(photograph © Kiwidutch)
The highlight of our 2015 summer visit to the Pacificus festival in Amsterdam were of course, the dancing displays.
The mood was relaxed with the crowds of visitors being drawn away from the stalls and other exhibits to stand four or five or more deep around the dancing area.
Some knew the songs and sang along, in true Pacific island style it was very informal, both a good and bad thing for photographers because people thought nothing of walking in front of the camera as I tried to film the action.
To any observer who is unaware of how things work in the Pacific, this utterly unstructured way of doing things and the fact the kids wandered wherever they wanted without apparent thought to others would seem very rude indeed, but it’s exactly the way that things are done in the Pacific.
Ceremonies and dancing can cover hours or days for special events so kids wander in and out of the Mwaneaba / marae / Wharenui / Au / Meeting House/ (all of these terms mean a large meeting hall central to every Pacific island community, the name of this hall changes with every nation within the Pacific but it’s function and importance stays the same).
This relaxed way of wandering in and out of the action can be very frustrating to European cultures but is completely accepted in Pacific Island ones, it’s just a matter of being aware of how different cultures work. The dancing displays the amazing and intricate movements, the fitness of the dancers and the gap that has been bridged between traditional and modern musical styles.
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
Loved the videos! Thanks for sharing!
Comment by Carrie — February 25, 2016 @ 2:49 am |