Tahitian Dancers on Bora Bora

[gypsijewel]

wish it wasnt cut off!

[caligurlof1984]

real tahitian dancers!! love it!!

[Kanonakiana671]

The one on the rite way reite is da best

[MrSpeedyNYC]

Does anyone know the name of the song playing?

[tweakfreak87]

this is ART.

[memetiffany89]

could the men b any more stiff

[rubin808]

I like this. I wish you recorded the whole dance.

[memetiffany89]

this would put shakera to shame

[memetiffany89]

how do they do that

[spiritfingers1]

@memetiffany89 Watch the feet of the dancers. the movement is all controlled by the feet position.

Both feet flat on the ground to produce the fast movement, and tip toes for slower and travelling movement. also one foot flat with the knee slightly bent, and the other foot resting on toes gives the angle for the hips to move side to side.

[Rickyrab]

As a supporter of the out of Africa theory, let me add my 2 cents. I suppose today's dance traditions evolved long after the Polynesians' ancestors had left Africa. That being said, I'm trying to figure out how the Polynesian hula, in a culture more comfortable with nudity, came out to appear so similar to the Muslim belly dance, which is from a much more prudish culture. Maybe women just like to swing bellies/ hips?

[laurasbelly]

The Middle East wasn't always Muslim. Bellydance is older than the current popular religions.

[TeFetia]

I dont think those dances are similar at all! and i study hula seriously, anyway the movements have a meaning they are not just "shaking" randomly...

[spiritfingers1]

@Rickyrab Just adding my two cents and agreeing that the dance form travelled with migration of people groups. Banabans of micronesia also have a dance form similar to the Hula and you can find clips of them dancing it on U tube under banabans in fiji

[nakitulo]

EXCELLENT

[Bntukng]

Okay video! And Thotsins, nothings wrong wit ur comment. Therere tons of videos with polynesians saying whos dances arent as good as theirs, and even worse towards other people, which is arrogant to me, but nobody makes a fuss with them. Seems like these guys are just instigating & causing trouble with a false portrayal of humility. Everyones entitled to their own opinion. Ain nutin wrong wit dat.

And Nice channel sopacvax!

[TahitiEImua]

Fair enough. I don't want to make this a forum to argue. My apologies flazzaro - I should not have gone on the way I did. This is a great video and I appreciate you posting it for all to enjoy. Thank you.

[thotsins]

Finally, thank you.

[TahitiEImua]

And for you to imply that we as Polynesians do not know the 'truth' about our own history is both absurd and insulting. Though foreigners live amongst us that does not mean that we don't know who we are, and where our people come from. We know our history. Are Africans in South Africa ignorant to their history because of the large European community there? Anyway, I'm not here to lecture or to complain - that would be your job, right? lol... best wishes to you - may you find enlightenment soon.

[TahitiEImua]

Wow...you sound so defensive, and this is not as big an issue as you're making it. Tahitian dance involves hip movement, as does belly dancing, and many other cultural dances. I am not saying there are no 'similarities'. I'm just saying Tahitian dance involves much more than just 'hip-shaking' - it is it's own art, and should be respected as such. I would never watch an African dance being performed as say, "Eh, we do it better." It's apples and oranges - somewhat similar, but clearly different.

[thotsins]

"There is no "historical connection" between our two peoples. We did not migrate from Africa, we did not evolve from the 'continent' - we do not share languages, cultures, traditions, legends, or belief systems with you."

WOW! There is so much you don't know! You are very ignorant. The only thing you got right is when you said...

 "We did not evolve from the African continent."

Everything else reflects misguidance.

There's a lot you don't know. Have a nice day.

[TahitiEImua]

Mapiga82 said "no one can beat them in THIS KIND OF DANCE" This kind of dance meaning Tahitian dancing. I am not hating on African dance, but African dance is not Tahitian, Tahitian is not African, and therefore, neither dance for has anything TRULY 'in common' with the other, other than they're both forms of cultural dance.

Your comments were Afrocentric, but regardless, you are entitled to your opinion, however misinformed or misguided that opinion might be (;

[TahitiEImua]

"All this stupidity of labeling any African, or ANY brown person for that matter, who simply knows about our culture and history as an 'AFROCENTRIC' just needs to stop." - You are not called Afrocentric because of your skin color (fyi. we are a 'brown' people too...lol...), your ancestry, or any other reason OTHER than your attitude which appears to reflect the opinion that African culture is responsible for the origins of Polynesian culture. Could this attitude NOT be considered Afrocentric?

[flazzaro]

guys I posted this up so everyone could appreciate the beauty of Tahitian dance. Please take your argument somwhere else.

SPV

[TahitiEImua]

What is that connection you're referring to? There is no "historical connection" between our two peoples. We did not migrate from Africa, we did not evolve from the 'continent' - we do not share languages, cultures, traditions, legends, or belief systems with you. There are inherent 'similarities' amongst many native peoples - a respect for the earth, a believe in mana or personal power, etc - but that does not mean we all came from Africa or share a common ancestry. Wow - Afrocentric much? lol.

[Inokea]

Sounds like someone is a little Afrocentric. Marginalizing other people's hard work and culture. Nice

[thotsins]

LOL! So just because an African knows their cultures, and traditions makes them "Afrocentric?"

Well if that's the definition of an "Afrocentric" then I guess that makes you a "Polycentric."

I guess ANYBODY who knows their cultures & histories are some sort of 'CENTRIC.'

Mexicans are "Mexicentrics"

Europeans are "Eurocentrics"

Asians are "Asiacentrics" etc. etc.

Or does that classification ONLY apply to black people who know their cultures? LOL!

Sounds like someone is a little Ignorant.

[Inokea]

There goes the old chip on the shoulder again, you think I'm commenting on your posts because you're black? It applies to anyone who would go to a post showing some other culture and then proceeds to state that their culture is better at it. Fine, know your history and what not but you'll find little interest from others when you go around stating that your culture is better at it. I don't spend much time on history, I'm busy helping to develop/test novel therapies to treat unmet medical needs.

[thotsins]

You just sound like you don't know what you are talking about. Just stick to the medical field. Wish you the best.

Have a nice day.

[Inokea]

You seem to have lost objectivity and cannot even see your how comments and behavior would appear just as I see them. A more mature and gracious person would have started off with an apology, that it was not their intent to discredit the people and culture. Perhaps you feel are above that. It is the very first thing I would have done, but I'm sensitive to other people's concerns.

[thotsins]

REALITY CHECK- get use to the fact that people in the world are going to have differing opinions and not everyone is going to like or agree with the differing opinion of someone else. But it's simply just that, an OPINION. So grow up and get over it.

Mapiga82 said the same exact thing I said just in opposite, they think Tahitian dance can't be beat, that means they think it's the best. I think the opposite, so get over it.

[TahitiEImua]

I think the POINT that Inokea is trying to make is that by implying that Tahitian-style dancing is better performed by Africans, you're implying that Africans both understand and excel in Tahitian culture better than Tahitians do - which makes no sense.

There are obvious similiarities between Tahitian dance and African dance, but that does not mean that one originated from the other, or that BECAUSE they are similiar, Africans inherently understand Tahitian dance, or vice versa.

[thotsins]

"no one can beat them in this kind of dance"

This was okay.

Africans are still the best at this style of dance.

Tahitian dance is derived from the same ancient cultures as many forms of African dances. This is like a more simplified version of certain African dance styles.

Nice costumes though he he.

[Inokea]

So you're saying the Polynesian people didn't come up with their own dance and they copied it from Africans.......That the superior African dance is better and this is a simple version of the more complicated African dances...OK go it.

[thotsins]

Nobody said anything about superior/inferior.

But In response to the person who said "nobody can beat them at this dance (which was their opinion)"

My response to that was, In my opinion YES the African equivalents are better at it.

[Tahitian97]

I Love those belts!!!!!!

[mapiga82]

thats what u call fire is on. iam not an tahitian but an saying that no one can beat them in this kind of dance. just loved this dance alot

[patagonikprincess]

beautiful