Why were some dance texts performed in languages that Yapese dancers did not understand?

In the Yap empire, dance texts were performed in languages unintelligible to the Yapese dancers because these performances served as a form of tribute from other islands, such as Ulithi and Woleai.1

Rather than illustrating a story or acknowledging a chief’s genealogy, the primary function of these movements was to decorate the poetry. By performing these foreign texts, the Yapese dancers demonstrated the overlordship of Yap over the other islands. In this context, the dance movements functioned as an abstract, decorative accompaniment to the song rather than a literal interpretation of the lyrics.1