ULU LAU - Searching For Common Roots

A personal view on a possible connection between Polynesia and Pre-Columbian America.

Taualuga (War in a higher sphere)

An extract from: "Ulu Lau - Searching for connection"

34. Taualuga

The Samoan "taualuga" dance (taua: war; luga: above; translates as 'war in a higher place') reveals the importance of the number three in the Samoan culture.

In the taualuga, a "taupou" (village maid or virgin) does a slow and dedicate dance.

Surrounding her are the "aiuli" dancers who do animated dances, make lots of noise, and distracting the taupou from her slow dance - taunting her to move faster, and to copy them.

The "taupou" should continue with her slow dance despite the distraction.

The taupou wears a "tuiga" - a headdress made of flowers, shells, human hair, and three recognizable spikes.

This is the basic form of the taualuga, which is demonstrated in a variety of ways by different performers.

Also in a 'taualuga', a male person would drop and lay flat down on the floor, which invites the 'taupou' dancer to step on him.

Most Samoan festivities that I attended culminated with a 'taualuga' performance where anyone can join, makes lots of noise, and contribute money.

This dance is performed at the conclusion of most Samoan fiafias (festivities).

Today the taualuga is mostly done to collect money, and you'll also see variations to the performances. However, all Taualugas involve three characters - the main dancer, encircling dancers who make lots of noise, and someone on the floor to be stepped on.

'Taualuga' is also the word for the top most part of the roof of a Samoan traditional house. Clearly to me, the 'taualuga' is a conceptualization of something spiritual. The Samoan 'taualuga', to me, has a religious connotation. In my view, this dance enacts the war between good and evil. Good is represented by the center dancer, and evil or chaos is represented by the other characters. Good triumphs in the end when the center character steps on one of the annoying characters who taunt her from the side.

The people of the nearby islands of Tonga borrowed the Samoan Taualuga, which they perform in a distinctive way. However, the Tongan taualuga doesn't have all the elements associated with the Samoan version.

The Taualua starts in the middle of the video.