Mataio and I met some years back briefly, and via the magic of social media we have kept in touch. I have watched as he has taken on every watercraft that is wind or wave propelled. He is without doubt ‘the master waterman’. A man as comfortable in the water as on dry land. As you will read it is his life’s passion. Mataio is Tahitian, and I have left his answers as he wrote them, if they are a little difficult to understand try reading with a French accent and all will become clear!
Tell us a little about you – where you are from, how you got into so many water sports and why? Your family, wife and kids, work?
Hi Steve, I just wanted to say thank you for reaching out to me to do this interview. As for your question: I have the life that I have always dreamed of. In the past I have had many jobs, most of which were a means to an end to help me surf. Now I am lucky enough to surf and get a pay check for it. My main sponsor is RRD, they sponsor my SUP, wind, kite, and clothing, which is a waterman's dream sponsor. I live with my girlfriend and my 18months lil mermaid called Malia in Papara, Tahiti.
Everyone I know who knows you describes you as a waterman – what does it mean to be a waterman?
I love that simple description, « The one who works or lives on the ocean » A man who lives, breathes and sleeps the ocean life. Also the one who understand it and know how dangerous like the mountain it can be.
Have you always lived in Tahiti?
After a very special childhood, travelling and living in different countries, from France to Vanuatu and Mauritania in Africa, I arrived at French Polynesia when I was 18, directly to Tubuai island before moving to Tahiti when I was 21 to go to the university. I never left Tahiti since this day.
Esta historia es de la edición December 2018/January 2019 de Adventure Magazine.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición December 2018/January 2019 de Adventure Magazine.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Papua New Guinea
Four reasons to add Papua New Guinea to your bucket list
The benefits of being a Multi-Trick Pony
"A broad skill base and how you can draw from one platform to the next – women often pigeon hole themselves"
The RELUCTANT adventurer
An eighteen-year-old princess, who paints his (yes, his) nails and dyes his hair bleach blonde, embarking on an adventure trip with his family, sounds like a plot for a bad 80s movie.
The Meaning of Tramping
What does tramping mean to you?
Keala Kennelly owns Red Bull Magnitude
The North Shore season of 1957 is recognized in the surfing world as the start of an era. When Greg Noll, a young Mickey Munoz and company went out and rode Waimea for the first time, it was a glimpse of what could be in the world of big-wave surfing.
North West Circuit Stewart Island
I found myself in limbo during the winter of 2020, in between jobs in a strained covid economy. And so, I did what any outdoors person would do with a large amount of free time on their hands. It was time to pack up my belongings and hit the road. It was time to leave behind home comforts and go adventure-seeking.
Emilie's adventure to Angelus Hut
“I want to be the leader!” Miss Six announced, pushing past me in her determination to be in front. Momentarily off-balance with my heavy pack, I narrowly avoided twisting an ankle on the sharp rocks and silently swore while cracking a bright smile.
Nancy Jiang Breaking stereotypes
I recently watched a youtube movie entitled, “Her Way” (check it out on the Adventure Website) which introduced a woman who had an overwhelming passion for running. The preface at the bottom of the clip, read as follows:
Adversity at Altitude
The wind and snow is whipping at my face. I’ve readjusted the stiff frozen fleece buff around my neck and mouth, desperately trying to protect myself from the -20 degree bitter wind. Adrenaline is still pumping through my body but I know I’ll start to get cold soon.
Last Great Mountaineering Challenge
Ground-breaking mountaineer Nirmal ‘Nims’ Purja MBE has attained an incredible new world record by submitting K2 as part of a collaborative team in the depths of winter. Until now, it was a record that was believed to be impossible to accomplish and was famously known as the ‘last great mountaineering challenge’.
