ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Polynesian culture

Do you know what a culture is? It's like a big group of people who have some things in common, like the language they speak, the food they eat, and the things they believe in. Polynesian culture is a culture from a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean called Polynesia.

The people who live in Polynesia have been there for a really, really long time. They have their own language, which may be different from the languages you've heard before. They also have their own traditions and beliefs that are different from what you might be used to.

One thing that you might notice about Polynesian culture is that they really love to dance! They have lots of different dances that they perform at special events, like weddings or festivals, and they wear really colorful costumes. They also love to sing and play music, and they use instruments that might be different from what you're used to, like the ukulele or the conch shell.

Another important part of Polynesian culture is their art. They make lots of beautiful things, like carved wooden statues or woven baskets. They also have a special kind of tattooing that is really important to their culture. It's called "tatau" and it covers a lot of the body. Tattoos are like pictures that are drawn on your skin with special ink and needles.

Finally, Polynesian culture is all about family and community. Families are really important to Polynesians, and they often live in big groups called "ohana" that include lots of relatives. Everyone helps out and works together to make sure that everyone is taken care of. They also believe in something called "mana," which means power or energy, and they believe that everything in the world has it, like plants, animals, and even rocks.

Overall, Polynesian culture is really interesting and unique, and it has a lot of things that make it special.