Meke (Traditional dance)
The traditional Fijian communal dance is called a 'meke' and combines dancing, singing, chanting, clapping and drums.
In earlier days, mekes were performed in village settings for special occasions - typically for visiting dignitaries. Today mekes have evolved into shorter forms making them more accessible to tourists and other visitors for both entertainment and education.
The meke is much more than a dance - it is a colourful medium of transmission that has allowed important historical events, stories, legends and culture to be handed down from one generation to the next.
Often the composer of a meke remains unknown, but the dances are embellished and passed on by the daunivucu whose role it is to ensure the preservation of the custom. The daunivucu is believed to have links with the spirit world. It was during such communions with the spirits, that the daunivucu was believed to have gone into trance, chanting and swaying. During such times, it was the job of the daunivucu's disciples to watch his motions, which could later be added to particular ceremonial dances.
Apart from there being particular significance in every motion and nuance of the meke, the positioning of people during its performance is also significant. Performers and even the audience have to be in particular positions. Villagers of chiefly birth are placed in special positions during any meke - for to place them in a spot considered subordinate would be an insult.
Visitors are often welcomed at resorts and hotels with a 'meke', a dance performance that enacts local stories and legends. While performances for tourists may seem staged, the meke is an ongoing tradition. The arrangement of the group and every subtle movement has significance. Important guests and onlookers are honoured with the best seating positions.
In the past, Fijian meke were accompanied by chanting by a chorus or by 'spiritually possessed seers', and usually rhythmic clapping, the thumping and stamping of bamboo clacking sticks, the beating of slit drums and dancing. They were held purely for entertainment, for welcoming visitors, or on important religious and social occasions; births, deaths, marriages, and property exchanges between villages.
Men, women and children participated in meke. Men performed club and spear dances and the women performed fan dances.
A meke is a celebratory dance performed by both men and women to welcome visitors.
Mekes tell the stories of ancient gods and triumphs in battles. Women showcase fan dances while men perform spear or club dances.
An indigenous art form is the Meke, which may incorporate the seasea (women's fan dance) or a meke wesi (men's spear dance). It is usually a narrative of an important event such as a war, a chiefly installation, or even a scandal. Some mekes are generations old, and form an important part of Fiji's oral history. In olden times, the meke was considered to be an oracle from the gods, and the Dau ni vucu, or composer, would often go into a trance before a performance. Others are modern, composed for a particular event, much as a poet laureate might write a poem to celebrate an event in a Western country.
Each district of Fiji has its own form of meke, performed in the local dialect.