I-Kiribati Singing and Dancing

There has been no school this week, it is the end of the 2nd semester.  School will resume on Tuesday September 11th.  Because most of the students were off campus and the computer labs were shut down, we finally had a strong enough Internet signal to down load some of the videos we have taken during the past few months.

The first one is of the celebration of President Monson's birthday.  It starts out somewhat slow but then you hear the traditional I-Kiribati birthday greeting.  The other video's are of traditional Kiribati dances that were performed for Elder Pearson of the 70 and Area Presidency.  The performing groups are the Eita 1st Ward and one of the branches that won first and second place in the Stake Musical Festival held a few months ago.   

It was dark when the dances were performed on the outdoor basketball court, so they are not a clear as we would have liked.  The videos were taken with an I-PAD so there is no zoom and when we posted them on the blog, it doesn't allow you to show the full screen.

But, they do give you a view of some of the traditional I-Kiribati singing and Dancing.  The traditional costumes are all made of local natural plants and flowers, often the day of the actual performance.  Traditional skills are an important part of the I-Kiribati culture that is being preserved.  At Moroni High they offer a class in Kiribati Studies, which includes many of the traditional skills.

Moroni Students singing Happy Birthday to Pres. Monson

The grass skirts are crafted locally by members of the Wards and Branches

The lava lava's worn by the men are woven very tightly and then pounded with mallets.  When they slap their hands against them it makes a loud clapping sound which is part of the traditional dances.  The men sitting around the drum sing and chant as the dances are performed.  The drum is a large square box approximately 5 x 5 feet, made of two layers of plywood to make a loud sound as the men hit their hands on it in unison's