A group of meri and women begins to sing quietly, to dance with slow gestures of their arms, and mark the rhythm with a simple foot movement. They have downcast, almost withdrawn expressions on their faces. Their colorful costumes create uniformity for the group, the fragrance of their floral decorations carries on the night air. The song is repeated and the box drum is played from behind the group, first softly and then leading a characteristic acceleration of tempo. Now smiles appear, the dance becomes stronger and the singing louder. As the song is repeated again, excitement increases, the atmosphere intensifies. The whole group is now compact and unified. Like a powerful gust of wind the dance fills the eyes and ears of the onlookers. Some dancers become excited and urge on the group even further. As the dance concludes some members of the audience call out “mālō! mālō!” (Well done!) and the dancers give a challenge to another group to perform.

Perhaps these dancers are performing “E Taku fātele” by composer Ihaia, a song which is itself about the fātele:

In a masterstroke this fātele goes to the heart of the matter; it preempts my description. fātele are about the institutions, the leaders and the traditions of Tokelau. fātele speak to the heart with affection and commitment. They exist in the moment in time when the performance recreates the vision of a beautiful, unanimous, controlled and orderly community. In my description of the fātele I have taken three features which are important in this music and dance form. Those features are firstly the rhythm of the pōkihi (drum), secondly the text of the song and thirdly the group of people which performs.

To the enquiring foreigner the fātele is at first glance simply a dance. But if one were to question an informed Tokelauan during a fātele performance, those three features would be singled out and described. My explanation then takes its cue from Tokelau values and priorities.

This approach was developed from the experience both of observing and participating in fātele. I continually returned to the same features in the questions I was asking and in the experiences of fātele rehearsals and performances.