Islands of Light - South Pacific Dance
1988 Short film
- Drama
- Pasifika
This short film celebrates three performances from the South Pacific; the sasa from Western Samoa, the ura pa'u (drum dance) from the Cook Islands, and the haka from Aotearoa. The sasa is an energetic group dance with varied hand movements depicting everyday activities like cracking a coconut, and making nets. The ura pa'u dazzles with its colourful costumes (the skirts are made from dyed kiri'au or beach hibiscus) and the agile hip action of its female performers. Leading the haka is Pita Sharples, who founded champion kapa haka group Te Roopū Manutaki. Director David Robertson also made short Lovelock.









