Rainbows
of Paradise
Rainbows
of Paradise is performed daily from 2:30-3:00 p.m. in two
locations on the Polynesian Cultural Center: On the lagoon between
the Islands
of Samoa and the 1850s Mission
Complex; and on the wide section
of lagoon between the Islands of Fiji, Tahiti and Hawaii. (Because
the two showings occur simultaneously, the order of appearance
may be different than described.) There are no reserved seats.
| Rainbows starts
with a young Polynesian woman in an outrigger canoe throwing
flowers into the lagoon, a tradition reminiscent of days gone
by when great steamships transported visitors to these magical
islands. It was said in those days that each blossom became a
memory of visits to Hawaii; and if the blossoms returned to shore,
then so would the visitors. |
 |
The
Hawaiian court: The sound of the conch shell signals the arrival
of the Hawaiian ali'i nui or "high chief" and
his retinue. The ali'i nui proudly displays the royal cape,
helmet and sash which anciently were made from the selected red
and gold plumage of hundreds of birds (the birds were snared and
released after a few feathers were plucked from each one). Tall kahili standards,
also made from feathers, indicate the high chief's royal descent.
His queen, the ali'i wahine, wears a pa'u or yellow
dress, while her attendant or kahu is dressed in red.
 |
Hawaii: The
aloha spirit of the Hawaiians captures the blues of Wakea,
the "Sky Father" of ancient traditions and his starry
realm. The first dances aboard the double-hulled canoes are hula
kahiko, meaning they are done in the ancient style to the
sound of drums and chants. The
music soon shifts, however, to the modern island sounds of the ukulele
and guitar — the sounds and dances of hula auana. Enjoy…and
aloha. |
Tonga: The
Tongans greet you aboard their double-hulled canoe with Malo e
Lelei, as they honor you with the traditional dances of their
island kingdom. The dancers wear hues of red to represent the beautiful
red morning skies of the Friendly Islands. You'll definitely want
to clap along with the people of Tonga. Malo Aupito, they
say: "Thank you."
 |
Tahiti: The
call of Tahiti e, imua! brings the Tahitian canoe to the
lagoon. Dressed in yellow and orange as a gift of honor to Mahana,
the sun god, they perform their thrilling, hip-shaking dances
to the unforgettable beat of wooden drums. Mauruuru — "Thank
you" to the French Polynesians for bringing the glow and
warmth of the sun. |
Aotearoa: Haere
mai, Haere mai, the Maori people of Aotearoa (New Zealand) "welcome" you
with their fierce warrior haka challenges, twirling poi balls and clever stick games from the land of the Long White Cloud.
They are attired in green as a tribute to Tane, Maori god
of the lush ferns and forests, and the precious pounamu greenstone
jade of New Zealand.
Samoa: Exuberance
and energy are excellent words to describe the "happy people" of
Samoa, especially the men who challenge the balancing skills of their
canoe pilot. The traditional lavalava of the men and puletasi of
the women come in shades of magenta and pink to honor the beautiful
sunsets of their South Pacific islands. Fa'afetai tele lava — "thank
you very much," Samoa.
| Fiji: Tomai!
Tomai! is the call of the priest as he summons the warriors
and women of Fiji to join him in ritual meke [pronounce
both syllables] — dances to the warrior deity, Dengei.
The Fijians proudly wear masi bark cloth bearing beautiful
traditional patterns and natural tones. Vinaka vaka levu is
the Fijian expression of appreciation for their skills and
commitment. |
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