Music of the Austral Islands

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Austral Islands are part of the territory of French Polynesia. The music of the islands is similar to the music of other Polynesian islands. The largest of the Austral Islands is Tubuai, which is known for its ancient, atonal singing style, said to be the purest representation of pre-contact Polynesian music in French Polynesia [1].

The Encyclopedia Brittanica has reported a carving, found on Raivavae, which depicts depicts dancers alternating with rows of crescents, sometimes said to represent the distinctive skirts of the dancers. This carving style is used on traditional drums, as well as on houses and tapa [2].

Polynesian music
Easter Island - Fiji - Hawaii - Samoa - Tonga - Tuvalu - Wallis and Futuna

French Polynesia: Austral - Marquesas and Tahiti - Tuamotus
New Zealand: Chatham Islands - Cook Islands - Maori - Niue - Tokelau

[edit] References

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Traveling in French Polynesia
  2. ^ Oceanic art and architecture: The Austral (Tubuai) Islands