Colonial military entanglements and the politics of sovereignty in M ā’ ohi Nui/French Polynesia

Sovereignty in Mā’ohi Nui/French Polynesia has never been a fixed horizon but a shifting constellation of local demands, negotiations, and imaginaries under the enduring shadow of colonial-military power. The normalisation of military presence is entangled with narratives of pride and heroism: from the monumentalisation of the tamari’i volontaires to the fascination with military life and aesthetics, ideals of loyalty and valour, together with the precarious economic conditions Indigenous communities face, continue to shape engagements with the French army. These imaginaries affirm Indigenous participation in the army while also complicating contemporary claims for sovereignty by embedding them in national duties and sacrifice. This paper explores how militarisation, rooted in the French nuclear testing program, intersects with contemporary military exercises and geopolitical strategies unfolding in Oceania, revealing the enduring colonial dynamics through which Mā’ohi people negotiate belonging, recognition, and political future in their homeland.