War Dance of The Polynesian Islands

New Zealand Hawaii Fiji Samoa Tonga

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Pride of Polynesia

Polynesia and its seafaring people, its warrior cultures and traditions play an important role in early Asian Pacific history. Although many of the Polynesian islands did not associate with American History a few such as the Hawaiian Islands, Tonga, and Samoa did come in contact with European and American colonization. Misunderstood by many European navigators as savagery and barbarism, Polynesian war dances were culturally significant as it portrayed the pride and strength in ones people before battle. Captain Cook for example, noted the “savages” of the Hawaiian Islands, depicted in paintings and illustrations showed the European take on the Polynesian people. The idea of the “Orient” Europeans shared their view of the pacific islands as a “distant, exotic place.” They’re physical appearances, nakedness, evoked stereotypes of the backwardness, irrationality, and the failure of these islanders to develop and progress. We see the idea of how the Polynesian War dances was perceived by these early explorers, however to Polynesians the Haka, Sipi Tau, Siva Tau, Cibi were secret rituals to its people. “The Pride of Polynesia.”

 American and European imperialism played a major role in the colonization of the Pacific. Western culture, economic, military influences and introduction of Christian missionaries threatened the Polynesian culture, more specifically the Polynesian war cry. The Haka of the New Zealand Maoris, The Sipi Tau of Tonga, Siva Tau of Samoa, and the Cibi of Fiji highlighted the honor and pride of Polynesia. To the Europeans it was uncivilized and barbaric; however the War dance was the essence of Warrior cultures passed down thru generations of chiefdoms.

 What made the Polynesian War dances unique was the fact that it is different from all other form of Polynesian dances. We have the more sacred and calm representation of the traditional Hawaiian hula or the traditional Tahitian Pati.  More physical and violent, the sole purpose of the Polynesian War Dance, was challenging and intimidation of the enemy before battle.  

"Hawaii Must Not Perform 'haka' with Other Team on Field." Espn College Football. Associated Press, 10 Sept. 2007, 11:42. Web.

Lee, Shelley Sang-Hee. A New History of Asian America. New York: Routledge, 2014

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The Haka is a traditional ancestral war cry, dance or challenge of the  Maori people of New Zealand which the New Zealand National Rugby Union, the "All Blacks", and a number of other New Zealand national teams perform before their international matches

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1. New Zealand All-Blacks performing the traditional Maori Haka

2. The Royal Tongan Marines performing the Sipi Tau during deployment in Afghanistan.

3. The Fijian National Rugby team performing the traditional Fijian Cibi

4. Manu Samoa, the Samoan National Rugby team performing the Samoan Siva Tau 

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The Polynesian war dance is the symbol and identity of these islands. Even though they all share a similar purpose, the war cry tells the story of its people, each island and their distinct history. The adaptability of the dance to modern time shows that this tradition has not yet lost. For example, the war dance is a sport ritual in World sport, more specifically rugby. Many island nations in the Rugby World Cup adapted the concept of battle, challenging, intimidating the opponent before the game. Its easy how we see the transition from challenging the enemy in battle, can fit into challenging an opponent before a rivalry game.

The Polynesian War dance has also been found on the modern Battlefields. The Royal Tongan Marines, in their deployment to Afghanistan performed the Sipitau while on tour, to show their pride, strength, and their culture.   Its use in American football also shows its integration into the American culture. However, the introduction of the War dance to modern societies has been criticized several times. For example, the NCAA banned the University of Hawaii from performing their traditional Hawaiian Haka before football games because some of the movement included “Slashing of the throat,” considered by others too violent and too barbaric. The idea of “Orient” and “Occident,” the viewing of the Haka produces stereotypes of the Polynesians as violent, uncivilized, and barbaric people.

 The modernization of the war dance however threatened the true meaning and history of the Polynesian people. Many of its ancestral importance have been replaced in modern time with just random movements for just a sport ritual before games.  However, the War Dance will remain truly the heart and soul of Polynesian people, it is The True Pride of Polynesia

   "haka". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2014. Web. 01 Dec. 2014 <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/252091/haka>.

Lunsford, J. Lynn. "A Tongan War Dance Enlivens Football in Texas." The Wall Street Journal (November 16, 2006 12:00 AM): n. pag. Web.