Ra'iatea, is the second largest of the
Society Islands, after
Tahiti, in
French Polynesia. The island is widely regarded as the 'centre' of the eastern islands in ancient Polynesia and it is likely that the organised migrations to
Hawai'i,
Aotearoa and other parts of East Polynesia started at Ra'iatea. A traditional name for the island is believed to be
Havai'i.