O Tahiti E
Tahitian
Tahiti
O Tahiti E was created in 1986 by emblematic ‘Ori Tahiti figure Marguerite Lai who named the group after the original name of Tahiti or ‘Otaiti’ which was used on early navigation charts to describe the island of Tahiti. It is one of the oldest dancing troops in French Polynesia and are the greatest ambassadors of Tahiti around the world.
Under founder and choreographer Marguerite Lai, they have won the Heiva I Tahiti (the most important traditional dance competition of Polynesian culture) several times with their performances such as ‘Te Pakerere’ in 1999, ‘Te Muhu a fenua’ in 2005, ‘Te Iho Ora’ in 2009, ‘Te Tapuni' in 2012 and ‘Tahiti ata ata noa’ in 2016.
Back in Jul' 2017 in Rainforest World Music Festival...
O Tahiti E were definitely one of the super stars at the RWMF Rainforest World Music Festival 2017 in Sarawak, Malaysia! Everyone had excitement on their faces when they spoke about them, their workshops are always packed and when they finally walked onto the main stage on the second night, they lifted the crowd into a wild dance and that was what everyone was waiting for! (writing this with buzz still in my head)
Just before the afternoon rehearsal, we were granted permission (Mauruuru to Marie-Hélène Villierme) to record with O Tahiti E's core musicians at backstage! Atamu Tehei on Tariparau/Pahu, Tenania Temataua on Fa'atete, Auguste Tahi & Stellio Tuhiti on To'ere contributed the unique Tahitian drumming. Which we brought to Poemoana to contribute a dance to three months later.
We're also very humble and grateful to have a chance to meet up with O Tahiti E's founder Marguerite Lai, she spoke about her concern towards the health of the ocean as well as the fading of Tahitian language. As a strong songwoman herself, she opened O Tahiti E's performance with a traditional and powerful Tahitian chant.
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