Heiva Nights: Across Time

By Artborghi @artborghi

Traditional medicine and its conservation and application is another topic shown at Heiva. While richer people have the possibility to meet medical doctors and access modern medicine, the rest of the population is still counting on ancient recipes, based on plants and their extracts. Heiva calls for the maintenance of these ancient remedies, that recently got successfully integrated in Tahiti hospital for terminal patients.

The topic of the creation of the universe is shared by more than one dancing group. Myth says that everything started with an egg-like shell, called Rumia. Inside Rumia was Ta’aroa. When Ta’aroa came out of the shell, total darkness surrounded him. Rumia then created the sky, oceans, earth and all creatures and divinities. The first human being, Ti’i, was created by the artisan god Tu. Ti’i discovers what will be his world together with Ao, the white heron. Ti’i then meets the second human being, named Hina-te-’u’uti-maha-ai-tua-mea. The two did not like each other (similarly to Cain and Abel), and Tu, the artisan god, had to put in discussion his creation.

Midwives were once not only needed for helping women giving birth, but also were told to have the power to change the aspect of the babies just after birth. Beautiful babies were on high demand: midwives satisfied this request. Until, once, a mother told the midwife of Tarai to not change the aspect of her baby born. And instead to leave it as beautiful as it was already in the womb of her mother.

   Again, on Polynesian cosmology, now with more details on the creation of sky and earth. Once the egg-shell got split, Ta’aroa popped out in the dark universe. One hemisphere of the egg turned to be earth, the recipient for what the sky originated above it. One the recipient, one the filler. One female, one male. The two halves, coming from the primordial egg, represent the union of two people and their ability to generate life again and again.

Tells of sacrifice, of sailing tribes lost at sea are also part of the evening dances. So, an example is the story of Ruataata, who sacrificed her life to nourish her kids. She trans mutated in a bread tree. Or the story of the parents of Pipiri and Rehua, who stole their food and left them starving. The two kids died but gained paradise on the wings of Ta’aaroa’s kite. Kites are very traditional and still popular on Tahiti.

Each Wednesday, Friday and Sunday the following episodes will be published and links will be activated at 11 AM CEST of the scheduled date:

September 2023-
0. French Polynesia: my displacement in time – from 6.9.23
1. Dots in the ocean – from 8.9.23
2. With wet ankles in Big Moana – from 10.9.23
3. Would you mind bringing the fruit? Be quick! – from 13.9.23
4. Coconut split – from 15.9.23
5. Moana’s ritual – from 17.9.23
6. On the road to the Rock of Displacement – from 20.9.23
7. A dangerous hug – from 22.9.23
8. It’s war! – from 24.9.23
9. Heiva nights: dancing the myth– from 27.9.23
10. Catch the fight – from 29.9.23

– October 2023-
11. Another portion of fruit, please – from 1.10.23
12. Lift it if you can – from 4.10.23
13. Keep Moorea always on your mind – from 6.10.23
14. Allons enfants de la Patrie a Tahiti! – from 8.10.23
15. Return to the Spear Age – from 11.10.23
16. What’s on in Papeete – from 13.10.23
17. Teahupo‘o, surf for the gold medal – from 15.10.23
18. Papeete open air – from 18.10.23
19. Heiva nights: back to the origins – from 20.10.23
20. Va’a: the displacement in time – from 22.10.23
21. Va’a: the competition – from 25.10.23
22. Heiva nights: across time – from 27.10.23
23. Heiva the champions – from 29.10.23

– November 2023 –
24. Don’t wake up Te Fiti – from 1.11.23
25. Sharks ahead! – from 3.11.23
26. Na na Huahine – from 5.11.23