DANCE REVIEW: Sau Folu
On opening night I got to see this amazing Rotuman show named Sau Folu by Rako. Rako is a collective of Rotuman artists who integrate their culture into their creative practice. The show features artists from Rotuma as well as Rotumans from the Auckland community in Aotearoa.
Sau Folu follows the lives of three Rotuman women of royal lineage who represent the female monarchs and warrior women. These women played important roles in the earliest Rotuman tales and possess great power, endurance, and courage because of their spirit: a peaceful force that manifests in a variety of ways—as a fierce protector, a warrior lady, the mother of the soil, a daughter in all her purity and mana connected to the land—that leads our people by adopting the shape of birds or our ocean totems. However, this performance also recognises the critical role of women as change agents who embody the watchful eye of the land, the healer, the protector, and the starter of justice in all of its manifestations.
Director, Letila Mitchell, does a beautiful job of creating an environment for the audience to be a part of the world of Rotuma. The world of Sau Folu feels visceral, demonstrating what it might be like to experience Rotuma. As the show begins, we see two strong women collaborating with one another, their choreography adding to the theme of women kings in Rotuma. The strength of these women is embodied in their sharp but subtle movements.
The male and female collaboration in singing, chanting and dancing was captivating, showcasing a beautiful sense of uniformity and ensemble. It exuded mana and the strength of resilience, particularly in upholding their culture through the rough years of COVID. The technical elements of the projection created an immersive experience for the audience, capturing the intrinsic quality of power within Rotuman women. I loved the idea around the projection, and almost wanted the projection to be viewed first (before the performers) in order to display the themes of the show immediately. I felt that this could potentially add to the beautiful display, as it would introduce us to the realms of Rotuma before the embodied practice accompanies it shortly after, continuing into a simultaneous flow. Overall though, the intertwined flow between projection and performers was great aesthetically.
The staging with the mini ensemble playing instruments and singing was clever as it created an authentic and intimate space that engaged the audience. This show had some beautiful distinctions that set them apart from the Pacific (Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia) and it was empowering to see their cultural adornments; Rotuman dancing alongside some contemporised features tangibly connected the critical role of women in Rotuman culture, and how the men in the performance help support that theme. The strength of the Rotuman women was a highlight. The grace and grit of their performance showed the spirit of a warrior woman in comparison to warrior men, where it is so aggressive and strong. In comparison, the women’s grace showed their strength not as complementary to the men, but at the forefront of them. The singing was ancestral, and hearing the blends of soprano, tenor and alto collate together gave so many of us chills throughout the show.
The Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni was in attendance too and her final remarks eloquently described why the show is so important. As Sepuloni states verbatim: “we are a city or one of the biggest cities or the biggest Polynesian city in the world and yet we only have a small minority of Rotumans and when we see you represented on stage like this then you certainly take your power and make your place known”.
This show was so impactful because it allowed us to understand the importance of Rotuman women whilst also exploring an overarching theme of intersectional feminism, emphasizing its necessity in society. Definitely a great show that placed Rotuman culture at the centre.
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Check out more about Sau Folu here!
Choreographer, Dancer, Musician: Iane Tavo Atalifo
Choreographer, Dancer, Musician: John Taukave
Musician: Mark Pene
Dancer: Norman Rafai
Dancer, Vocalist: Zelda Rafai
Dancer, Vocalist: Tiana Kitione
Dancer, Vocalist: Georgina Semesi
Dancer: Josie Ryland
Dancer: Maeva Mitchell Dominiko
Featuring dancers from the Rotuman NZ Community. Special thanks to Pacific Dance Fono Trust and Creative NZ.