At Stockton’s Te Fa’a Nō Te ’Ori morning ceremony, the quick patter of pahu and to’ere log drums could be heard from the University Plaza Waterfront Hotel, the Tahitian instrument’s rhythmic bops adding a new cadence to commuters passing by Weber Point Center on Friday.
Inside, where attendees fell into a hush as the Tahitian instruments thrummed, veteran ’ori Tahiti dancers Kohaitevahinetapairu Batani-Gournac and Matatini Mou approached the makeshift stage, each with a single large Ti leaf in hand.
The leaves, later joined in a collection for all to see throughout Te Fa’a Nō Te ’Ori’s three-day festival, would also be a “reminder.”
“This transposition,” an emcee explained to the hundreds of audience members who witnessed the Auti leaf ceremony, “emphasizes respect, humility and acceptance of the jury’s decisions.”
Over 200 solo dancers participated in the first day of Stockton’s only festival celebrating Tahitian dance, or the ’ori Tahiti — only a portion of the more than 700 dancers set to perform during Saturday and Sunday’s group competitions
On Friday, as three to four competitors took the stage — smiling widely with arms raised gently toward the sky — a jury of seasoned Tahitian dancers and instructors, including Batani-Gournac and Mou, carefully watched, scoring based on movements and costume.
“Make sure your numbers are visible to the judges,” the emcees told each interval of competitors, “Ready? A rutu mai” — “hit it,” in Tahitian.
Dancers, after a morning of preliminary rounds, heard back after lunch, the list of finalists posted outside the hotel’s ballroom turned dressing area.
Competitors, each performing at morning preliminary rounds, stayed ready as they awaited the judges’ scoring, many remaining in costumes of solid pareo skirts and 12-inch headpieces – the height the limit, according to the festival’s rules,
For Ali Alcantara, each performer’s fashion piece speaks to their personality.
“A costume pretty much tells a story,” said Alcantara, mom to Alina Espinoza, who had danced at the festival’s opener.
In Espinoza’s case, her red ensemble and feathered crown represents her being a “free bird,” Alcantara said.
Alcantara, who is Filipino, said she danced ’ori Tahiti “years ago,” growing up with the culture from her mom’s side of the family, who are from Guam.
Now, her daughter Espinoza, having just turned five, is learning, getting her first feel of performing for an energetic crowd.
In its eighth year, Stockton’s Tahitian dance celebration has grown. Instead of taking place only over a day, the festival has graduated to a multi-day affair, with a slew of craft vendors, dance troupes and workshop hosts coming from outside Stockton, according to Yolanda Amen, CEO of the Mata’irea Polynesian Culture Preservation, which put on the event.
“We have a deep connection,” Amen told Stocktonia of those who helped make the festival. Although Tahitian dance is not part of her culture, Amen said, ʻori Tahiti “saved [her]” when she was younger.
Today, having retired her own 18-year-old Tahitian dance group, Amen said she has “time to pour” into the festival. Her five kids have also found a way to participate, like her son, who performed as one of the festival’s drummers.
“I want to make sure that we’re always staying true,” Amen said. “Even though it is not in our blood, it runs in our heart.”
Te Fa’a Nō Te ’Ori 2025 runs until Sunday at the Adventist Health Arena. More about the festival’s events, including beginner and intermediate workshops, can be found at https://matairea.org/.
