Arts
Singing in the rain
Wet weather in New Caledonia didn’t damped the enthusiasm of the 8th Festival of Pacific Arts.
The early morning sunlight gave a warm glow to the traditional Cook Islands voyaging canoe anchored in the bay on the first day of the eighth Festival of Pacific Arts in New Caledonia in late October. A sea of colors danced and swayed on the beach as the different delegations gathered to welcome the sailors ashore. People were singing, dancing and speaking to each other in different languages. The presence of so many cultures, each with its distinct characteristics, was overwhelming.
The excitement was tangible and covered up the long list of logistics problems that confronted many delegations on arrival in New Caledonia. Nevertheless, delegations that traveled to the island of Lifou and north to Kone and Poindimie, where they received a simple but heartfelt welcome, were relieved to escape the hustle of Noumea.
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The opening ceremony, on October 26th, three days later than planned due to heavy rain, was a let down for most people. The festival closed on November 3rd.
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The frustrated crowd, impatient to watch the different countries parade, had to sit through almost an hour of lengthy speeches. The choreography that followed, performed by 500 school children running around somewhat confusedly, failed to live up to the exceptional music and dance extravaganza that had been promised.
However, the little that was visible during the presentation of the countries was worth it. Atists resplendent in their costumes of shells, plants, bones, beads and feathers seemed to float across the stadium, which was covered in billowing blue material, reminiscent of the ocean.
The artists were the festival’s real attraction, of course. Traditional tattoo artists from New Zealand, Samoa and French Polynesia were surrounded by a constant mob of onlookers—some just curious, others brave enough to get tattooed. Scheduled and impromptu performances at the festival village, where artists demonstrated and sold their work, created a lively atmosphere.
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As this year’s host, the challenge for New Caledonia was to assert its identity as a Pacific country. Having lived in the shadow of France for so long, New Caledonia is now trying to build a profile for itself in the region. Sixteen years ago, it missed out on hosting the event because of political unrest. Kanak writer Dewe Gorode recalls the upheaval of 1984 but says the country’s political scene has changed drastically since then. “As militants in 1984, Kanaks were the ones who caused the boycott. But now we’re engaged in a period of political transition and our claims have been partially satisfied.”
At the end of the eleventh day, weary but determined to party on until the end, the delegations took their leave. One by one, they left the village in a colorful procession, singing and waving goodbye. A calm atmosphere had replaced the anticipation of the first day and the crowd was somewhat subdued, but waved and clapped as they passed.
