Their isolation from other lands has created an immense pride among the people and a fascinating and undiscovered culture. The language is unique to Tahiti, as the lilting Marquesan dialect is traced directly to the ancient Polynesian tongue of Maohi. 1,000-foot waterfalls cascade down sheer volcanic cliffs, and because the islands have no coral reefs or lagoons, the ocean crashes directly against the rocky coast indented with fjord-like bays.