Dwayne Johnson honours Samoan Heritage with ‘powerful’ dance performance

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson recently shed light on an emotional moment as he performed a sacred Samoan dance with his family.

The 53-year-old wrestler and actor, who is also a father to three daughters – Jasmine, Tiana, and Simone – offered fans a glimpse into his Samoan heritage.

On Saturday, August 23, the Red Notice star shared a video on Instagram featuring himself performing the Samoan traditional dance with his family in Hawaii, accompanied by a heartfelt caption.

In the clip, the Black Adam actor is seen removing his shirt to show off his Polynesian tattoo before slapping the ground, a gesture symbolising respect and significance.

Expressing honour in the caption, he penned, “I was blessed to have this very special moment on stage with my mom, my daughters, and our aiga (family) – dancing our Samoan culture’s sacred dance, the Taualuga.

“It’s custom for Samoan men to take their shirts off to proudly show our Polynesian tatau (tattoo) and the intricate stories our ink tells. Also custom for Samoan women to lift their lava lavas up to proudly show their beautiful malu (tattoo) on their legs as well."

The Moana star also highlighted the importance of slapping the ground.

He further explained, “I’m slapping the ground as a way to show respect for how significant this is and how SACRED our ground becomes in this moment with our elders (and my daughters dancing next to me). It’s emotional. You can’t help but feel it. The mana. Life is busy for everyone - so special moments like this mean the world to me, to honor our family, our culture and always so good coming back home to Hawaii. Yesaah (sic).”

On professional front, Johnson is gearing up for the sports drama The Smashing Machine, scheduled to hit theatres on October 3.