What's the deal with tea pulling?

A number of Michael Palin's travelogues show indigenous people pouring tea from some height into cups. This was common in North Africa in his Sahara series, on a dhow in the Indian Ocean in Around the World In 80 Days, and maybe in Full Circle in Malaysia.

From what I found online, foaminess is meant to improve the quality. The Japanese do this in the tea ceremony with their powdered tea. So, from West Africa to the Middle East and throughout Asia, this is done, but why not in Western countries?