Dance for the King

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Released: 1993

Language: Tongan

Theme: Ethnicity & Cultural Identity

Summary

Tongan traditional dance rituals are performed for special honorary celebrations. The lakalaka (walking briskly), is considered the national dance of Tongan where the performers stand still and make gestures with only their arms. Unique to Polynesian dancing is the rotational movements of the hands, which flow with the head and eye movements. This short video documents the visit of Tonga King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV to Honolulu, Hawai’i on July 1, 1993 to honor Lester Moore, past President of the Polynesian Cultural Center. The day was filled with ritual, food and dance for the King.