The Pulse of Tahiti

I was reminded recently about a memo we found in a back-stage dressing room we once shared with another Tahitian dance group. In a nut-shell, it stated the physical requirements necessary for inclusion in that group:

"Height: between 5'5" and 5'8"
Slender build
Hair: must be dark brown or black and no shorter than waist-length
Complexion: tan, but not too dark..............."

It brought me back to those days when I was trying to fit in to the dance world as a tall (5'11 1/2") dark complected African-American girl with frizzy hair, who in many ways was raised in a bubble.

I came along during the era of true heroes in our country, the Civil Rights Movement of the early 1960's. For a time as a youngster, I really did believe that we had all embraced the philosophy of Dr. Martin Luther King when he so eloquently stated that; "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."

I was raised with this as our family mantra, along with the notion that I could achieve absolutely anything I set my mind to if I was willing to work hard for it.

It wasn't until much later did I realize that this didn't necessarily apply in the dance world, where outward appearance is so important. It didn't matter how hard I worked, how fast I learned, or how nicely I danced. My character had nothing to do with how little I matched the "ideal look".

This is all fine and good if dance is approached as a hobby or pastime activity. Unfornately for me at that time (very fortunately now as it turns out) dance is not only a way of life for me, but also a large part of my Spiritual Path......

The Heiva International dance competition was just winding up as we began our tour to Tahiti. This is an event which attracted dance companies from all over the world to compete in Tahitian dance on Tahitian soil. A number of people asked if we would be participating, and were suprised to find out that we were not.

Competing would have meant that we would not have had the opportunity to stay for an extended time in Tahiti with our family there, as a halau. We would probably have had to focus all of our resources on the main competition event. Instead, we had the time to perform in many community Heiva (we did seven shows all together, including two command performances for the mayors of Mataiea and Mahina). We would have missed the whole point of being in Tahiti, experiencing the sweetness and beauty of Tahitian culture - taking it into our souls.

The last performance at Vaiete was very sweet, (and bittersweet)! Knowing that this was the site of the first time I experienced Tahitian dance in Tahiti as a college student in the 70's was amazing. After the show, we stood in a prayer circle to thank Spirit for bringing us all together in dance and music and for such and amazing experience. There were no dry eyes.

A couple of days after returning, we were saddened to hear about the crash of the Air Mo'orea plane. It barely raised a mention on the local newscasts. We were just there, and experienced first hand how true is the sense of community there. I too grieve the loss, knowing how acutely it is being felt there.

In class I reminded my students of the poem by Alice Walker;

"Choose

one country

other

than

your

own

to love.



Keep a finger

on

its

pulse."

My finger is on the pulse of Tahiti.

Mo'orea

Being here in Tahiti feels very much like a homecoming for me. For one thing, our family here has done an incredible job of welcoming us. But also, unlike so many other places I have visited, I have never been made to feel unwelcome here. For example, my son and I both were stared at regularly in New Zealand as if some of the people there had never before seen Black people. And unlike Hawai'i, no one here has ever told me that I am pretty, graceful and intelligent "for a colored girl".

This is indeed part of the reason why I am so in love with this place and its people.

Yesterday, we went for a day trip to Mo'orea. This beautiful little island is off the Western coast of Tahiti. It takes only about half an hour by ferry to go there. Once there, we took a drive around the island stopping at points of interest along the way.

One of our stops was at a hotel which had built for itself an artificial lagoon around which were little thatched roof bungaloes. This fronted a very beautiful, (but now very private - guests only) beach.

I couldn't quite understand why one would want to come here to such a beautiful place, only to stay at an artificial (but fully controlled) environment which seemed to exclude any chance of exposure to the local culture.

At any rate, we spent much of the afternoon at Tema'e Beach with an barbeque cooked by one of our hosts and with swimming after. As soon as we arrived at the beach, I went into the water with an offering to Yemonja. It felt so good to stand at waters edge with vastness of the deep ocean before me and offer my prayers.

I keep at least one of my mbira with me wherever I go, and it felt as if this was a good time to bring it out. The mbira is a way of connecting to Spirit, and with my family and friends all around in such a beautiful place I was really feeling the need to say thanks.

We have one more performance tomorrow night, this time at Vaiete Place.

Love and blessings to all,
Mahealani