Dance in Rotuma refers to the traditional and modern dance styles performed by the people of the island of Rotuma

Rotuma

Rotuma is a Fijian dependency, consisting of Rotuma Island and nearby islets. The island group is home to a small but unique indigenous ethnic group which constitutes a recognizable minority within the population of Fiji, known as "Rotumans"...

, which became a dependency of Fiji

Fiji

Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...

 in 1881. Despite Rotuma's political and historical links with Fiji

Fiji

Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...

, the island's culture shows strong Polynesia

Polynesia

Polynesia is a subregion of Oceania, made up of over 1,000 islands scattered over the central and southern Pacific Ocean. The indigenous people who inhabit the islands of Polynesia are termed Polynesians and they share many similar traits including language, culture and beliefs...

n influences, particularly from Samoa

Samoa

Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...

 and Tonga

Tonga

Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...

, which, along with Fiji, feature strongly in the history and traditions of the Rotuman people

Rotuman people

The Rotuman people are the indigenous inhabitants of Rotuma, a small island group forming part of the Republic of Fiji. The island itself is a cultural melting pot at the crossroads of the Micronesian, Melanesian and Polynesian divisions of the Pacific Ocean, and due to the seafaring nature of...

.

Situated approximately 465 km (288.9 mi) north of Fiji, Rotuma's relatively remote position ensures that the island still maintains major linguistic, historical, and cultural distinctions from its neighbours. However, the main styles of Rotuman dance, the Tautoga

Tautoga

The tautoga is considered the most formal and restrained style of Rotuman dance, usually seen performed in large festivities or ceremonies , or in public opportunities to showcase Rotuman culture...

, the Mak Sa'moa

Mak Sa'moa

Mak Sa'moa is an informal Rotuman dance form derived from Samoan movement styles , including the style of hand movements between man and woman, and the shuffling/twisting of the feet in and out, as in the Siva Samoa.Although considered a traditional Rotuman dance style, and having been used...

 and the Mak Rarotoga, show clearer influence from neighbouring cultures than most facets of the culture.

See also

• Fara (Rotuman festivity)
  Fara (Rotuman festivity)
  Fara is a traditional Rotuman cultural and social event, occurring in the summertime festival of “av’ manea” where groups of singers and dancers traverse from house to house in a prescribed area to perform and entertain their hosts, “asking”, as the name suggests, for their hospitality and...
  
  
• List of dances