Institut du Monoï

There are still so many beauty rituals to discover

For two thousands years, on white sandy beaches and in the tropical forests of volcanic islands, the Maohi people have been cultivating total harmony with nature. They have learned to use and live with the Mana, a vital force that surrounds them and links them to the world.
Today the Maohi tradition is the inspiration source of new well-being centers where ancient gestures and sacred plants combine with the know-how and expertise of avant-garde Spas. The main Spas of Tahiti and Her Islands reinvent personal care in Paradise. The massage with Monoi, the Taurumi, is its signature treatment.


Taurumi, the Maohi art of massage Carried out on a daily basis in the family circle or for therapeutic purposes by specialists, known as Tahua, massage is a cultural act, bearing witness to a sense of humanity working to care for the self, in search of perfection and harmony. The word rumi evokes the idea of kneading, massage and modeling – a process which shapes body and soul, a contact and interaction with the skin which reaches into the very depths of the being. It is an act possessing great power designed to facilitate the circulation of energy within the body and re-establish a balanced relation to the world. The masseur spreads the oil over his or her hands and warms them up to ensure a light, non aggressive contact with the skin. By placing them on the body of the patient, the masseur is able to make a diagnosis. The art of massage presupposes the capacity to listen and pay attention to the patient. It cannot be performed without being in a sincere enthusiastic state - ‘ana’anatae – which guarantees total concentration. His or her hands follow the energy lines along the body and untie the stress knots that block the free flow of the Mana. The Mana is this energy that circulates throughout the body and connects the person to the surrounding elements. Monoi de Tahiti is its medium – an interface for the Mana, between the hands of the masseur and the body of the patient and between the skin and Nature.

Taurumi, the Maohi art of massage

Carried out on a daily basis in the family circle or for therapeutic purposes by specialists, known as Tahua, massage is a cultural act, bearing witness to a sense of humanity working to care for the self, in search of perfection and harmony.
The word rumi evokes the idea of kneading, massage and modeling – a process which shapes body and soul, a contact and interaction with the skin which reaches into the very depths of the being. It is an act possessing great power designed to facilitate the circulation of energy within the body and re-establish a balanced relation to the world.
The masseur spreads the oil over his or her hands and warms them up to ensure a light, non aggressive contact with the skin. By placing them on the body of the patient, the masseur is able to make a diagnosis. The art of massage presupposes the capacity to listen and pay attention to the patient. It cannot be performed without being in a sincere enthusiastic state - ‘ana’anatae – which guarantees total concentration. His or her hands follow the energy lines along the body and untie the stress knots that block the free flow of the Mana. The Mana is this energy that circulates throughout the body and connects the person to the surrounding elements. Monoi de Tahiti is its medium – an interface for the Mana, between the hands of the masseur and the body of the patient and between the skin and Nature.

The Spas of Tahiti and Her Islands