Yapese Dance

Yap’s most highly developed art form, dance, “churuu” in Yapese, is a central part of the culture. Traditional dancing is a highly developed and complex art form. Dances and the chants, which accompany them, were once used to pass stories from one generation to another and were taught with great care. Some of the dances still practiced today are so ancient that the present generation cannot translate their meaning but the chants and the movements are the same as in the past.

The dances are colorful affairs that are great to see. Seeing one, will allow you to enter into the traditional life of Yap. Dances are performed by Yapese of all ages and for many different occasions. All of the dancers are beautifully decorated, colored and ornamented. Even though the decoration is in general uniform, each dancer adds to it according to his/her own taste, forming a stunning group and experience.

There are several dance forms: sitting dances and standing dances originated in Yap and were always performed by men and women separately. Stick dances were introduced from the other islands east of Yap and marching dances were formed in Palau then brought to Yap during the Japanese occupational period. Young men and women may perform the latter two together.