'aparima
Encyclopedia
The aparima or Kaparima (Rarotongan) is a dance from Tahiti
and the Cook Islands
where the mimicks (apa) with the hands (rima) are central, and as such it is close to the hula
or Tongan
tauolunga
. It is usually a dance for groups.
There are two types of aparima: the aparima hīmene (sung handdance) and the aparima vāvā (silent handdance), the latter being performed with music only, and no singing. The music is often played on the guitar or the Tahitian ukulele
.
Often a clown enters the stage who 'helps' the real dancers by making all kind of exaggerated gestures, much to the merriment of the public. The stories depicted by the dance are taken from daily traditional occupations or ancient myths.
Unlike the other Tahitian dances, this one is more often performed with the dancers dressed in pāreu
and maro. It can also (especially the aparima vāvā) be performed seated, much like the Tongan māuluulu
.
Tahiti
Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
and the Cook Islands
Cook Islands
The Cook Islands is a self-governing parliamentary democracy in the South Pacific Ocean in free association with New Zealand...
where the mimicks (apa) with the hands (rima) are central, and as such it is close to the hula
Hula
Hula is a dance form accompanied by chant or song . It was developed in the Hawaiian Islands by the Polynesians who originally settled there. The hula dramatizes or portrays the words of the oli or mele in a visual dance form....
or Tongan
Tongan language
Tongan is an Austronesian language spoken in Tonga. It has around 200,000 speakers and is a national language of Tonga. It is a VSO language.-Related languages:...
tauolunga
Tau'olunga
The tauolunga is a traditional Tongan dance. The type of dance is comparable with Hawaiian hula, or the Tahitian aparima.-Performance:...
. It is usually a dance for groups.
There are two types of aparima: the aparima hīmene (sung handdance) and the aparima vāvā (silent handdance), the latter being performed with music only, and no singing. The music is often played on the guitar or the Tahitian ukulele
Ukulele
The ukulele, ; from ; it is a subset of the guitar family of instruments, generally with four nylon or gut strings or four courses of strings....
.
Often a clown enters the stage who 'helps' the real dancers by making all kind of exaggerated gestures, much to the merriment of the public. The stories depicted by the dance are taken from daily traditional occupations or ancient myths.
Unlike the other Tahitian dances, this one is more often performed with the dancers dressed in pāreu
Pareo
The pāreu or pareo is the Cook Islands and Tahitian word for a wraparound skirt. Originally it was used only to refer to women's skirts, as men wore a loincloth, called a maro. Nowadays the term is applied to any piece of cloth worn wrapped around the body, worn by males or females...
and maro. It can also (especially the aparima vāvā) be performed seated, much like the Tongan māuluulu
Ma'ulu'ulu
thumb|576px|right|Teachers training college students ready to perform their māuluulu examinationThe māuluulu is a traditional Tongan dance, performed by a group of seated men and women; stylistically, the dance form is a direct successor of the ancient Tongan otuhaka having been synthesized with...
.