Tahitian Drumming History

The lovely country of Tahiti is located in one of the many French Polynesian islands. On this island, people dance the beautiful art of Tahitian Ori (dance) with the sound of the Tairi Pahu (known as Tahitian drumming; meaning ‘the one heartbeat’). I have grown up with this part of the Tahitian culture and have spent many years dancing it. Through the years I have fallen in love with the culture, so I have chosen to study the history of Tahitian dance and drumming as my topic for my senior project. Through this journey I have always wanted to study the history of the art I love, and to elaborate on the basic knowledge and common errors of modern day Tahitian Ori and drumming. I feel that even though it is just music, it will educate me for my future if I decide to further or pursue a career through this art. Getting back into the swing of things, going back to dancing is how I had the idea of this topic. I originally started dancing Tahitian when I was about three years old. My Godmother, Veronica was currently dancing with a group named Te Mana O Te Ra, meaning, The Energy of the Sun. She was the one person in my life that I had always looked up to because I am the oldest child and do not have an older sister. Whenever I saw her …show more content…
Traditional Dancing in this culture is very important because it is linked with all aspects of life. There are different styles of Tahitian dances one would have in a performance. Hand movements are always just as important as the hip movements because they tell stories. During the styles of dancing that have lyrics, they translate the story to the audience through their hands. During o’teas, they make their own stories to the drum beats that are being played. It is also a tradition for men to dance as well. Although different Tahitian groups have different styles of dancing, all must dance with their feet flat on the floor and shake their hips big without their shoulders