GROUP RESEARCH TASK (Tobi, Nicole, Sam M, Courteney and I)

Polynesian Culture:

Sometimes entire Polynesian traditions were taken to new islands. For example, on the island of Taha‘a in Tahiti a taniwha named ‘Aifa‘arua‘i is said to have terrorised people travelling between Taha‘a and Motue‘a. It was killed by a man from Ara‘ura. The tradition was carried to New Zealand, where Kaiwhakaruaki was a taniwha who lived in the Parapara Stream, in Aorere (Golden Bay). It attacked and ate people travelling between Parapara and Motueka, and was killed by a man from Arahura.

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• Polynesia, a vast string of islands in the Pacific Ocean, including Hawaii, New Zealand, Easter Island, Tonga, and French Polynesia

• LANGUAGE: Native languages of the islands; Maori; Tahitian; French; English
• RELIGION: Christianity with elements of native religion

• Most traditional Polynesian societies rely on fishing and horticulture (growing flowers, fruits, and vegetables).

• In some parts of Polynesia—Hawaii, Tahiti, and the Marquesas in particular—men and women used to eat separately. In general, this pattern is no longer followed except in the most traditional communities and in certain ceremonial contexts.

• One of the most well-known Polynesian musical instruments is the Hawaiian ukulele. It is the Hawaiian version of the Portuguese mandolin

• Men are responsible for fishing, construction, and protection of the family units

• Women are responsible for collecting and processing horticultural products and for manufacturing basketry items and bark cloth

polynesian dances:

http://youtu.be/mZwh690i0lA polynesian women dancing

http://youtu.be/FRCqdMGrc2w  polynesian men dancing

polynesian art:

polynesians tend to turn their artwork into the form of tattoos

The tradition of Polynesian tattooing existed from 2000 years ago. In 18th century this operation was strictly banned by the Old Testament. In early 1980′s, tattooing started to get a renaissance. Since then many lost arts were retrieved by Polynesians. But due to the difficulty in sterilizing the traditional tools, the Ministry of Health banned tattooing in French Polynesia in 1986.

Tattoo was a way delivering information of its owner. It’s also a traditional method to fetch spiritual power, protection and strength. The Polynesians use this as a sign of character, position and levels in a hierarchy. Polynesian peoples believe that a person’s mana, their spiritual power or life force, is displayed through their tattoo. Almost every Polynesian got a tattoo in ancient times.

• Tattoo masters are the most crucial people because they bear the meaning of symbols and motifs in memory and know how to combine them to create a meaningful work of art to each person
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• Tattooing is a sacred ceremony in Polynesian culture

• On the basis of mythology, human learned the art of tattooing from the 2 sons of the God of Creation Ta’aroa. Tattooing was operated by highly trained shamans (tahua) in the religious ceremony, who was an expert in the meanings of the tattoo and skills of the art.