Samoa is group of islands in the South Pacific
Ocean, about half way between Hawaii
and New
Zealand. Its dance is possibly the one area of Samoan culture which
has not been greatly influenced by contact with western civilization. While
Samoan music has adopted guitars and other musical instruments, dance, which
relies solely upon the performers’ body, still requires the dancer to retain
grace and move their arms and hands in the traditional fashion. Unlike several
of the other PacificIslands, Samoan dancers
do not perform in grass skirts, nor is the hula a dance native to them.
Instead, performers will normally wear alavalava, and
the men will wear necklaces or anklets made from leaves. The costumes are
typically decorated with feathers or freshly cut flowers. There are different
types of dances which are performed by individuals or groups and either sitting
or standing. All in all, Samoan music and
dance displays the vitality and liveliness of the people, and has been
characterized as a means of maintaining Samoan identity in contact with other
civilizations.
Sasa
The word sasa literally means 'to strike'. Originally, the dance was
village activities that soon evolved into one of Samoa's
most interesting and well-known dances. It became a form of entertainment for
the Samoan Royal Family and other royal dignitaries that visited the islands. The
Sasa requires synchronization and a lot of energy. Generally, the Sasa is performed by a large group of
people, it is normally performed sitting down, but there are parts of the dance
which require the group to stand up. The movements depict everyday life,
including a form of voyaging, where the group moves into the form of a large
canoe, having the arms on the outside mimic the movement of paddles in the
water.
Slap Dance
The Fa'ataupati is a dance indigenous to the Samoans. In English it is simply the "Samoan Slap Dance". It was
developed in Samoa in the 19th century, and is
the one Samoan dance performed only by males. During the 19th century, there
was an invasion of mosquitoes in Samoa. This dance mimics a person slapping the mosquitoes
off their body when bitten. Unlike all other Samoan dances, this is the only
dance that does not include any instruments, as the slapping, clapping, and
stomping create the music for this dance. It is performed at almost every
Samoan occasion: weddings, church functions, birthdays, Independence Day, and so forth. Though the
slapping can seem painful, it has never stopped the Samoan males from having
fun.
Fire Dance
A common dance performed at a Luau or Polynesian show is the fire knife,
a traditional Samoan cultural dance that is used in ceremonial
dances. Originally, it consisted of a machete with both ends wrapped in towels,
and a portion of the blade exposed in the middle. Tribal performers, orSiva Afi,
of fire knife dancing dance while
twirling the knife and doing other acrobatic stunts. The towels are set on fire
during the dance, thus, explaining the name. This dance was done both
pre-battle, to intimidate the enemy and to psyche up the warrior, and also
post-battle as a victory dance. In
the mid 20th century, the ancient traditions of the fire knife dance were
commercialized and westernized. Eventually, the exposed portion was part of the
wooden handle. Now, most of the moves performed in shows are more modern and
flashy than traditional battle preparations. In addition, the speed of the
dance increased. The danger of dancing with a sharpened blade has caused the
knife to completely disappear from commercial performances.
Music and dance has always been an inherit part of a culture, reflecting the passion and sentiment of a nation. Music and dance is associated with religion, suffering, joy, and often depicts traditions and events in a country’s history. The older the country, the longer the tale, the more likelihood that culture will be impacted by difficult eras of history. For example, the natives of the Americas have had an ancient religion that including ceremonial and spiritual dances to various gods. They had dances that portrayed important events of life such as weddings, harvest, and war. When the Europeans conquered and enslaved the natives, their occupancy brought their culture which mingled with the native culture. Some tribes and cultures were more affected than others, but it is most evident that as the cultures mixed, new dances and music emerged. Even though not every person in a nation is a dancer or musician, when the majority sees or hears their folklore culture, somehow they hear the voice of their ancestors. They feel gratitude and pride because it is part of their identity. This is what sparks my interest in international music and dance. Not only does it give me pride in my ethnicity, but it also makes me appreciate the diversity of each unique culture.
My family performs Mexican folkloric dances. My grandmother is from Veracruz, Mexico, which is where she learned the dances of her ancestors. As she raised her children, including my mother, she taught each and every one of them Mexican folk dancing. My mother followed in these glorious footsteps and taught my siblings and me these dances. I love learning about Mexico’s music and dance. It is fascinating to see how some indigenous dances and music have been untouched by the Europeans while others were greatly affected by the European influence. For example, the dances from the state of Oaxaca are completely original. The people of have made great effort to maintain their originality – in music, costume and dance. On the other hand, Mexico has fantastic polkas. Most of them are influenced by various European countries, particularly the French. Mariachi music is probably the most globally recognized Mexican music. It is also a product of a mixture of cultures.
My mother started a dance group called Ballet Folklorico Sarita
Whenever I hear Mariachi music, I am overwhelmed with emotions. All at once I feel proud of my heritage, grateful to my ancestors, and ebullient. This music not only makes me think of my ancestors and my pride in my heritage, but it also makes me think of my family. Something my family and I have always done together is dance and enjoy the liveliness of music. For example, just a couple years ago it was my grandparents’ 50th anniversary. My grandpa wanted all of his posterity to come together and put on a dance show. That summer, my cousins, siblings and I practiced dances for hours. The night of our performance was a night to remember. This memory came from music and dance. In fact, many of my family memories come from festivals and dance performances. I have a genuine passion for music and dance; it is part of who I am.
