a second mother; it cradles me. Teahupo’o is where I want to be. To uproot myself would be to change what I am.
I learned to surf at the mouth of the river with my cousins and my little brother. Our elders took us under their wings. Overnight, we went from a little magic right that breaks on the sand and pebbles to the most dangerous wave in the world. Teahupo’o became a drug. Today, I’m happy that my baby will be able to grow up here, close to the sea, the surf, fishing, the waterfalls, the river, the plantations and the mountain. I enjoy the gift that we’ve inherited. That’s the concept I try to pass on the young people. I look out for them like little brothers, in the sea just as in life. That’s how it is for Gilbert Teave, who’s one of those that I gave their first boards. Gilbert is destined to be the next prince of Teahupo’o.
"That’s real life, living off the land and the sea."
Before, I needed to show it was my home. Now, I want to have fun. I pushed my limits in big wave surfing to the point where I fell, I got hurt. It was a massive wave, for tow-in and I paddled it. I hit my neck, back and head hard against the reef. My back cracked and I lost consciousness. For two or three months, I couldn’t get up on my own. It’s the closest you can come to dying from an accident. Nature showed me that you can’t shine all the time. That accident made me more humble. After that back injury, I discovered a passion for rescue. One day, my son will no doubt be taking big waves. I’ll be scared but I’ll be there for him. I couldn’t wish for anything better than seeing my son surf but if he chooses to play ping-pong, then he’ll play ping-pong! My aim is to instil in him all my knowledge about surfing, corals, fish and fishing to support himself, and how to plant vegetables and fruit trees. Because that’s real life, living off the land and the sea."
