Why are song texts in many Melanesian performances difficult for participants to understand?

In Melanesian performances, song texts are often difficult for participants to understand because the music is generally less word-determined than in other Oceanic traditions, with melody, rhythm, and form shaped by musical principles rather than the meaning of the lyrics.1

Furthermore, these song texts frequently utilize archaic or foreign languages, rendering them unintelligible to those involved in the performance. In many social dance contexts, songs are adopted from other groups—such as the practice observed among the Kate people, who incorporated songs from the Siassi Islands—without the accompanying texts being translated or understood by the performers. When words are associated with communal dances, they are often repetitive and appear to serve as a rhythmic accompaniment rather than a narrative device, further contributing to their lack of clarity.123