July Festival in Mangareva
When we arrived in Rikitea in May, we already heard drumming each evening. Two competing dance and drumming groups spend several months preparing for the highlight of the year: the 'Le Juillet' or 'Heiva' festival with daily traditional dance performances and fringe events takes place between the 5th and 14th of July. In the end prizes in different categories (best Mangareva dance, Tahitian dance, single and pair dance, drumming group) are awarded. The festival turned out surprisingly tame, maybe due to the fact that no alcohol was sold.
(50 photos)
