Traditional dances of Federated States of Micronesia

The main traditional dances in Islands includes stick dancing on Popnpei, Yap, and Chuuk, standing dances on Chuuk and sitting dances on Yap and Chuuk. The Yapese is mainly known for the skills in dancing. The Yapese stick dance is danced by women, men and children together while the standing dances are done by either women or men and boys but however both together. The men participate in different dancing contests that are separated by class; the lower classes have some different dances and also the woman’s standing dance, but it can only be danced when they are authorized by a person of the higher class. Chuuks have many common dance patterns with the Yap because of the common cultural tradition with the Chuuk and the outside islands of Yap.

source of picture: www.visit-micronesia.fm

Most of the Chuuks are odd and rarest dance that is known as Moonlight dance, it is one of the few dance where both men and women dance together. This can only happen during the full moon with the consent of the village chief. Traditionally, this is the process where both the young male female comes together.