Fiafia

In Tokelau a fiafia (literally "celebration," "get-together," or "happy"[1]) is a ritualized public social occasion, that comprises an exchange between two or more "sides" of various kinds of "gifts", which need not be material, including skits, theatrical performances, food, money, speeches, and even clowning; but mainly dancing.[2][3] Fiafia are held at the conclusions of sporting contests, in particular the Tokeluan communal cricket matches, and meetings, on saints days, and during Christmastide; and one common form of such dance is the fatele.[4][5]

Such celebrations also happen in Samoa, and although the tradition form can still be seen on formal ceremonial occasions (weddings, inaugurations of schools and churches, awards) a more common form nowadays is a less formal "fiafia night" which is usually a buffet meal with slap-dancing and fire-dancing.[6]

The name was used as the name of the merged tribe name in the 2016 season of Australian Survivor.

References
  1. Pratt 1893, pp. 158.
  2. Hoëm 2015, p. 197.
  3. Hoëm, Hovdhaugen & Vonen 1992, p. 26.
  4. Hoëm 2015, p. 26.
  5. TPIE 2000, p. 499.
  6. Atkinson, Rawlings-Way & Sheward 2016, p. 323.

Reference bibliography
  • Hoëm, Ingjerd (2015). "Ritualized performances as total social facts: The house of multiple spirits in Tokelau". Ritual Communication. Wenner-Gren International Symposium Series. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9781474248112.
  • Pratt, George (1893). A Grammar and Dictionary of the Samoan Language: With English and Samoan Vocabulary. Religious Tract Society.
  • Hoëm, Ingjerd; Hovdhaugen, Even; Vonen, Arnfinn Muruvik (1992). Tokelau Oral Literature. Scandinavian University Press. ISBN 978-82-00-21650-6.
  • Lal, Brij V.; Fortune, Kate, eds. (2000). "Dance on Tokelau". The Pacific Islands: An Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 9780824822651.
  • Atkinson, Brett; Rawlings-Way, Charles; Sheward, Tamara (2016). Lonely Planet Rarotonga, Samoa & Tonga. Lonely Planet. ISBN 9781786577313.

Further reading
  • Thomas, Allan (1996). "Fiafia, celebrations". New Song and Dance from the Central Pacific: Creating and Performing the Fātele of Tokelau in the Islands and in New Zealand. Dance and music series. Vol. 9. Pendragon Press. ISBN 9780945193777.


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