Siva Mai Club | District41 & Oceanik Village
I’ve always been curious about cultures and history: our surroundings, the land that we reside on, past events and people that inhabited many years ago. Siva Mai Club might seem just a fun live dance and music show, but beyond the glamourous stage, it is a powerful production that merges costumes, music, dance and storytelling into a celebration of Pasifika culture. As opposed to other shows I have seen, Siva Mai Club was a breath of fresh air to me. It was truly pleasing to witness the Pasifika community represented on stage, showcase their talents, and have their stories be heard and seen.
The opening act itself alone set a strong tone for the entire show, as all the Siva Mai Club performers gathered on stage singing in their traditional costumes, with a smoking effect and screens showing elements of island life. Presented by District41 & Oceanik Village, this production performed a series of acts in a mix of both traditional and contemporary styles. Throughout the night, I was seeking to learn and understand island cultures, as if I was having a history class- in an amusing way of course!
The music was just fabulous. One song I found particularly beautiful was the song called ‘Simple Life’- the lyrics went ‘simple life simple people…remember you’re island people...stand up proud’. This session was empowering as it conveyed the journey of a Pasifika islander and their self-identity and roots.
As beautiful as the vocals were, it was the use of percussion instruments that enhanced the heart of the show with its high energy drumming. Polynesian drum ensembles such as those from Tahiti and the Cook Islands were included, forming different pitches and beats as background rhythms for singers and dancers who further the storytelling.
As for highlights of the night- each act had its own flavour, so it is difficult for me to pick a favourite, but I was impressed by the dances! Sitting in the audience, I could feel the fire and passion from the performers. Their energy was infectious, eliciting unprompted whooping among the audience. The choreography was ingenious and captivating to watch. Incorporating a fusion of traditional and modern elements with suave moves, the cultural dances were enriched by their unique costumes, woven fans, fire twirling and flags waving, while the upbeat hip pop dances were accompanied by contemporary pop songs such as ‘Run The World’ by Beyoncé and ‘Lucky’ by Britney Spears. Both styles employed performers’ bodies both as powerful means of communicating story and sentiment, but also as a means of exploring their individuality within the ensemble and their cultural connection to the community.
Superb lighting design in the production was an element that was worth mentioning. The lighting choices throughout the show were exquisitely atmospheric, capturing the interconnectedness of the sky, land, people, and culture. One special moment was the gorgeous lighting effect on a performer’s white dress onstage in the darkness, which enhanced the mood of the overall performance.
Although I was left with questions such as what was that particular traditional costume piece called, and a bunch of other historical questions, I was there. I was there to experience it for the first time, to simply witness the truth, the Pasifika stories through arts in our multicultural land. Siva Mai Club does not just speak to Pasifika and Indigenous people, no matter your cultural backgrounds, it is special to be a part of that communion in that 75 mins with a dash of island style humour.
