Traditional music between songs and instruments
If the image of Polynesian dances, suave and enchanting, has traveled far and wide, the lesser-known traditional music is a spectacle of similar enchantment. Essentially vocal, this music and these songs have been a privileged vehicle for perpetuating Polynesian culture through the ages. The most common songs are undoubtedly the himene. Dating from the early 19th century, they are the result of a marriage between traditional Polynesian polyphony and the religious hymns of the first Protestant missionaries. The main types are himene tarava (a complex polyphonic chorus of male and female songs), himene ru'au (a capella) and ute paripari (lively rhythm, traditional and more modern instruments). Not necessarily religious, these songs also perpetuate Mao'hi legends of gods and heroes. The ensembles, called pupu himene, bring together up to 80 singers whose polyphonies superimpose six to ten voices. Slow, harmonious melodies, the himene are perfect for long evenings under the starry skies of the Tuamotus, Bora Bora or Tahiti. Variations can be found throughout the archipelago, such as the fakanau and fatele dances and songs of Tuvalu.
For two weeks throughout Polynesia, the Heiva is not only an opportunity to hear himene from all over the archipelago, but also a real competition where you can discover the main local instruments: the to'ere, an essential percussion in Polynesian music (an oblong drum with a longitudinal slit), made from rosewood or tamanu; the tari parau, a kind of bass drum with a low, muffled sound; the ihara, a bamboo split into thin strips; the pahu, a drum resembling the African djembe; the vivo (or pu ihu in the Marquesas), a surprising three-hole bamboo flute that you blow with your nose; and of course the ukulele, a symbolic plucked string instrument from Hawaii, adapted from the Madeira braguinha and the Portuguese caraquinho. All can be heard in the compositions of popular Polynesian artists such as Barthélemy Arakino, Angelo Neuffer, the Laughlin family and Bobby Holcomb. The latter clearly stands out from the crowd and is still a myth for many Polynesians. A musician and painter, he has contributed to the cultural revival of French Polynesia, notably by blending Tahitian melodies with various genres such as reggae.
A sporty dance
Dance is one of Polynesia's most widespread cultural practices. Far from being confined to ancestral movements, it is constantly evolving and modernizing - so much so that it's impossible to say whether a particular performance is authentic or not. In Polynesian dance, every figure (love, beauty, flower...) has a meaning. Executed to perfection, the movements of the vahines are lascivious and sensual, the most inconceivable being the speed at which the hips move. It's impressive, especially as the movement is infinitely more difficult to achieve than it looks. The tanes are not to be outdone, executing other figures no less rapidly, sometimes juggling with fire. Their footwork is exhausting... The difficulty, in both cases, is to keep the shoulders straight. Integral to the dance is the music provided by an orchestra of ukuleles, drums and toere, and even a bass made from a stretched rope and a garbage can.
Ori Tahiti and her descendants
The best-known Tahitian dance practiced in French Polynesia is the "Ori Tahiti". As its name suggests, it is unique to Tahiti, and was listed as Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2017. When we speak of tamure (often pronounced " tamouré " in French and spelled " Tāmūrē " in Tahitian), we mean the modern declination of Ori Tahiti. This sensual dance - sometimes very explicit - of naked Tahitian women amazed many an explorer, even if "immodest" passages are rare in contemporary accounts. Indeed, as Captain Cook recounted, these clearly sexual dances were, and still are, performed with great perfection. Outlawed by missionaries, they remained in the shadows until the early 20th century, only to be revived at the end of the Second World War. Today, four major types of dance - all descended from Ori Tahiti - can be identified in the Territory (particularly during the Heiva):ote'a,aparima,hivinau and pa'o'a. Theote'a, once reserved for men only (today, it is practiced between men " ote'a tane ", between women " ote'a vahine " or in a mixed way " ote'a amui ") is a violent, jerky traditional dance (with warlike origins, no doubt) and with rather abstract gestures echoing tamure steps (wiggling for the women, scissoring with the thighs or pao ́ti and throwing the feet or tu'e for the men). This is the best-known dance, with its lively, festive atmosphere. One of Tahiti's cultural symbols.Aparima focuses on more symbolic gestures: a story is told, linked to the daily life of the inhabitants, feelings or expressions. The etymology of the word is "the kiss that comes from the hands"(apa/rima). If the dance is accompanied only by the drum, it's calledaparima vava. If it's sung and accompanied by string instruments and drums, it's calledaparima himene. Thehivinau, performed by dancers in two intersecting concentric circles, is less demanding. It is similar to theote'a, but simpler. Finally, pa'o'a is a dance associated with tapa-making. The choristers beat their thighs in unison, reproducing the beat of the bark in cadence, while the singers send out "Hi" and "Ha" to give themselves courage.
The festivities
All dances are performed during the Heiva. This unmissable Tahitian popular and cultural event is sure to excite the curious. Introduced by France in 1842 as a celebration of the national holiday, the whole of Polynesia has been celebrating throughout July... since 1881 (when the show was called Tiurai). On June 29, the Heiva Vae Vae kicks off the festivities. Dance performances and song contests are organized on all the islands, from Tahiti to the Australs and from the Marquesas to Bora Bora, in all the villages. Tamure, opaopa, aparima- all styles of dance are performed on a grand scale in Papeete's Place To'ata, with hundreds of dancers and dozens of choreographies for endless competitions. A magnificent showcase for Polynesian culture, the festival also features concerts, himene singing, pirogue races, Tahiti Nui games (a kind of local Olympics... including a fruit-carrier race!) and other agricultural fairs. Another much lesser-known, but equally unmissable festivity: Hura Tapairu. Every year, at the end of November and beginning of December, the best-known dance groups, as well as new formations created for the occasion, compete in front of packed houses, showcasing their creativity, grace and the strength of this living, constantly evolving dance.
Where to live this experience?
Of course, you can also attend Polynesian dance performances all year round. One of the best places to go is the famous Tiki Village. This Polynesian cultural center welcomes visitors in traditional fare and two or three times a week offers a dizzying dance show featuring tamure as well as the exceptional fire dance. Alternatively, many of Polynesia's top hotels organize performances for their guests (open to the public). The most spectacular of these are undoubtedly the Intercontinental and Le Méridien Tahiti. And let's not forget the Tahiti Pearl Beach Resort, which regularly hosts Marquisian and Tahitian evenings with highly acclaimed dance shows. While the great ballets of Tahiti have taken Polynesian dance around the world, the professionalization of the genre dates back to 1956, when Madeleine Moua founded the Heiva group. Today, Coco Hotahota is undoubtedly the best-known choreographer and one of the masters of this art form, which he has revived with new compositions for his group Te Maeva. In fact, he and his troupe were featured briefly in Luc Besson's film The Fifth Element.
The haka
The haka is a ritual dance practiced by the Maoris and made world-famous by the All Blacks, New Zealand's rugby team. But it's not exclusive to New Zealand. In fact, there isn't just one haka, but many. Practiced throughout Oceania, there are no fewer than seven different styles in Polynesia alone. One of the most distinctive versions is found in the Marquesas Islands, where it can be recognized by its pahu drumming and more linear rhythm.
