Dance Tahiti!
While all cultures around the world have their own dances, none seem to be more synonymous with dancing than the cultures of Polynesia, and none more famous than the Tahitian tāmūrē (tah-moo-ray).
Most people in the world will be able to describe Tahitian dancing in one way or another, even if they are not able to identify it by name. The most likely responses received when asking random people about the tāmūrē (asked as “Tahitian dancing”) are “quick, rapid drum beats,” “athletic men shaking their knees and jumping,” and, perhaps the most common of all responses, “girls in grass skirts shaking their hips.”
It’s difficult not to be amazed when watching the Tahitian dancers perform. The drum beats grow more and more rapid, and yet the dancers appear undaunted as they match the drums beat for beat to a point of seemingly superhuman speed.
History of Tahitian Dancing
The predecessor to the tāmūrē was the ʻupaʻupa, and was actually outlawed by English missionaries because of its sexual undertones. Not ones to be completely controlled, the Tahitians would dance in secret.
Many years later, when the French took over, they were allowed to dance during celebrations, but were still restricted in their dancing. As time went on and tourism started to become a major industry, Tahitian dancing started to flourish once again. Although modern dances are not the same as their predecessors, they are still just as awe-inspiring.
Understanding the Purpose of Tahitian Dance
Even now, to the outside viewer, the dance may seem overtly sexual, but it is a way of connecting to one's culture.
Vaimiti Cates, a Tahitian BYU-Hawaiʻi student, explains that Tahitian dance is a way to have extreme joy and be able to share that joy, but especially the message given by the music or the song danced. In the Tahitian culture, dancing was first a ceremonial thing to express joy, to tell a story, to share a message, and a way of keeping legends. BUT it is especially a way of gathering to have fun and mix with others.
Dancing in any form is a great way to have fun, but next time you feel like cutting loose or sharing a message, try the tāmūrē.
If you need a few pointers, you should visit the Tahitian village in the Polynesian Cultural Center.
For a practical demonstration, watch this amazing video of Tahitian dancing.