List of ornamental and useful plants cultivated on Huahine Island, French Polynesia. Part 2

In the traditional culture of the Polynesians, the unity of nature and the human being regarded as its part was something obvious. A significant part of the flora and fauna of the Polynesian island of Huahine had a quasi-religious character, playing the role of a taboo, objects of culture, landmarks, and not infrequently even being used as medicine. The colonisation of Polynesia by European nations led to profound changes, also in the way the relation between a human being and nature was perceived, making the character of the latter more utilitarian. Elements of the Polynesian flora became a sought-after raw material in the woodworking industry, the furniture industry, and the cosmetics and perfume industry. The paper discusses selected elements of the flora of the Polynesian islands and the changes in the way they have been perceived and used