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Meke, in theFijian language, is all traditional style of dance. It is acognate of the words"maka" (Rotuman) and"mele" in Hawaiian. It is typically performed during celebrations and festivals. Traditionally the dances that comprise themeke art form are performed by groups of men only or women only, however, foreign influences, such as the male/femaleTonganma'ulu'ulu becoming the Fijianvakamalolo, are evident throughout.
Friedrich Ratzel in his 1896 publicationThe History of Mankind,[1] writes about the Fijian meke as both song and dance, which only a few are given to invent and which those who do, allege that they do so in the spirit world where divine beings teach them the song and the appropriate dance. He wrote that the ideal of the Fijian poet is poetry with every verse ending with the same vowel of regularmeasure, which in practice is often achieved with poetic license through the use of arbitrary abbreviations or lengthenings, and omission of articles.