TAKA IKI
Framed by huge cliffs, the Marquesas Islands, islets in the heart of the immense Pacific, alternate black sand beaches and quiet bays. Among the lush wooded landscapes, nature is raw and its charm very powerful. The folk ensemble «Taka Iki» comes from these lands of mysterious beauty.
It was not until 1842 that MELVILLE, a sailor who was trying to escape from a ship where he was being persecuted, landed on an island known to be impenetrable. After a long journey alone, he was welcomed by the clan of Taipi whom he took for cannibals. They not only treated him but introduced him to their unknown community. He is the first European of all time to have lived with a Marquesan tribe but was not the last. The tradition of welcoming the Marquesans was established. GAUGUIN and BREL followed in search of inner peace. No one knows if they have found it but every morning as the sun rises, they have admired a breathtaking light that inspires peace and rest. On these islands, they touched eternity and GAUGUIN built the «house of jouir».
The folk ensemble «Taka Iki» is inspired in its show as GAUGUIN in his paintings and BREL in his songs, from the daily life of the islanders but also from legends and the oldest religious traditions.
In the dance and rhythms, the Marquisians give voice to the «Mana» calling him out from the sea, down hills and radiate the soul of every man and woman who fall under his fascinating charm. The “Mana” lives, becomes alive, rises, ennobles and transcends everything, every being, every element in every dimension. It can also destroy, ruin and destroy the last vital vibration. The "Mana" is seductive, enchanting, glamorous, penetrating, fascinating... It is also scary, dangerous and exhausting all the artists' strengths.
Dance and music celebrate the tremendous resilience of Polynesian culture to maintain the sacred expressions of their lives. In ancient times, dances were related to all aspects of life and were intended to welcome a visitor, pray, challenge an enemy or seduce a comrade. Today’s songs are a powerful symbol of the Marquesas culture, with their harmonic voices, traditional drum thunders and plaintive songs accompanied by conch shells. The first Polynesians had named the place «Te Fenua Enata» that is to say the land of men.
With the folk ensemble «Taka Iki», we go to meet a mysterious land where the trade winds have carried adventurers, flibustiers painters and singers with wind soles. The journey is long towards the Marquesas but paradise is close thanks to the dances and songs of the folk ensemble «Taka Iki».
