Study Buddy (Challenger): Bringing Samoan fire knife dancing to Hong Kong

South China Morning Post

13-04-2025

Content provided by British Council
Read the following text, and answer questions 1-9 below:
[1] Masoe Hogan Toomalatai is bringing fire knife dancing, a traditional Samoan art form, to Hong Kong. Driven by his love and passion for his culture, Toomalatai teaches children and adults in the city to twirl, nimbly throw sticks and handle flames.
[2] Toomalatai, 41, moved from Samoa to Hong Kong in 2007. The island country in the south-central Pacific Ocean has a rich culture, and he is determined to share it as a tribute to his heritage. 'I started fire knife [dancing] when I was nine,' he said. 'Most of my family are entertainers and fire knife performers. We have a dance group.'
[3] Toomalatai established Seiileafi Fire Knife Hong Kong in April last year, a school offering Polynesian dance and fire knife dance classes. The fire knife dance is a Samoan performance art that evolved from warrior displays where dancers used flame-bladed knives to showcase their skill and cultural heritage. Polynesian dance encompasses diverse styles across the Pacific islands – including Hawaii and Tahiti – and is characterised by rapid hip movements and expressive gestures.
[4] Toomalatai serves as the school's creative director. So far, it has drawn 30 people of different ages and backgrounds to join private sessions and regular classes across the city. His wife, Katrina Dalino, is the school's managing director. She is originally from the Philippines, and they met in Hong Kong.
[5] Dalino recalled the initial challenges they faced, particularly misconceptions about the art. 'When you say fire knife dancing, [people] automatically think it's going to be quite dangerous for kids,' she said, noting that the school has strict protocols and thinks of safety not only for children but also for adults. The art form is for everybody and any age group, she said.
[6] Dalino also stressed that it was a 'step-by-step' process, and no one could just come in and become a 'fire knife warrior' immediately. 'The most difficult thing for me is to make [people] understand that you do not get in and play fire knife straight away. It takes some time to learn this very beautiful art and for you to master it.'
[7] For Dalino and Toomalatai, the bonds they have built with their students over the past year has been the most satisfying part of the experience. When they first started, there was less communication, Dalino said. 'They just saw us as their fire knife-dancing teachers. But now we are very close ... and have different relationships with each and every one of our students. [They are] very special to us,' she said.
[8] Toomalatai – who is 185cm tall and weighs 108kg – has had a unique experience. 'You know I'm Samoan. I'm a bit bigger, and I look different. They always think of me as a huge person with tattoos,' he said. 'But they also saw the strength that I have for them. They want to be carried [by me] everywhere.'
Source: South China Morning Post, March 29
Questions
1. Why does Toomalatai teach others fire knife dancing, according to paragraphs 1 and 2?
2. The word 'nimbly' in paragraph 1 suggests that fire knife dancing requires … movements.
A. heavy, tight and rigid
B. quick, precise and graceful
C. varying, erratic and sporadic
D. none of the above
3. According to paragraph 3, fire knife dance was initially used to …
A. demonstrate combat prowess.
B. honour ancestral spirits.
C. memorialise important ceremonies.
D. establish a social hierarchy.
4. In paragraph 5, what is an assumption many people have about fire knife dance?
5. What does 'any age group' in paragraph 5 suggest about the nature of the dance classes at Seiileafi Fire Knife Hong Kong?
6. Find a phrase in paragraph 6 that refers to a 'structured approach to learning over time'.
7. According to paragraph 7, how has the relationship between students and their teachers at the dance school evolved?
8. Based on your understanding of paragraph 8, how might Toomalatai's students initially perceive him, and why?
9. Which section of a lifestyle magazine is this article most likely to appear in?
A. language and folklore
B. travel and destinations
C. pop culture commentary
D. performance arts
Children learn how to twirl and throw sticks in the air at a fire knife dancing class in Tin Shui Wai. Photo: Dickson Lee
Answers
1. Toomalatai wants to preserve and share his culture and pay tribute to his heritage and family, who are entertainers and fire knife performers. (accept all similar answers)
2. B
3. A
4. People usually assume fire knife dancing is too dangerous, especially for children.
5. The classes are designed to be inclusive and accessible to individuals of all ages.
6. a step-by-step process
7. The relationship has evolved from one with limited communication and a purely teacher-student dynamic to one with a close personal connection. (accept all similar answers)
8. Students may have viewed Toomalatai with awe and fear as he is tall, large and has tattoos.
9. D