The population of Maré is about 6900, of mainly Melanesian
heritage (less than 2% of the population is of European ancestry). The
indigenous language is Nengoné, one of the Austronesian languages, widely
spoken in island regions from Madagascar to Indonesia, coastal New Guinea and
on most Pacific islands. There are two small towns of Tadine and La Roche, but
most Maréans live in tribes associated with one of 29 chieftaincies
(chefferie), that are closed to outsiders. Maréans are often fervent
Christians, following extensive missionary activity by the competing Protestant
(London Missionary Society) and Catholic
