Matavaa O Te Henua Enan is a three-day cultural festival celebrating and displaying the beauty of the Marquesas culture to all that are willing to experience it. The festival gathers singers, dancers and artists from all over the Marquesas, Tahiti and Rapa Nui.

Prior to 1981, the people of Marquesas were beginning to worry that long standing Ancient Traditions and cultural displays would be lost if something was not done to preserve them. The Matavaa O Te Fenua Enana was therefore established and now re-occurs every four years on one of the three most populated Marquesas Islands - Ua Pou, Nuku Hiva, and Hiva Oa.

To maintain a sense of consistency in celebrations, there is also a smaller festival (taking place on one of the smaller islands) that takes place every four years, alternating so that every two years there is a cultural celebration of the people of Marquesas.

Matavaa O Te Henua Enan is a display of traditional sports, language, dance, sculpture, songs, and tattooing that unites people from many neighbouring islands, stretching to Hawaii, New Zealand and Easter Island.

The next mini-festival will be held in the latter half of December 2021 on the island of Fatu Hiva.