From Tonga to Cook Islands to Tahiti, string bands exemplify the laidback Polynesian attitude toward life. Groups of 10 or musicians are still found playing at social gatherings of all kinds: dances, BBQs, kava parties, youth festivals and competitions.
Small choruses sing in a soft falsetto. Bands incorporate various adopted instruments such as the ukulele—the backbone of the string band—guitar and banjo. Some islands favor a different mix of instruments such as the accordion and homegrown versions of the banjo using a coconut are common. In the kingdom of Tonga, string bands particularly favor the banjo.
Ukuleles and guitars were introduced to Polynesia beginning in the late 1800s, and by the 1920s strumming under palm trees had become a favorite pastime. Though string bands were initially devoted to playing parties and clubs or backing dance troupes before electricity was widely available, the increasing popularity of electric bands and local pop and hip-hop variations hasn't completely blotted out the large-band format. If anything, tourism has provided more opportunities for gigging string bands to make a living with many Polynesian restaurants and wedding sites highlighting the region's bands.
The Cook Islands picked up stringed instruments via Tahiti (where most of the regions ukuleles are now made), and for a while the Islanders sported their own coconut-backed version of the ukulele until a Tahitian carved-wood style came back into fashion.
It's believed that string bands grew up around drinking parties (kava or alcohol) held outside the eye of local preachers. String bands needed to number 10 to 20 to produce enough volume for these social events.
One of the earliest and best known groups, the Pokata Band, formed in the 1940s and reconvened with the offspring of original members in the '70s. The Pearly Stars are the longest-lasting band in the Cook Islands with more than 30 years of playing under their belts. From mid-century, Cook Islands string bands sometimes augmented their sound with trumpets or accordion. Today, the Cook Islands string band tradition survives. Even the Ministry of Health has a string band. Each June, a competition at the national auditorium finds the best string bands in the Cook Islands going head to head.
Even today, Fiji boasts a healthy and very informal string-band scene. Village bands hone their craft while drinking kava in a circle (a style called sigi drigi for singing and drinking). Fijian group the Somai Serenaders, with nimble playing of lead guitarist Apenisa Waqa, has been the recent breakout star. The Bula Band, also from Fiji, augments its sets with covers such as "Til There Was You."
In Tahiti, groups like the Barefoot Boys, News Bananas and Petiot remain among the most famous string bands. Tonga's best-known string band in North America is Afo 'O E 'Ofa whose Strings of Love album balances Tongan style with modern influences and harmonies. Today, the Vaimutu Allstars command a following in Tahiti and elsewhere, augmenting its string-band sound with pop-friendly beats. —John Dugan
