After an eight-year hiatus, island delegations from across the Pacific Ocean have made their way to O’ahu, Hawai’i, for the Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture (FestPAC). It’s the first time in 52 years Hawai’i has hosted the 10-day event.
Hundreds watched as a number of waka contingents landed on Kualoa Beach to mark the event ahead of its official opening.
Māori navigation expert Hoturoa Barclay-Kerr said Kualoa is where the Hawaiian double-hulled waka Hokulea was first launched 50 years ago.
“Koinei te wahi tika kia huihui nei ngā waka, kia tau mai nei ngā waka o Te Moana Nui ki kōnei hei hāpai i te kaupapa (This is the perfect place for our waka to meet, for waka from across the Pacific to honour the event),” Barclay-Kerr said.
Tātai Hono waka landed at Kualoa Beach (Source: Te Karere)
Tātai Hono, a waka from Aotearoa, was originally built to teach traditional navigation skills to rangatahi but has sailed to Hawai’i to support the event.
Te Āti Awa leader Kura Moeahu said the festival was an opportunity for Māori to reaffirm links with other Pacific cultures.
“Miharo rawa atu kia tātou te iwi Māori e hono atu rā ki ngā iwi taketake o Te Moana Nui a Kiwa. Ko te hononga o tā mātou whakapapa, ko te moana tērā. Ko te moana i herehere mai ki tō mātou whakapapa ki ngā iwi taketake o Te Moana Nui a Kiwa (It’s awesome for us to reconnect with our indigenous relatives of the Pacific. The ocean is what links us. The ocean is what ties our lineages together).”
Preparations for the Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture in Hawai’i. (Source: Te Karere)
Aotearoa has sent an 85-member strong delegation, including Te Matatini winners Te Whānau a Apanui, but many Māori leaders, artists and performers have travelled to the island for the festival independently.
King Tuheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII is also in attendance.
The opening ceremony for FestPAC is set to kick off tomorrow at the Hawai’i Convention Centre, followed by two weeks full of exhibitions showcasing the best that each Pacific nation has got to offer.
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