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Brief histories of the
first clubs of each geographic regions or countries
Rotary Club of Papeete,
the
First Club of
Tahiti, French Polynesia
Rotary International
District 9920 A Part of Our History of Rotary
in the Pacific Region
THE HISTORY OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF PAPEETE....THE FIRST CLUB OF ITS COUNTRY.
THE EVENING OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE CHARTER
At the ‘Hotel Les Tropiques’.
It was on Monday December 7th, 1959, at the Hotel Les Tropiques, that the presentation of the charter of the newly
created Rotary Club of Papeete, took place. This traditional ceremony is the most important in the life of a Rotary Club,
marking officially its entry into the world. The solemnity of the occasion was happily tempered by an atmosphere of elegance
and an appealing show.
The 25 members of the Rotary Club of Papeete, accompanied by their spouses attended the evening, a dinner dance to which
150 had been invited, the town’s notables, personalities passing through, members of other Rotary Clubs from round the world,
including Mr Charles Johnson of the Rotary Club of Rialto in California. They were welcomed at 8 o’clock by the members of
the committee. Then, the hosts from the Rotary Club of Papeete led everyone to the main bar ‘Les Tropiques’. This allowed each,
with an aperitif cocktail, to get to know each other.
Towards 9 o’clock, the club’s bell sounded the time for dinner. At the table of honour, by the side of President and Madame
Lejeune, were placed His Excellency the Governor of French Polynesia, the Secretary General and Madame Huber, Monsieur
Alfred Poroi, Mayor of Papeete and honorary member of the club, and his wife. Each of the 23 other tables was presided over
by a member of the club.
December in Tahiti, being a period of heat and rain, the Grand Terrace of the hotel ‘Les Tropiques’ was, as a precaution,
covered with a cloth decorated with greenery and palms. Around the pillars were placed flowers and flower arrangements. The
hotel management had done all they could to create in Tahiti a regal service like a ballet, neither too slow nor too fast,
to allow each person to enjoy:-
Consommé royal,
Le chaud-froid de Caneton a la gelee,
Le filet de boeuf garni a la bearnaise
La salade de saison
Le dessert ‘Tropiques’
The whole accompanied by an excellent champagne.
Immediately after the meal, Vice President Robert Herve went to the microphone to read out the numerous messages of
friendship sent from all points on the planet by other Rotary Clubs. One from Charles Taylor, a member of the Board of
Rotary International, who, by virtue of his position, had already been on July 22nd to announce to the Rotary Club of
Papeete, its admission into the great family of Rotary, expressed his regret at not being able to be present that evening.
In his moving message, he told of his faith in the ideals of the movement. These were the terms which President Marcel
Lejeune also recalled in his speech recalling how since 1905, the date of the foundation of the first Rotary club in
Chicago, the Rotary ideal had had an enormous influence throughout the world, and today half a million Rotarians in nearly
11,000 clubs formed an immense chain of friendship across frontiers. Then he stressed, with satisfaction, the excellent
work undertaken by the Rotary Club of Papeete, whose members have proved their application without failure.
He saw in this enthusiasm a sign of vitality and a promise of prosperity for the future, with the evident sympathy and moral
support of all the important people who had come to assist at the presentation of the charter, the Rotary Club of Papeete
would be able to contribute to all the useful work done in the town, putting into practice the great Rotary precept of ‘SERVICE’.
His Excellency the Governor of French Polynesia then rose to receive from the hands of Yves Martin, the Chief of Protocol,
the charter framed beautifully in local wood. He then gave it solemnly to President Lejeune amid cheers for his help.
Accompanying this symbolic gesture with a short speech, the Governor expressed his satisfaction at thus setting up the
official birth of the Rotary Club of Papeete, and giving it his congratulations. He rejoined the official table of the Rotary
Club of Papeete to loud applause.
The orchestra then followed, playing music for dancing. Couples took to the floor. The men’s evening dress stood out with
their white shirts and uniforms against the very elegant dresses of their dancing partners.
The night was marvellous and beautiful. To celebrate the arrival in the world of the Rotary Club of Papeete, the sky
became clear; the stars and electric lights were reflected many times over in the calm water of the lagoon.
In the air there floated, with the music, something, I know not what, which expressed the quality of the moment and the
intangible happiness of life. The end of the evening was to have been 1 a.m. but after 4 hours, not even the last member of the club
had left.
A Rotary Club was born.
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