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Dances of the South Pacific have meaning beyond words and are a
The native people of New Zealand have a proud history
and tradition through their Maori dance. Visitors may be familiar with
"poi balls" and sticks they see the dancers throwing.
Others remember the men perform in their warlike angry dances that are full of
life. From Tahiti, the colourful aparima medleys and impressive Tahitian
oteas continue to amaze audiences. Whether the dances describe ancient warriors and
goddesses or everyday life on the islands, each dance describes a story about the culture
of the people from around the South Pacific. Traditionally, the dances were conceived
to thank the gods who aided the islanders, to celebrate good fortune, and to pay respect
to the various chiefs. Because there was no written language, Polynesian dance and its accompanying
music preserved various stories and rituals of the Indigenous people. Consequently, the
dancing represented today is as much a celebration of life as it is a proud statement of
cultural awareness. Chanting evolved from the purely aural inspiration of the islands' natural environment into the written form of chant notation by which many chants are preserved today. Polynesians were inspired by the natural sounds around them: the pounding of the ocean, the wind rustling the trees, the roll of thunder, the rhythm of rain. It was natural then to express personal emotions in terms of the environment. Chanting is an extension of speaking that originated as a means of communicating with the gods. Hand movements are also a means of communication. Thus, the hula grew naturally into a formal extension of common human gestures, and was combined
with the chant and rhythm to create the mele hula 
along the stories and legends of their culture to subsequent generations.
Chanting and It's Importance