Student Session Abstract 7

“Siva Sāmoa: Storytelling Through Dance”

Storytelling serves as a powerful method of cultural preservation, allowing communities to safeguard their histories, values, and identities across generations. In the Pacific Islands, dance, in particular, functions as a dynamic form of storytelling—not merely for entertainment, but as a way to educate, connect, and imagine futures. Through movement, stories of the past, present, and future can be woven together, affirming cultural memory while building a sanctuary for belonging. This session will feature a participatory workshop on Siva Sāmoa, the traditional dance of Sāmoa, guided by two Pacific Islander students who hope to share their cultures and stories with the Macalester community. Participants will not only learn how to siva but will also reflect on how it functions as a tool for cultural preservation, storytelling, and community building while considering the question: How can dance serve as a bridge between past and future, culture and environment, and art and justice?