Entry Date: 13.07.2018, at 18:00:00 hrs (local)
Tahanea - Tahiti
Heiva i Tahiti
| PRID: | 11552 |
|---|---|
| LegID: | 311 |
| LegNo: | 60 |
| Latitude: | S017°34.52' |
| Longitude: | W149°37.19' |
| Day#: | 765 |
| Log (Day): | 22 nm |
| Log (Leg): | 444 nm |
| Log (Total): | 44161 nm |
We have to see it, and SuAn anchors again off the western coast of Tahiti in the Lagoon of Punaauia. With tickets for today´s show in our pockets we ride by dinghy to Papeete.
This year 38 talented groups compete on the mythical To´ata stage, half are dance groups, half are traditional singing groups. Today we see three dance groups and two singing groups.
About 100 dancers per group perform not only traditional dances, but also tell a story during their one hour performance, like the ”Welcoming of the white people”, or ”The apostasy”. Each dance group has their own musicians of 20 - 30 people, mainly drummers, but they also play Ukulele, noose flute, guitar and on shells, bamboo, coconuts ... and other things, provided by nature.
Costumes are made from bast, leafs, pareos, coconut, shells, feathers ... and each group changes at least 4 times their outfit. To fast drumming rhythm men are moving their knees and women shake their hips and those hundred of dancers move on the stage synchronous and in grace. With the bast skirts the very fast hip movements seem to be even more fast. It is a feast for the eyes and ears.
More than 60 people belong to the singing groups and tell stories in hymns without any instruments. All the texts are in Polynesian and the songs are very different from our European music.
Since we are not allowed to take pictures during the performance, the advertising poster shows a part of the dancers during that show. It was just spectacular!
