TOKA DANCE IN PORT VILA

Yachtsmen and Islanders got together late last Saturday afternoon for an exchange of entertainment and advice, as over 50 sailors from 21 yachts were welcomed by Tanna Island people, living in a community at the end of Fatu Maru bay, to an exclusive Toka dance performance.  Joseph Talo has recently started Vanuatu Discovery Tour company to generate income to help his community.  One of the tour guides, and fellow Tannan, Aliks, came up with the idea of a Tanna dance show. A chance meeting with Luc Callebaut, a visiting yachtsman, promotional journalist, and regional editor for the largest informational website for sailors and travelers, www.noonsite.com, resulted in a test dance performance and feast with “yachties” as guinea pigs and helpful advisors.

            The community has ritually obtained permission to perform one dance usually reserved solely for the Toka Festival on Tanna once in 2 or 3 years.  Some of the boys from this year’s festival live here and did this dance Saturday in their beautiful natural lagoon setting.  Yachts people, by invitation, also witnessed an actual bride-price payment ceremony, and gifting to the land owning village of the bride from Ifira Island the previous weekend.

            Both events were well-received by guest and hosts alike with lots of photos taken and digital monitors being shown to excited costumed and painted children.  Never having done a “show” before, the villagers did a wonderfully good job.  Aliks was an informative and entertaining M.C.  There are, of course bugs to be worked out before presentation to hotel Tour desks, but after advice and encouragement from well-traveled sailors, there soon should be many visitors treated to Tanna culture and a unique Toka dance right here in Port Vila.

Jackie Lee