Māʻuluʻulu

The māʻuluʻulu is a traditional Tongan dance, performed by a group of seated men and women; stylistically, the dance form is a direct successor of the ancient Tongan ʻotuhaka having been synthesized with the Samoan Māuluulu which was imported during the 19th century.

On informal occasions the dancemaster may walk around, clapping his hands to keep up the rhythm and to encourage the performers.

If there are many dancers, often the case when a school performs, up to 500 at a really huge occasion, they sit in staggered rows.

In the ʻUiha tradition the arrangement is different: the women sit on the ground in the frontrow(s) but the men stand behind them and act more as in a lakalaka.

The nafa-master can make a whole show of it, hitting the drums with his two decorated sticks almost performing a dance himself.

In semi-formal performances this is the moment that the public, which has become māfana (excited), can come forward to put fakapale on the dancers they fancy to be the best or close family.

For a school there are daily sessions at the end of the class hours, for a community it will fill all their free nights, often combined with a faikava.