Interactions, Borrowing and Exchange in the Pacific
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INTERACTIONS, BORROWING AND EXCHANGE IN THE PACIFIC Dr. Tarisi Vunidilo 19 March 2018 PACIFIC 110 Learning Objectives After this session you should be able to: . Understand how Pacific islanders interacted with one another centuries ago during pre-contact times . Appreciate how relationships were built through cultural sharing, borrowing and exchange . Reflect on regional factors that indigenized these cultural processes . Define concepts that relates to cultural borrowing and exchange Reading • Moulin, J. F. 1996. What's Mine is Yours? Cultural Borrowing in a Pacific Context. The Contemporary Pacific 8 (1): 128-53. Abstract: Ever-increasing opportunities for artistic contact and interaction between music and dance cultures of the Pacific create new potentials for significant artistic exchange. This paper considers three eastern Polynesian cultures (Marquesas, Society Islands, Cook Islands) and explores the nature and content of the artistic borrowing that occurs. Although certainly not a new practice, such borrowing has contributed to growing tensions in the region-tensions that relate to questions of "authenticity" and ‘cultural appropriation’. This paper expands the discussion to a global framework and examines artistic exchange in relation to the growing political and economic importance of cultural distinctiveness, particularly when defining that culture to outsiders. Predictions are offered about the role music and dance will play as Pacific nations determine the boundaries of local, regional, and global culture. Concepts & Definitions • Barter System Barter system is an old method of exchange. This system has been used for centuries and long before money was invented. People exchanged services and goods for other services and goods in return. • Cultural Borrowing The definition of cultural borrowing is taking ideas and practices from another culture, ethic group or religion BARTER SYSTEM Cultural Borrowing • The definition of cultural borrowing is taking ideas and practices from another culture, ethic group or religion FIJIAN SONG FOR PAC110 CHOREOGRAPHER TARISI VUNIDILO WITH SUPPORT OF THE CLASS LAI TEI DALO KO TAMAQU • https://www.youtube.c om/watch?v=TSuish- 0ej8 LAI TEI DALO LYRICS • LAI TEI DALO KO TAMAQU • LAI QOLIQOLI KO TINAQU • AU GADE KI SEREA (2X) • VOTU MAI, VOTU MAI NA SITIMA NI MELI • SA QAI VOCE MAI NA VELOVELO • NA VELOVELO ME DARU MAI LE-LE-LE!!!! PART 1 INTERACTIONS AMONGST PACIFIC ISLANDERS OCEANIA POLYNESIAN MIGRATIONS SAILING CANOES NAVIGATION STICK CHART Sun and Star Navigation PART 2 CULTURAL EXCHANGES AND ‘BARTER SYSTEM’ IN THE PACIFIC BARTER SYSTEM Trading between Fiji and Tonga Trading of Red Feathers Hawaiian Feather Cape Trading of Ivory (Whalestooth- Tabua) PAPUA NEW GUINEA THE LAKATOI BARTER SYSTEM MELANESIA PAPUA NEW GUINEA LAKATOI (1800S) • A 'Lakatoi' (circa a trading canoe-vessel of the Motuan people of the Central Province PART 3 DANCE BORROWING BETWEEN ISLANDS Case Studies: Fiji, Tonga and Samoa KEY POINTS • 1. Names of dances remain the same or some changed eg. Taualuga and Tau’olunga • 2. Dance costumes were altered by the borrower over time eg. Lakalaka in Tonga and Fiji • 3. Gender of Performers – some remained the same while others changed eg. Taupou and Manaia • 4. Individual versus group dancing – some changed while others eg. Tau’olunga Cultural Borrowing The definition of cultural borrowing is taking ideas and practices from another culture, ethic group or religion Borrowed dances • The inter-island sharing of artistic material is dependent on the level of inter-island contact • It is stronger in West Polynesia where the islands are closer to each other • Trade networks existed between different islands and where there is historically older population Wallis & Futuna • ʻUvea encompasses the whole of Wallis and the surrounding islets. The total area of the kingdom is 96 square kilometres (37 sq mi) with a population of 10,731 spread over three districts. The capital city and largest village is Matāʻutu, situated on the east coast with a population of 1,100. Example of borrowed dances • Uvean eke = can be found in Tonga (as soke), Samoa (as Sake) and in Tokelau (as Hake) • Uvean kailao – can be found in Tonga as kailao, Samoa as ‘ailao and in Rotuma as kalo’a • Uvean tapaki = can be found in Tonga as me’etu’upaki and in Rotuma as mak pak ta) • In this dance, participants strike long and short sticks together and perform 180 and 360 degrees turns while singing the song themselves • Ma’ulu’ulu in Tonga and Fiji = known to have been imported from Samoa • Meke in Tonga = known to have been imported from Fiji • Lakalaka in Tonga = dance imported from Tonga Borrowed dances (paddle dance) Tapaki of Uvea Me’etu’upaki of Tonga FIJIAN SEATED DANCES (VAKAMALOLO & MAULU’ULU) Features of Lakalaka Dance in Tonga and Fiji • It is a group mixed dances, often genders are segregated and distinguished by masculine or feminine style • For example the Lakalaka of Tonga, both genders dance together but are separated in groups • Men are more vigorous and athletic while women are soft, smooth and graceful Tongan Lakalaka Tongan Lakalaka Fijian Lakalaka Comparing Fijian and Tongan Lakalaka Comparison of Lakalaka (Tonga and Fiji) Samoan Dancers SAMOAN TAUALUGA TONGAN TAU’OLUNGA Lessons Learnt • Dance borrowing teach us about past cultural interactions • Studying dance borrowing teach us a lot about other Pacific cultures • It allows Pacific people to discover more about themselves • Provides better cultural understanding between cultures eg. Tonga and Fiji • Non Pacific researchers and audiences can increase their understanding of Pacific people, their songs and dances VINAKA VAKALEVU .