128th Heiva I Tahiti - Te Anuanua

The theme of this years' Heiva I Tahiti is - Te Anuanua - The rainbow, the bridge between men and the gods, between heaven and earth. The 128th annual event encompasses both cultural and sporting events throughout French Polynesia. It serves to bring together the islands and its people through song, dance and sport.

Last week marked a cultural and symbolic beginning of the month long festival. Award-winning group O Tahiti E, led by raatira Marguerite Lai, presented a pageant entitled "Vaka Arioi" which reenacted the role that the arioi played in ancient Tahiti. In ancient times the arioi entertained the arii (royalty).

Tomorrow evening, the reigning Heiva Nui awarding-winning group Hei Tahiti, under the direction of Tiare Trompette, will be featured in a program honoring the late Henri Hiro, a noted poet, teacher, filmmaker, pastor, and activist and the founder of l'Office Territorial d'Action Culturelle.

In contrast to last years' dance competition, just one group, Hitireva (Kehaulani Chanquy) will be performing in the Heiva Nui division. The group was last years' Heiva division winner and as such was moved up into the Heiva Nui division. The main division to watch this year will be the Heiva division. Participating groups include: HURA TAHITI NUI, NOHOARII (Xavier Nonoh), TOAKURA (Mateata Legayic), MANAHAU (Jean-Marie BIRET), AVAI'URA NO HUAHINE (Leila Darles-Lai), TOROMIKI AUOROTINI NO RIKITEA (Dany Paheo), and FARE IHI NO HUAHINE (Paul Tehare).

Here is the tentative program for the dance and song competition taking place at Place Toata. Activities will be running from July 5-23 with awards being announced on July 22.

More information at the Heiva Nui event website may be available. The July 2010 edition of Hiroa also has more information and may be downloaded at the publication website as a pdf file. The document is in French.


HEIVA I TAHITI 2010
PROGRAM

Thursday, July 8, 2010
19:00 - NIGHT SPECIAL

Friday, July 9, 2010
19.00 - Dance: Category HEIVA: HURA TAHITI NUI

20:00 - Songs: tarava Tahiti tamarii Matai

20:30 - Songs: tarava Raromatai: NO FANATICS tamarii AABF

21.00 - Dance: Category HEIVA NUI: HITIREVA

Saturday, July 10, 2010
19.00 - Dance: Category HEIVA: NOHOARII

20.00 - Songs: tarava Tahiti Nui VAIARII

20.30 - Songs: tarava Raromatai: VAIHOATAUA

21h00-Dances: Category HEIVA: TOAKURA

Friday, July 16, 2010
19.00 - Dance: Category HEIVA FARE IHI NO HUAHINE

20:00 - Songs: tarava Tahiti tamarii TEAHUPOO

20.30 - Dance: 21:30 - songs: tarava Raromatai: Ateh

22.00 - Dance: Category HEIVA: MANAHAU

Saturday, July 17, 2010
19:00 - Songs: tarava Tahiti tamarii PAPARA

19:30 - Dance HEIVA Category: TAVAI'URA NO HUAHINE

20:30 - Songs: tarava Tahiti: Ass. Tamarii NO Papeari

21:00 - Songs: tarava Raromatai FARE IHI NO HUAHINE

21.30 - Dance: Category HEIVA: TOROMIKI AUOROTINI NO Rikitea

Thursday, July 22, 2010
EVENING OF AWARDS
Friday, July 23, 2010
NIGHT OF THE WINNERS OF HEIVA I TAHITI 2010

Heiva i Tahiti 2009 results

This years Heiva i Tahiti event was extremely competitive with both new groups and award winning veterans returning to compete. In the end, it was one of the more younger groups that prevailed. Hei Tahiti, an innovative and award winning dance group led by Tiare Trompette was crowned Heiva Nui Grand Prize. Established in 2005, the group has not competed in the event since 2006 when it was awarded the Junior Grand Prize. In addition, Hei Tahiti also was awarded Best Costume, Best Music (Heritage) and Best Solo Tane (Daniel Faatauira).

Tamariki Oparo, led by Pierrot Faraire came in second and O Tahiti E, led by Marguerite Lai rounded out the top three. Both groups have been consistent award winners and are world renown for their dramatic and creative Tahitian dance performances.

The prestigious title of Best Solo Vahine went to Manihiki Poroi of Kei Tawhiti.

In the Junior or amateur division, Hitireva claimed 1st place.

Preliminary results of the 2009 Heiva i Tahiti:

Heiva Nui - Madeleine Moua - Division
1. Hei Tahiti (Tiare Trompette)
2. Tamariki Oparo (Pierrot Faraire)
3. O Tahiti E (Marguerite Lai)

Heiva - Claire Leverd - Division
1. Hitireva (Kelaulani Chanquy)

Best Solo Tane
Daniel Faatauira of Hei Tahiti

Best Solo Vahine
Manihiki Poroi of Kei Tawhiti

Best Vegetal Costume
Tamariki Poerani (Makau Foster)

Best Costume
Hei Tahiti (Tiare Trompette)

Tarava Raromatai
Association Vaihoataua

Best Music - Heritage
Hei Tahiti (Tiare Trompette)

Best Music - Creation
Heikura Nui (Iriti Hoto)

Best Himene Ruau
Association Vaihoataua

Best Song Author
Tamarii Matai

Best Vahine Aparima
Tamariki Poerani (Makau Foster)

Best Tane Aparima
O Tahiti E (Marguerite Lai)

Best Vahine Otea
Tamariki Poerani (Makau Foster)

Best Tane Otea
Hitireva (Kelaulani Chanquy)

Best Paoa
Te Maeva (Coco Hotahota)

Best Hivinau
Kei Tawhiti (Maire Tuia)

Best Ute Arearea
Tamariki Poerani (Makau Foster)

More information and coverage at La Depeche de Tahiti

Heiva Nui 2009 announced

Provo, Utah will once again host Heiva Nui, Tradewindz Voyage Inc.'s Tahitian dance competition next year. Dates were announced via their website - March 24-28, 2009. Registration will begin August 15, 2008. The dance group "Hei Tahiti" from Tahiti will be a special guest who will undoubtably be conducting workshops and performing. For more information, email them at info@officialtvi.com

Of note also is a design contest for all those interested in Tahitian culture. Try your hand at creating the official design for the 2009 event tshirt. A $100 reward will be the prize.