A Vous Tahiti… – Madeleine Moua et les ballets Heiva, 1963

🇵🇫 💃 🥁 🎶 👑 Madeleine Moua is a central figure in the revival of tamuré in Tahiti. Originally a schoolteacher, she dedicated herself after the war to revitalising and gaining recognition for a genre that often faced criticism. She established the Heiva ballets, sponsored by Tahiti’s royal family, aiming to reclaim tamuré from tourist hotels and restore it to the Polynesian people. Her 1963 album, A vous Tahiti, offers a thoughtful selection of Tahitian folklore, featuring essential tracks by Eddie Lund (such as Manea and Te Manu Pukarua), instrumental pieces showcasing the Tahitian drum, and a collection of iconic tamuré. Madeleine Moua remained active until the early 1980s and passed away in 1989.