Poyadua dance and Arreoys effects on the islanders

Georg Forster describes a dance performed by Poyadua (the Chief's daughter) and reflects on how the Arreoys affect the people of Raiatea.

In the afternoon Poyadua performed a dance; and as if she meant to outshine the other actresses, she had ornamented her dress more than usual, and wore a great quantity of various sorts of European beads. Her wonderful agility, the graceful motion of her arms, and the quick vibration of her fingers, were as much admired there by the natives, as we applaud them in our dancers; and since all these accomplishments are taught in the South Sea islands by nature only, it must be confessed that Poyadua deserved the encomiums which all the spectators bestowed upon her. The inhabitants were particularly delighted with the extraordinary contortions into which she screwed her mouth; though we were so little of their mind, that we could not help thinking them horridly frightful. The meeting of the arreoys gave rise to these frequent dramatic entertainments; their presence seemed to enliven the whole country, and to inspire all the people with extraordinary cheerfulness. They frequently shifted their garments, made of their best kinds of cloth; they passed their time in luxurious idleness, perfuming their hair with fragrant oils, singing and playing on the flute, and passing from one entertainment to another; in short, they enjoyed the blessings of their islands in the utmost extent; and so much resembled the happy indolent people whom Ulysses found in Phӕacia, that they could apply the poet's lines to themselves with peculiar propriety.

pp. 141-142

1774 05 29