Three concepts are particularly vital to the Pacific people, tapu, mana and custom. Tapu is generally given the term forbidden or evil, and every day life involves understanding what is tapu and how to avoid it and remove its effectiveness.
Mana refers to spiritual power - it is a quality possessed by all people, part hereditary and part achievement. Custom is a key element of traditional life. Custom evolves around the extended family and village, of sharing wealth, status and knowledge. The lack of personal property and personal space is a concept foreign to people from the Western world, and it has caused difficulties from early European exploration to modern day tourism and business.
Islanders hold on to a strict hierarchical system headed by hereditary chiefs (known as ariki in Cook Islands) and with commoners serving the good of the village. What unifies all cultures today is their strong belief in Christianity which plays an important part in the village community and national politics.
Another tradition widely maintained by all Pacific cultures is that of traditional dance, from hip-swaying erotic dances of the Polynesians to the more powerful war dances performed by Melanesians. Most dances are based on stories of bygone years, down through the generations.