The Heiva is among the oldest festivals on this planet, held in probably the most lovely locations on earth. You might not have heard of it, but it surely is among the best cultural occasions in Oceania. The Heiva is one of the simplest ways to expertise the wealthy tradition of the traditional Polynesians — it’s no extraordinary celebration however an explosion of coloration and an emblem of cultural pleasure. It is an important day for a gaggle of people that have been as soon as shunned for expressing their heritage.
We current to you a breakdown of what this celebration is about and a glance into the interior workings of the extraordinary Heiva Festival.
In This Article
What Does Heiva Mean?
Also generally known as the Polynesian Celebration of Life, the Heiva Festival — pronounced “hay-vuh” — immerses the gorgeous islands of French Polynesia in a flurry of coloration as locals honor their ancestral heritage. The which means of “Heiva” is a mixture of the phrases “hei” and “va,” which means “to gather” and “communal places,” respectively.
All 5 French Polynesian archipelagos commemorate the Heiva with distinctive festivities that spotlight their native traditions. The main music and dance competitions are held in Place To’atā in Papeete, the capital metropolis of Tahiti, the place the Heiva Festival celebrations are most outstanding.
What Is the Heiva Festival About?
The Heiva is a vibrant competition all about celebrating Polynesian tradition and heritage. It is a remarkably distinctive occasion that have to be skilled firsthand. Plus, it’s held in paradise! The Heiva Festival emphasizes outdated Polynesian custom, tradition and legacy as numerous types of French Polynesian dance, music, artwork and crafts are introduced. Dance teams sport a wide range of colourful, conventional and themed outfits. There are loads of sights to see and actions to partake in on all of the islands.
Various competitions are additionally held through the Heiva Festival, drawing hundreds of athletes, singers, dancers, musicians and artists from all 5 archipelagos who compete in each particular person and staff occasions for bragging rights. Competitions embody sports activities video games, canoe races, palm climbing, coconut opening and wonder contests.
Festival Music
Each efficiency group is accompanied by a big orchestra comprising native devices, together with the ukulele, the vivo — a bamboo nasal flute — and the pū, that are conch shells. The competition additionally hosts a outstanding and intense singing competitors within the Tahitian language, Reo Ma’Ohi, which is sung a capella.
Festival Costumes
The costumes of the Heiva are one of many essential highlights of the competition. The Heiva costumes take spectators on a journey via French Polynesian historical past. Stunning outfits are embellished to impress the judges and are handcrafted from pure island supplies. The conventional tribal apparel is created from vegetation, seeds, roots, feathers and numerous indigenous flowers. Women, for example, ceaselessly put on coconut bras, lovely flower necklaces and headpieces manufactured from grass.
When Is the Heiva Festival?
While there aren’t any official dates for the Heiva Festival, celebrations often begin within the first week of July and final the entire month. Dancers spend as much as six months coaching and handcrafting their costumes. The dancer’s choreography is predicated on historic and cultural themes. The first Heiva Festival was held in 1881, making the competition one of many oldest on this planet.
Where Is the Heiva Festival Celebrated?
Festivities are held all through all 5 archipelagos of French Polynesia. Each island hosts its personal actions and performances, honoring the island’s distinctive tradition. The principal Heiva celebrations are sometimes held on the principle island, Tahiti, in Papeete, the capital metropolis of French Polynesia. Most actions happen on the sq. of Vaitape at Place Tu Vavau. The competition’s main music and dance competitions are held in Place To’atā, an out of doors amphitheater in Papeete.
The Origins of the Heiva
The Heiva Festival’s roots started when the primary Europeans arrived on the Tahitian islands. The persons are described in early oral and written descriptions as being exceedingly carefree, and that singing, dancing and music have been all the time a vital a part of day by day life in French Polynesia. After the primary explorers, the European Protestant missionaries who got here to the islands within the nineteenth century strongly disapproved of a number of Polynesian customs, together with dances and conventional apparel.
The colonial authorities banned many historic Tahitian artwork varieties, together with dancing, music, artwork, costume-making, tattooing and stone temples. Tahitian tradition has lengthy positioned a excessive worth on the humanities, music and dancing, all of which have been nearly totally eradicated by colonialism. However, regardless of the numerous dangers, many households continued to follow and go down these Tahitian customs via the centuries.
As Catholics, the French allowed Tahitians to have fun their tradition via music, dance and sporting competitions when the Islands fell below French rule. The new regulation was formally enacted on July 14, 1881, which gave rise to the Tiurai celebration, an early iteration of the Heiva Festival. As Tahitians achieved better autonomy, pleasure of their conventional tradition was restored and customs embraced. The Tirurai competition was succeeded by the Heiva. The Heiva Festival is actually a Tahitian revival of tradition that colonialism lengthy suppressed.
Tips for Experiencing the Heiva
Celebrations are held throughout all 5 archipelagos of French Polynesia through the Heiva Festival. The essential occasions are held throughout Tahiti however the different islands even have thrilling actions that spotlight conventional Polynesian tradition. It’s a good suggestion to have a listing of the principal Heiva celebrations to make sure that you don’t miss out on any. Here are three essential Heiva occasions so as to add to your itinerary:
1. Fire Walking Ceremony
The competition begins with a fire-walking ceremony that serves as a prelude to the opening ceremony, very like the Olympic torch custom. Brave contributors on this Heiva hearth ceremony cross extremely scorching rocks from native seashores.
2. Heiva Art Ceremony
During the Heiva, there may be an artwork competition named “Heiva of the Artisans,” the place artists from all 5 archipelagos current their distinctive creations. Each island group attracts inspiration from its personal distinct historical past and aesthetic. The main Heiva occasion is held concurrently with “Heiva of the Artisans.” Local artisans create spectacular conventional paintings from pure supplies, together with shells, pearls, pandanus and coral. Also on show is the Polynesian tattooing artwork generally known as tatau.
3. Heiva Sports Competitions
Last however not least, the competition consists of sporting occasions held at a number of places in Papeete, together with Pointe Venus, the Paofai Gardens in Papeete, the Museum of Tahiti and the Islands lawns in Punaauia. Typically, Pira’e and the southern a part of the island are the places of the canoe races.
The Heiva Sports Competition, usually generally known as the Polynesian Olympics, focuses on showcasing bodily prowess. The gold medal winner will likely be dubbed “Mr. Tahiti” and revel in widespread worship. The Heiva sporting occasions are held per Tahitian customs. Sports competitions embody horse racing, javelin throwing, outrigger canoeing, “coconutting” — climbing, selecting and cracking 10 coconuts in report time — stone hauling and spear throwing.
Experience the Heiva Festival With Windstar Cruises
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