Hidden Valley, Marquesas Archipelago, French Polynesia – The first rule of Hidden Valley is not to talk about Hidden Valley

The humans were told a story about a valley in the Marquesas called ‘Hidden Valley’. The valley once played an important role strategically, but is now considered a sacred place, for the inhabitants of one village. Want to know more? Read on.

THE FABLE OF HIDDEN VALLEY

The Marquesas islands were once very different. Explorers, traders and missionaries brought disease causing a population crash, from an estimated 80,000-100,000 to less than 4,000. Even today only just over 9,000 people live in this island group.

Competition and rivalries between villages made raiding parties quite common. The most vulnerable attack points in the mountainous valleys were the coast lines. The most successful villages used the fertile plateaus higher up the valleys, leaving the shore line below to fisherman. Should a war band arrive by sea, messengers were sent up the valley to ready the warriors.

The inhabitants of one village had an edge. They had a secret passage way, through the seemingly impregnable walls of the canyon, that led to a hidden valley. This hidden valley had everything they needed to survive a siege. Fresh water, fruiting trees and surrounded by towering walls of rock. Only one narrow entrance led into the valley and this was deceptively hidden by the cross over nature of the aligning cliffs.

Of course this story peaked the humans imagination. With no ‘polite’ way to ask directions, the humans headed off into the jungle to find the valley themselves.

Out of respect the humans are not sharing the details of the valleys location or route. They can share with you that there is no marked trail, expect to get hot, sweaty, wet and eaten alive by bugs.

After fording rivers and bashing through the jungle the humans reached the canyon walls and followed them looking for the elusive passage.

You are not going to believe this! The humans actually found a narrow passage through the canyon face into a valley beyond!!

Once through the hidden narrow gap the humans said all noise ceased. No longer could you hear the rush of the canyons river below. No longer could you hear the the wind whistling though the trees. The high cliffs that surrounded the valley blanketed all this noise out. All that was left was the gentle cooing of the terns in the cliffs above.

The humans spent hours exploring every nook and cranny of the steep walls that surrounded the hidden valley.

Every twist and turn led to a dead end. Every river terminated in an unclimbable waterfall. There was no way to enter the valley except from its one narrow entrance.

My humans felt confident they had found a hidden valley. But did they find the fabled HIDDEN VALLEY for Marquesan folk lore?

The humans did find a hidden valley, but the question remains. Did they find the hidden valley of the fable?

After speaking to a local friend, that joined an archeological survey to the valley, they are not so sure now.

The valley he describes is very flat and open, but in the same vicinity.

Perhaps the humans need to go back and search again. Pass the bug spray and stay tuned!