A Fijian meke — pronounced meh-kay — is the term for a traditional, communal form of spiritual folk song or dance. Fijian men, women and children use mekes to convey stories or daily life or long, epic tales of victory by the gods. In the Fijian meke dance every body motion, every hand motion, the position of every performer…even position of every member of the audience is important. There are special positions in a meke for members of the village hierarchy; placing them anywhere otherwise would be an insult.
Tag Archives | Meke
Making the Most of a Meke
As we learned yesterday, dancers in the Pacific Islands tell extensive, epic stories with their hands. In the Melanesian island nation of Fiji, dancers choreograph hand motions along to narrative songs called mekes. This week we “try our hand” at a sitting-down meke, telling a tall tale about sailing the Pacific seas.
Sitting Down to Dance in Fiji
In the Melanesian island nation of Fiji, and elsewhere around the Pacific, dancers don’t even have to stand up to be fantastic. This video shows us a “sitting down dance” in which Fijian dancers use their arms and hands to tell a story.
