Heartwarming videos of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s family touring the Polynesian islands under the guidance of the Polynesian Cultural Center were shared on Instagram.
DWAYNE “THE ROCK” Johnson shared touching videos of his family traveling through the Polynesian islands with a guide from the Polynesian Cultural Center on Instagram.
Johnson, who was raised in Hayward, California, traveled to Samoa, Aotearoa, Hawai’i, Fiji, and Tonga with his mother and two small girls in the first film. Vibrant leis, which are greeting symbols, were used by the Polynesian Cultural Center to meet them.
The 49-year-old actor and his family participated in intense drumming, singing, and dancing with the Polynesian community during the visit. While the family was visiting Samoa, fire knives were whipped by dancers in stunning swirls, and a group of men carried the centerpiece of the luau—a kalua pig wrapped in banana leaves.
Men can be seen dancing and doing the Haka, a Maori warrior dance, alongside Johnson in the video from their trip to Aotearoa. This dance was originally meant to frighten away adversaries with its menacing face expressions and boisterous gestures.
“As a means to preserve and portray the cultures, art, and crafts of the people of Polynesia,” the Polynesian Cultural Center arranges excursions that allow tourists to learn about and engage with Polynesian customs. Johnson seems to be beaming with ethnic pride during their tour, as he eagerly picks up skills like drumming, carving, and even shaking a grass skirt.
Johnson, who comes from a line of proud Polynesian professional wrestlers, not only displays his fatherly side in his films, but he also expresses his admiration for his history. As they stroll and explore, Johnson picks up and carries his daughter Jasmine, often known as “Jazzy,” in his arms or holds her hand.
In a another video, Johnson can be seen displaying his “pizony tizzails” by pulling Jasmine’s hair back into a ponytail and adorning her with a lei of white flowers.
Johnson says, “That’s our culture,” to the Polynesian community who hosted the family in the family’s last film, which is heartfelt. It’s an emotion. A sense of pride. a fondness. a force. A mana.
As Maui in Disney’s 2016 animated film “Moana,” which is set in a fictional universe influenced by Polynesian traditions, Johnson has a long history of publicly expressing his Samoan background.