PBS
AIRDATE: May 12, 2005
For nearly 50,000 years, dances and songs have been an expression of Pacific Islanders' origins, their journeys, their struggles — their very existence. These are their "dance stories" – their DANCES OF LIFE. The program journeys to five Pacific islands – New Zealand, Palau, Guam, American Samoa and New Caledonia – to reveal the cultural history and diversity of the Pacific Islands. Keisha Castle-Hughes (Whale Rider) narrates.
Today, as global economies threaten to homogenize island cultures as never before, Pacific Islanders are struggling to maintain their identity and traditions. Dance is central to these efforts; for centuries it has remained one of the most powerful vehicles for transmitting culture. Through this PBS broadcast, DANCES OF LIFE expands the boundaries of the Pacific, bringing cultural and historical dance stories to communities around the globe.