AN ISLAND NIGHT

Wairarapa Age, 11 February 1927, Page 3

AN ISLAND NIGHT

RENOWN IN THE SOUTH SEAS. NATIVE DANCING. A NOTEWORTHY ENTERTAINMENT. MELBOURNE, February 10. A wireless message from, the Renown states during the afternoon at Nukuliiva, Marquesas Islands, a .large parry e’f natives, including some who came for nearly a hundred miles from other islands, were shown over the ship and entertained at tea irf the crow’s quarters. Later, at the suggestion of the Duke of York the Marines Band played on the village green, and a few native dances were given for the benefit of the liberty men. In the evening the Duke and Duchess entertained the Administrator at dinner aboard the Renown. Afterwards they went ashore to witness a programme of native dances, a! which after several dances the- performers chanted a song they had recently composed in honour of Their Highnesses, singing their praises. The thanks of the Royal pair were conveyed to the dancers and the populace by medium of an interpreter. Ti?c. native dances proved an attractive exhibition set in bizarre manner on a lawn under flaring naphtha torches, with the whole village grouped round and seated on the grass. The dances were mostly hip movements and foot 'shuffling by the women. The men were freer and more vigorous, with some suggestions of the haka, but much tamer. As usual, the dances wefe symbolic of love, worship, and food, with evidently comic interludes, while one dance was stopped hurriedly, as it was developing into* old-time freedom of movement. The dancers also chanted songs, one of which was reminiscent of the poi dance of the Maoris.—(P.A.)