Suggestion for Luau in Maui or Big Isle
Jun 30th, 2005, 03:46 PM
#21
Join Date: Nov 2003
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Dusty, I have never been to the PCC, but I know that you write very fondly of it. thought that one of the high points of the PCC was that it showcases individual Polynesian cultures, so I am surprised that you fail to recognize the difference between various Polynesian cultures.
The Pacific Island make up Polynesia, but among these island groups therea re many distinct cultures. To lump them all together is rather disrectful of the respective cultures. I know kanaka maoli, I know Samoans and I know Tongans. If you ask any of them who their kupuna were they will tell you kanaka, Samoan or Tongan. I have yet to hear any of them refer to themselves in the generic as Polynesians.
You can call all of the countries in Europe “European,” and refer to their folk dances as “Erropean dancing,” but are you going to deny that there is a difference, say, between German traditional dancesand traditional Celtic dances? While Tahitian ote`a, Hawaiian kahiko and Rarotongan hura may all be types of Polynesian dances, they all have their own histories and distinct styles. There are many hulau that practice just one type of dancing. My kumu teaches one group of kahiko kane, others are only ote`a, and many more do only `auana. OLL calls itself a Hawaiian lu`au and they have kahiko, `auana and some ote`a (no Samoan, no Tongan, no Maori), as opposed to some of the other lua`au on the island that refer to themselves as Polynesian revues.
Aloha. Peace out.
The Pacific Island make up Polynesia, but among these island groups therea re many distinct cultures. To lump them all together is rather disrectful of the respective cultures. I know kanaka maoli, I know Samoans and I know Tongans. If you ask any of them who their kupuna were they will tell you kanaka, Samoan or Tongan. I have yet to hear any of them refer to themselves in the generic as Polynesians.
You can call all of the countries in Europe “European,” and refer to their folk dances as “Erropean dancing,” but are you going to deny that there is a difference, say, between German traditional dancesand traditional Celtic dances? While Tahitian ote`a, Hawaiian kahiko and Rarotongan hura may all be types of Polynesian dances, they all have their own histories and distinct styles. There are many hulau that practice just one type of dancing. My kumu teaches one group of kahiko kane, others are only ote`a, and many more do only `auana. OLL calls itself a Hawaiian lu`au and they have kahiko, `auana and some ote`a (no Samoan, no Tongan, no Maori), as opposed to some of the other lua`au on the island that refer to themselves as Polynesian revues.
Aloha. Peace out.
