The Maulu'ulu is an indigenous dance performed by the

Samoan people Samoans or Samoan people () are the Indigenous Polynesian people of the Samoan Islands, an archipelago in Polynesia, who speak the Samoan language. The group's home islands are politically and geographically divided between the Independent S ...

. Contemporary ma'ulu'ulu compositions and choreographies are generally performed by female dancers, although some villages have a tradition of men and women dancing together. The maulu'ulu was one of several dance forms (such as

Taualuga The Taualuga is a traditional Samoan dance, considered the apex of Samoans, Samoan performance art and the centerpiece of the culture of Samoa. This dance form has been adopted and adapted throughout western Polynesia, most notably in Samoa, The K ...

) and choral song styles (including 'otuhaka) that were brought into the Kingdom of Tonga through cultural diffusion in the late nineteenth century. Considerable divergence of technique and choreography now differentiate the Samoan maulu'ulu from the Tongan Ma'ulu'ulu, although their common origin continues to be celebrated.

Performance

The maulu'ulu was originally an artistic expression of everyday activities, domestic duties, and customary observations. Such themes are readily observed in the motifs embedded within lyrics and choreographies which allude to tasks such as weaving, paddling, making tapa cloth, cultivating crops, and fishing. While these themes are common in other Samoan dance and song genres, the ma'ulu'ulu is distinguished by the staggered rows of performers executing the same movements. Performers in the front rows usually sit cross-legged, while middle rows kneel, and back rows stand. Another distinguishing feature of the Samoan ma'ulu'ulu is the coordinated transitioning between seated, kneeling, and standing positions. The word ''maulu'ulu literally means "to sprinkle" or "light rain" - alluding to the lighthearted and jovial style of performance which was intended to refresh and reinvigorate audiences and social events as a "light rain" would cool the stifling tropical heat of a summer day. Formations and transitions are the hallmark of the maulu'ulu - the graceful footwork employed in walking from one row to another or from one area of performance to another. Mirrored motifs are commonly choreographed in such a way that the movements of one row of dancers is mirrored by corresponding movements executed by the dancers in the adjacent row. Proficient dancers are judged by the expressions of the face (smiling) and head, along with the grace and animation of hand and finger movements and smooth transitioning footwork. The seated and kneeling formations of the Samoan maulu'ulu are the most visible component of the Tongan Ma'ulu'ulu analog genre of Tonga. The Tongan ma'ulu'ulu in its current stylistic performance is more akin to the Samoan Sasa. The

Manu Samoa The Samoa national rugby union team represents Samoa in men's international rugby union competitions. They are governed by Samoa Rugby Union and also known as "Manu Samoa", which is thought to derive from the name of a Samoan warrior. They perf ...

rugby team used to perform a lively version of the ma'ulu'ulu as a pre-game warm-up ritual until 1991 when the

siva tau The Manu Siva Tau is a Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa and known until 1997 as Western Samoa, is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania, in the South Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main islands (Savai'i ...

was choreographed (based on the Maori

haka Haka (, ; singular ''haka'', in both Māori language, Māori and New Zealand English) are a variety of ceremonial dances in Māori culture. A performance art, hakas are often performed by a group, with vigorous movements and stamping of the f ...

made famous by the New Zealand

All Blacks The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks, is the representative men's national team in the sport of rugby union for the nation of New Zealand, which is considered the country's national sport. Famed for th ...

rugby squad.

Notes

References

{{reflist

External links

Samoan Dictionary

Western Samoa's Maulu'ulu
Dances of Polynesia Samoan words and phrases Samoan dances