Peva Levy said he felt a powerful, natural energy known as 害羞草研究所渕ana害羞草研究所� when he surfed Teahupo害羞草研究所檕害羞草研究所檚 waves on a piece of plywood for the first time, rushing down a crumbling white surf in front of an untouched volcanic beach several years before the steady streams of surfers started arriving when the village got its first asphalt road over fifty years ago.

害羞草研究所淚t was a secret spot,害羞草研究所� the surfer and Tahitian native remembered, as he stood on the pristine beaches of Teahupo害羞草研究所檕 on the island害羞草研究所檚 south side, waves crashing off in the distance. 害羞草研究所淏ut it was not a secret spot for a long time.害羞草研究所�

Teahupo害羞草研究所檕 has since achieved world renown among surfers 害羞草研究所� the roaring wave garnered a reputation for its ferocious power 害羞草研究所� and will be home to the surfing competition, scheduled from July 27 to Aug. 4.

The island in French Polynesia is an overseas territory of the European nation. The decision to host part of the Games here has thrust unprecedented challenges onto a small community that has long cherished and strives to protect a way of life more closely connected to wild lands and crystal-clear ocean than the fame promised by an Olympic stage.

And while organizers to conserve the local environment, ensuring that the village of Teahupo害羞草研究所檕 stays a village is proving to be a struggle for locals.

The original proposed scale of the Olympic site 害羞草研究所� which called for new roads, housing units and even an aluminum judging tower that required drilling into the reef 害羞草研究所� caused . Environmental and surf communities banded together to protect Teahupo害羞草研究所檕害羞草研究所檚 culture, its corals and its marine life.

害羞草研究所淚t was too much for us, a big change. And it was just for, like, one week害羞草研究所� of competition, Levy said, who害羞草研究所檚 also a member of the local environmental organization Vai Ara O Teahupo害羞草研究所檕.

Though it害羞草研究所檚 , there is not one surf shop in Teahupo害羞草研究所檕, with the town forgoing most of the development that害羞草研究所檚 usually a staple at popular surf destinations. At the end of the village害羞草研究所檚 road lies its sole snack bar which is only open for lunch and serves fish caught that morning. Kids spend the afternoon surfing as families watch from the black sand beaches. At night, the distant roar of waves barreling down onto the reef lulls the town to sleep.

害羞草研究所淲e loved this place because it was still wild, there were not many people over here. There was a lot of fish all around, and that good mana,害羞草研究所� Levy said.

In response to criticism, now 98% of Olympic housing will be within the homes of locals, with athletes accommodated on a cruise ship anchored nearby. The and new infrastructure plans are being drawn up to minimize the need for new construction.

But concerns remain: Environmentalists and local fishers fear that drilling into the coral reef could attract ciguatera, a microscopic algae that infects fish and makes people sick if eaten, and many sustain themselves by what they catch in the ocean.

Mormon Maitei, 22, makes a living from spearfishing in the lagoons, feeding his family and selling what he has left over. 害羞草研究所淭he lagoon is our refrigerator, it害羞草研究所檚 where we get our dinner from,害羞草研究所� he said.

The sought-after shape of the waves could be affected, too, islanders say, if the reef were to fissure and lose the shape that the waves rely on to form.

害羞草研究所淚f it does crack and break off, there will be no more wave over here, it will be finished for us,害羞草研究所� said Levy.

In December, local fears were confirmed when a barge razed sections of coral on its way to the construction site on the reef. A video of the damage spread on social media, provoking an outcry.

Cindy Otcenasek, the president of Via Ara o Teahupo害羞草研究所檕, called the destruction deeply hurtful. 害羞草研究所淚n Polynesian culture, gods are present everywhere, in the coral, in the ocean,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淭he ocean is considered to be the most sacred temple.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭he fish live around the corals so if we break a coral, we break a home,害羞草研究所� she said.

Olympic organizers expressed their concern over the incident.

害羞草研究所淚t was awful for us,害羞草研究所� said Barbara Martins-Nio, a senior event manager for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organization Committee. 害羞草研究所淭ahitians have this special relationship with nature, with their lands, and it was like a bomb for us.害羞草研究所�

Martins-Nio said that their interactions with local groups are now improving, and the organizing team has taken a step back on several issues and are better involving local groups so that construction work is fully transparent.

Despite the fears, some on the island still see the Games as an opportunity. Much of the local population is in favor of the Games, the economic benefits it could bring and the standing it will give their little corner of French Polynesia.

Born and raised in Teahupo害羞草研究所檕, Gregory Parker害羞草研究所檚 morning routine consists of watching the waves crash along the horizon from his beachfront bungalow while smoking a cigarette. But while the Games are in town, he害羞草研究所檚 willing to sacrifice that for a bit of spare cash by renting it out.

His family owns a significant portion of properties in the village that are regularly rented out to the international surf community during the annual World Surf League competition, and he intends to do the same for the Olympics.

害羞草研究所淚 will try to live at my daughter害羞草研究所檚 house during the Games. If she also rents out her house, I have a tent,害羞草研究所� Parker said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 not hard for two weeks, and given all the money I will make, it害羞草研究所檚 worth it.害羞草研究所�

In January this year, just months before the Games, a small group of local surfers bobbed up and down in the water, awaiting the perfect wave, when 21-year-old Kauli Vaast, who害羞草研究所檚 competing in this year害羞草研究所檚 Olympics, spotted it forming.

He害羞草研究所檚 quick to slide his board into one of the glassy tubes, gliding out before the wave thunders down onto the reef, a monstrous spray of lapping white froth raining down behind him.

害羞草研究所淢agical things happen here, you feel this energy and you must show respect,害羞草研究所� said Vaast. 害羞草研究所淚t is so important to show respect in these types of places where you face mother nature.害羞草研究所�

Vaast learned how to surf on these waves at just eight years old, nearly 40 years after Peva Levy first felt the wave害羞草研究所檚 mana. Mana that many islanders feel 害羞草研究所� and want to preserve.

害羞草研究所淲e hear a lot about the infrastructure and heritage that will be left by the Olympic Games, but we already have an ancestral heritage,害羞草研究所� said Via Ara o Teahupo害羞草研究所檕害羞草研究所檚 Otcenasek. 害羞草研究所淭eahupo害羞草研究所檕 is the land of God before being the land of the Games.害羞草研究所�

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