Dwayne Johnson recently shared a deeply meaningful cultural moment with his family while in Hawaii. The 53-year-old actor posted a video on Instagram showing himself performing a traditional Samoan dance with his mother, Ata Johnson, and his two younger daughters.
In the clip, the family joins a group on stage surrounded by palm trees and cheering spectators. At one point, Johnson removes his shirt, following Samoan tradition, and slaps the ground in rhythm as part of the sacred dance. He explained that the performance held deep emotional and cultural significance.
The dance, known as the Taualuga, is a sacred celebration in Samoan culture. Johnson wrote, “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.” He noted that men in Samoan tradition remove their shirts to display their Polynesian tattoos, which represent family and cultural stories.
He added that slapping the ground was a way to show respect for the sacredness of the moment, especially with his daughters dancing alongside him. Johnson described the energy of the dance as powerful and spiritual, referring to it as “mana,” the spiritual energy in Polynesian culture.
For Johnson, the experience was also about creating memories with his daughters and honoring his Samoan and Hawaiian roots. “Life is busy for everyone, so special moments like this mean the world to me, to honour our family, our culture and always so good coming back home to Hawaii. Yesaah,” he wrote. He also shared plans to take his family to Samoa later this year, saying it will be a beautiful homecoming for his two young daughters, who have never been there.
Johnson is a proud father of three daughters: Simone, 24, from his first marriage to Dany Garcia, and Jasmine, 9, and Tiana, 6, with wife Lauren Hashian.
Hawaii holds a special place in Johnson’s heart. Back in April, he shared a post about driving through the islands and reflecting on his childhood. “Every time I come back home to Hawai’i, I’m reminded why this is the greatest city in the world. Every drive brings back every loving memory and crazy moment growing up here,” he wrote. For Johnson, returning to Hawaii is always a meaningful and nostalgic experience.