[Drew Vai --Poet/Spoken Word Performer]
I love coming across young people who use their talents to educate the general public about different aspects of our culture that are often misunderstood or misrepresented in the mainstream media.
One of the stereotypes that is always projected upon us time and time again is that we are nothing more than entertainers! We often see how our cultural dances have been used by outsiders (and sometimes by ourselves) to show that we are nothing more than moving bodies disconnected from the mind and heart and most of all from history.
We have been portrayed as museum pieces only to be looked at and admired but hardly ever asked to speak back or to discuss the meaning of the dances, the stories behind the dances, the significance of the chants and its movements! This is not to say that this is always the case, but it does happen way to often!
It's time that we make it known that our cultural dances are powerful (and sometimes sacred) and were never meant to be used purely for entertainment purposes, but it was intended as a vessel that would serve as a carrier of history, culture, genealogy and legends and most importantly it was the medium where we could interweave creativity with poetic visions!
Check out this amazing poet from the Bay area-- Drew Vai-- as he offers a different perspective about the traditional maori warrior dance--the Haka--a perspective that is hardly ever discussed in the mainstream!!! Speak on brother...
Filmed by Tama Irie Films
Drew Vai: Spread The WORD
No comments:
Post a Comment