Dwayne Johnson shares emotional moment performing sacred Samoan dance with his mom and daughters

Dwayne Johnson is reminding us just how powerful family traditions can be.

The Moana star recently shared a video of himself performing the Samoan Taualuga—a “sacred” dance—with his mother, Ata Johnson, and his two younger daughters while in Hawaii. The family was surrounded by palm trees and music as they danced together on stage, a moment Johnson called “emotional.”

“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 wrote on Instagram. “It’s custom for Samoan men to take their shirts off to proudly show our Polynesian tatau (tattoo) and the intricate stories our ink tells.”

At one point, Johnson pulled off his shirt, drawing cheers from the crowd, before kneeling to slap the ground—a gesture he explained was an act of respect. “I’m slapping the ground as a way to show my respect for how significant this is and how SACRED our ground becomes in this moment with our elders (and my daughters dancing next to me).”

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He added, “You can’t help but feel it. The mana. Life is busy for everyone – so special moments like this mean the world to me, to honor our family, our culture and always so good coming back home to Hawaii. Yesaah 🤙🏾.”

For Johnson, these moments are about grounding his children in their heritage while creating memories across generations. Later, he told fans he hopes to take his family to Samoa soon. “I see some of your comments, yes I’m trying to bring the family to Samoa this year! It’s all my two young daughters talk about, as they’ve never been to Samoa. Will be a beautiful homecoming, can’t wait. 🇼🇸 ❤️❤️.”

The actor is dad to Simone, 24, whom he shares with ex-wife Dany Garcia, and Jasmine, 9, and Tiana, 6, whom he shares with wife Lauren Hashian. His mom, Ata, also joined them in the cultural performance.

Back in April, Johnson reflected on what Hawaii means to him: “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. “Most defining times in my life have been here in Hawai’i. Life’s ambitions at times took me far away, but I’m always coming back home. It’s in the blood. If you know, you know.”

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For moms reading, there’s something beautiful in the way Johnson weaves his children into his roots, showing them firsthand the value of tradition, culture, and family bonds.