YEAR AFTER YEAR, THE HEIVA FOR SCHOOLS BECAME AN APPOINTMENT FOR ALL THE ORI TAHITI DANCE SCHOOLS AND ALSO AN IMPORTANT CULTURAL MOMENT NOWADAYS.
It ceased to grow since its inception: from three schools in its beginnings in 1994, it now has over 30 schools and thousands of young dancers and embodies the vitality of Polynesian culture.
The birth of the Heiva for Schools
Everything started with the 2nd Francophonie games in July 1994 that took place in Paris and for which the Polynesia had competed in traditional dance category. At the time, Heremoana Maamaatuaiahutapu today Minister of Culture and Manouche Lehartel, museum expert and President of the Tahitian Federation of Ori Tahiti, were advisers for the Ministry of Culture. They invited two emblematic figures of the ori Tahiti, Coco Hotahota and Pauline Dexter, to prepare the contest. These two united their talents to make a show they presented in Vai’ete before their departure for France. We could find the best dancers of the moment, who did not suspect the extent of this event for the future generations.
Because the Ministry of Culture had the idea of inviting dance schools in the first part of this important performance. So this is the Artistic Conservatory and two recognized personalities from the world of traditional dance, Makau Foster Delcuvellerie and Moeata Laughlin, who answered the call. For years now, these schools are still present in the cultural and polynesian landscape and also count many dancers. They have mostly made a lot of followers, we see that as evidenced by the growing number of schools that born each year with the same fervor and the objective; transmit their passion for the Ori Tahiti.
The Heiva Schools is much more that an event but “an institution”!
