Update, June 10: ‘Ulu‘ulu: The Henry Ku‘ualoha Giugni Moving Image Archive of Hawai‘i at UH West O‘ahu is part of FestPAC’s film schedule with a special screening 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 11, at the Hawai‘i Convention Center ‘Emalani Theater (Room 320). See story below for details.
The University of Hawai‘i–West O‘ahu will feature cultural performances from various Pacific nations as one of the selected venues for the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture (FestPAC), the world’s largest celebration of indigenous Pacific Islanders taking place June 6 to 16 at multiple venues across O‘ahu.
The events at UH West O‘ahu will be held from 3 to 8 p.m. on Monday, June 10, and Thursday, June 13, and will showcase performers from nations including Australia, the Federated States of Micronesia, Taiwan, French Polynesia, Niue, Norfolk Island, Guam, and Wallis and Futuna.
“We’re looking forward to having the UH West Oʻahu campus serve as one of our performance venues for the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture,” said Dr. Aaron J. Salā, festival director of the 13th FestPAC.
Salā, who is also a program director at UH West O‘ahu, continued, “We encourage the public to attend these free events, and we hope to provide a welcoming and inclusive space for residents and visitors to celebrate and immerse themselves in this important celebration of culture and arts.”
UH West O‘ahu guests are invited to bring mats and small beach/lawn chairs, and spread out across the Campus Courtyard (between buildings C, D, and E). Da Spot will be open, and snacks and drinks will also be sold at the Outdoor Learning Space. No coolers or alcohol, please.
The tentative schedule of performances at UH West O‘ahu is as follows:
Monday, June 10
3 p.m. | Hawai‘i — UH West O‘ahu Welcome
3:30 p.m. | Australia
4:30 p.m. | The Federated States of Micronesia
5:30 p.m. | Taiwan
6:30 p.m. | Wallis and Futuna
Thursday, June 13
3 p.m. | Hawai‘i — UH West O‘ahu Welcome
3:30 p.m. | French Polynesia
4:30 p.m. | Niue
5:30 p.m. | Norfolk Island
6:30 p.m. | Guam
Also of note, ‘Ulu‘ulu: The Henry Ku‘ualoha Giugni Moving Image Archive of Hawai‘i at UH West O‘ahu is part of FestPAC’s film schedule with a special screening 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 11, at the Hawai‘i Convention Center ‘Emalani Theater (Room 320).
The program title is “ ‘Ulu‘ulu Moving Image Archive Presents: Memories from the 6th Festival of Pacific Arts” and includes two short documentaries from the Juniroa Productions collection, “Celebrating the Pacific: The 6th Festival of the Pacific Arts” and “Pacific Island Perspectives: Issues of the 90s.” The screening will be followed by a Q&A session with the producers, Katrina Souza, Vince Lucero, Chantelle (Soto) Belay, and Jessica Kim.
According to a FestPAC press release, the 10-day islandwide festival will bring together more than 2,500 delegates — artists, cultural practitioners, scholars, and officials — from 28 Pacific nations, such as American Samoa, Cook Islands, Easter Island (Rapa Nui), Fiji, Kiribati, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
More than 50 programs and events, including a Festival Village & Marketplace at the Hawai‘i Convention Center, conferences and symposia, live performances, cultural workshops, hands-on demonstrations, films, storytelling, and more, will take place to promote cultural exchange, appreciation, and celebration.
The theme selected for the 13th FestPAC is Ho‘oulu Lāhui: Regenerating Oceania — ho‘oulu lāhui meaning to grow the nation. The festival’s mission is to strengthen the cultural resilience by cultivating connection, sharing culture and practices, and learning, growing, and adapting to a changing climate, while working together to elevate Pacific Islanders, according to the release.
For more information about FestPAC, visit www.festpachawaii.org/. You can learn more about FestPAC events at www.festpachawaii.org/performance-schedule.