Heiva i Tahiti

LIMITED EDITION

Heiva I Tahiti and Tiurai (July Festival) is the biggest cultural event of the year in Tahiti. Organised by the OTAC (Office Territorial d'Action Culturelle) and the Ministry of Cultural Development it is 4 weeks of traditional competitions, re-enactments and non-stop performance. Almost all Tahitians take part in a celebration of the "joy of living" and the "spirit of the love of life".

This album, dedicated to the artists, dancers and musicians of Tahiti, was recorded by David Fanshawe at the festivals between 1979 and 1985. Twenty-one groups are represented and all were recorded live at the Place Vai-ete in the heart of downtown Pape'ete, the island's capital and the administrative centre of French Polynesia.

The main music forms include: Otea (group drum dance), Himene Tavara (unaccompanied polyphonic chanting), Himene Nota (4-part harmony), Ute (accompanied solos), Aparima (action songs). Instruments include: To'ere (slit log drum), Fa'atete (membrane drum played with sticks), Pahu (bass drum), guitar, ukelele, shaker, clapstone, rattle and beads/ornaments adorning the dancers' costumes.

(ARC Music - EUCD 2503)