00:01All of the Hawaiians actually originated from Tahiti. That's how we all ended up in Hawaii dancing Tahitian.
00:08Way back in 800 A.D. was when we finally migrated here and created the Hawaiian culture.
00:16So everything is very similar to the Tahitian culture.
00:24The dancers are called Oteas. The particular dance that we performed is an Otea.
00:28It's a very traditional dance where there is no strumming or musical instruments besides percussion.
00:35So it's just drum beating. It's impossible not to move when you hear Tahitian drumming.
00:39It dates all the way back to before we migrated to Hawaii.
00:44My favorite parts of Tahitian dancing would have to be the beauty that it brings out in a woman.
00:51It celebrates every part of a woman from her hair to her fingers, her body, her feet, her hip movements.
00:59Everything about a woman is highlighted.
01:01It's special all the way till you get onto stage and you get to dress up.
01:07The hair, the makeup, the costumes, the colors, the live drumming, performing, giving joy to people, watching their reactions to
01:16how you're dancing.
01:18It's very, very special.
01:23What we're wearing now is a tea leaf hip band.
01:27It's cloth weaved with stripped tea leaves to accentuate the hip movements.
01:34The material that we're wearing, the red skirt is called a pareo.
01:40Traditionally, they usually use more.
01:43Those bright red and yellow pieces, they actually make full skirts out of those.
01:47And that's a traditional skirt.
01:49However, in contemporary times, we make things a little different by wearing just a shorter pareo.
01:56It makes it easier for dancing.
01:59And the leis, women are always adorned in leis.
02:02It just brings out the inner beauty of a woman.
02:04It's rapid hip movements to strong beats.
02:08It's beautiful in that way.
02:10Thanks, and hopefully we'll get all these ideas in Durham.
