🇹🇴 The dances of Tonga
13 dances from Tonga, best known first, across 6 cities and regions.
Cities and regions of Tonga
🇹🇴 TongaLakalaka
A standing group dance of Tonga where rows of performers gesture with outstretched arms while singing.Folk dance · Line or chain
🇼🇸 Samoa and 1 moreTaualuga
A solo ceremonial dance of Samoa, performed by chiefs' children as the finale of celebrations.Folk dance · Solo
🇹🇴 Tonga'Aparima
A Tahitian hand dance using mimics to tell stories from daily life or myth.Folk dance · Group
🇹🇴 TongaKailao
A Tongan war dance with clubs, originating from Wallis and Futuna.Folk dance · Group
🇹🇴 TongaMako
A fast-paced Tongan dance performed by young men with wild gestures and drum rhythms.Folk dance · Group
🇹🇴 TongaMeʻetuʻupakimeʻe tuʻu paki
A traditional Tongan group dance performed with small paddles and a slit drum.Folk dance · Line or chain · Group
🇹🇴 TongaTauʻolunga
A Tongan dance of stylised hand gestures performed by young women.Folk dance · Solo · Group
🇹🇴 TongaUla
A traditional Tongan group dance performed by women in two converging lines.Folk dance · Group · Line or chain
🇹🇴 TongaMāʻuluʻulu
A seated Tongan dance of rhythmic gestures and song, performed by mixed groups.Folk dance · Group
🇼🇸 Samoa and 1 moreMaulu'ulu
A Samoan group dance in layered rows, echoing daily work through graceful gesturesFolk dance · Group · Line or chain
🇹🇴 TongaʻOtuhaka
A seated Tongan court dance of arm gestures and rhythmic mat-drummingCourt dance · Circle · Group
🇹🇴 TongaTautoga
A formal Rotuman group dance of dignity, choral singing, and contrasting gender rolesFolk dance · Group · Line or chain
🇹🇴 TongaSokeeke, sōkē
A Tongan group dance where performers strike sticks together on the beat of a drum.Folk dance · Group · Line or chain
🇼🇸 Samoa and 1 moreTaualuga
A solo ceremonial dance of Samoa, performed by chiefs' children as the finale of celebrations.Folk dance · Solo
🇹🇴 Tonga'Aparima
A Tahitian hand dance using mimics to tell stories from daily life or myth.Folk dance · Group
🇹🇴 TongaKailao
A Tongan war dance with clubs, originating from Wallis and Futuna.Folk dance · Group
🇹🇴 TongaMako
A fast-paced Tongan dance performed by young men with wild gestures and drum rhythms.Folk dance · Group
🇹🇴 TongaMeʻetuʻupakimeʻe tuʻu paki
A traditional Tongan group dance performed with small paddles and a slit drum.Folk dance · Line or chain · Group
🇹🇴 TongaTauʻolunga
A Tongan dance of stylised hand gestures performed by young women.Folk dance · Solo · Group
🇹🇴 TongaUla
A traditional Tongan group dance performed by women in two converging lines.Folk dance · Group · Line or chain
🇹🇴 TongaMāʻuluʻulu
A seated Tongan dance of rhythmic gestures and song, performed by mixed groups.Folk dance · Group
🇼🇸 Samoa and 1 moreMaulu'ulu
A Samoan group dance in layered rows, echoing daily work through graceful gesturesFolk dance · Group · Line or chain
🇹🇴 TongaʻOtuhaka
A seated Tongan court dance of arm gestures and rhythmic mat-drummingCourt dance · Circle · Group
🇹🇴 TongaTautoga
A formal Rotuman group dance of dignity, choral singing, and contrasting gender rolesFolk dance · Group · Line or chain
🇹🇴 TongaSokeeke, sōkē
A Tongan group dance where performers strike sticks together on the beat of a drum.Folk dance · Group · Line or chain
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Taualuga: Churchill, Llewella Pierce, Mrs. [from old catalog], No restrictions, source
- Kailao: The original uploader was Tauʻolunga at English Wikipedia ., Public domain, source
- Ula: Félix Danvin, Public domain, source
- Māʻuluʻulu: Tauʻolunga, CC BY-SA 3.0, source