And the winners are…
Viavia “VJ” Tiumalu Jr. (center), of Orlando, Florida — a 16-year-old high school sophomore and a former Junior Pacific Fireknife Champion, is the Polynesian Cultural Center’s 2008 World Fireknife Champion. His two flawless performances during separate shows earned Tiumalu the title, a large ceremonial knife handcrafted by event founder Pulefano Galea’i, and a check for $4,000.
Mikaele Oloa (left), 18, formerly of Orlando, Florida, and now a new resident of Waialua, Oahu, earned second place, a ceremonial knife and a $2,000 cash prize. Oloa and Tiumalu also won the new duet category, both this year and in 2007.
Joseph Cadousteau (right) of Papeete, Tahiti, finished in third place, winning a ceremonial knife and a $1,000 prize.
PCC night show performers give Viavia “VJ” Tiumalu, Jr.
the royal treatment after he won the 2008 World Fireknife Championship.
Check back later for more details on this year’s 16th annual event.
— Photos by PCC alum Mike Foley
‘Fealofani’ underscores
PCC’s Samoan high school festival
In Samoan, “fealofani” means “friendly, love one another,” and that’s the spirit that prevailed the morning of May 17 during the Polynesian Cultural Center’s 2008 Samoan High School Cultural Arts Festival, as most of the events changed from a competition to a very enjoyable sharing of talents and appreciation for Samoan culture. Everyone went home a winner.
“We designed this year’s festival to build the spirit of ‘fealofani’ among us,” said Delsa Moe, PCC’s Director of Cultural Presentations and an emcee for the event, which ran from about 9-3 in the Pacific Theater. “It was always difficult in the past for the judges to pick just one winner.”
Moe, a Samoan, explained in line with the new format the PCC would give each of the five high schools who participated in this year’s festival — Kahuku, Kapolei, Leilehua, Radford and Waianae — $1,300; plus, each school would keep any money donated by audience members during the “taualuga” or village maiden’s dance.
As is customary on almost all Samoan special occasions, the day’s activities began with prayer and speeches. In fact, “failauga” or traditional Samoan oratory was the first event, which required the youth to acquire a much deeper understanding of the culture than just being able to speak Samoan.
But the fun soon began, with the audience laughing and cheering on kids from their respective schools as they tackled traditional skills, which were still in a competitive format. These included:
• Peeling green bananas with a wooden knife (Leilehua High won for both girls and boys). Samoans traditionally eat green bananas as a starch, either boiled or baked.
• Weaving coconut-leaf baskets (Leilehua for the girls and Radford boys came in first).
• Making fire by literally rubbing one stick on another (Kahuku): The softer the wood, the better — but it’s still not easy.
• Husking dry coconuts (Waianae for the girls, Leilehua for the boys)
It was interesting to note that some of the participants, who have grown up in Hawaii far removed from traditional Samoan culture, really struggled to complete their tasks.
Steve Laulu, manager or “chief” of the PCC’s Samoan village who helped with the events, said, “It’s pretty hard for them because they’re not really in a Samoan environment. For example, when I was a little kid we had to do everything, from coconut tree climbing, weaving baskets, making fire, husking the coconuts, carrying loads of food from the plantation, and then helping cook it. I was nine years old when I wove my first basket.”
Laulu added he learned these skills as a normal part of growing up, and recognizes that many of the Samoan youth in Hawaii have to make special efforts to acquire them.
“I think they did pretty good,” said Tipa Galea’i, a senior PCC manager who oversees the Guest Services Department and has helped stage the festival for each of the past 16 years.
“You could see most of these kids were pretty much westernized,” he continued. “This is probably the only opportunity they have to get involved in their culture. At the Center, we try to send out our people to help perpetuate the culture by teaching these young people, so when they come here they can do a better job.”
Though he grew up in Hawaii, Tipa said as the oldest in their family he learned a lot of the traditional skills, such as “husking coconuts and cooking for my younger siblings. My parents depended on me to do a lot of this type of work. I think the young people who don’t learn it today are missing out on the depth of the culture. It’s a good thing for them to learn.”
Following a lunch break that included Samoan food plates for sale, the “fa’afiafiaga” portion of the program began — the lively songs and dances. The PCC invited a group from Chaminade University in Honolulu to lead off. One of their students, Jasmine Laumoli — a senior English and criminal justice major from Leone, American Samoa, who is the reigning Miss Le Lalei o Samoa 2007 queen — encouraged the high school students to continue their education and learn more about their culture.
She highlighted “three key aspects of Samoan culture: First, your faith. Second, your service within your family, church and community. Third, opportunities.”
By request, Laumoli took off her tiara and performed a traditional Samoan “taualuga” dance, which prompted audience members to come on stage and donate money.
Moe and co-emcee Pulefano Galea’i, founder of the PCC’s Samoan World Fire Knife Dance Competition, then honored all of the Samoans serving in the military, “perhaps at a greater percentage per capita” to their modest population than any other ethnic group, Moe said.
Next, each of the high schools performed — and it was very obvious that they had all learned this aspect of Samoan culture very well: Their songs and dances were a special combination of beauty, skill, color and, yes, even humor. The respective “fa’aluma,” or group directors, were often very “ulavale” or cheeky, and kept the audience clapping and laughing.
Though it wasn’t a competition, it was clear from the thunderous applause that Radford High — adorned in black and white — brought the house down with their segment. During one part, for example, the boys suddenly went into “slow motion” [pictured below], which further delighted all the fans.
“It’s all about learning Samoan culture,” Moe said near the end of the afternoon. She added that another benefit, like all sports programs in Hawaii public schools, “the students who participate are required to maintain a certain grade point. We can see that a lot of effort went into this, and we can see you all enjoyed it.”
“I hope you will continue to further these relationships,” said Leilua Logoitino Apelu, PCC Vice President of Operations. “Fa’afetai tele lava — thank you very much — to all the students and parents.”
As a finale, hundreds of the students came on stage to join Pulefano Galea’i [center stage, in the picture below] in singing the popular song, “We Are Samoa.”
— Story and photos by Mike Foley, a PCC alum
[Top left: the Waianae “taupou”; middle right: Kahuku High dancers]
2008 finalists named:
Two from Florida, Tahitian to compete
for world fire knife title
Laie, HAWAII — After a night filled with fiery excitement and amazing skill, the judges selected two teenagers from Orlando, Florida, and a Tahitian from Papeete as finalists in the Polynesian Cultural Center’s 2008 World Fireknife Championship competition:
• Mikaele Oloa: who just last week moved back to Hawaii, joined the senior ranks while still a junior and went on to win back-to-back world championships. Then, after competition rules mandated he sit out for a year, Oloa came back to win the new duet category last year with fellow Orlando-based Samoan VJ Tiumalu. He’s looking for his third world title in the May 17 finals.
• Viavia “VJ” Tiumalu, who’s just 16 and a sophomore at Freedom High School in Orlando, Florida, is a former two-time junior world champion. Also, as indicated above, he and Oloa won the new duet category title both last year AND this year.
• Joseph Cadousteau from Tahiti has been coming to the PCC’s World Fireknife Championships for the past three years, each time getting picked as a finalist and ending up as second-place winner . . . so he’s thinking perhaps the third time’s a charm.
Oloa, who’s been entering the PCC World Fireknife Championships since 2003 and is only 18, said coming here has made him “more aggressive” in his routines. “If you go back to the old school, there was more of a warrior attitude. That’s what it’s all about,” he said.
Oloa, a 2007 high school grad who now lives in Waialua, said he’s planning to go to school and also look for some new knife dancing gigs.
Tiumalu said coming to the PCC competition for the fourth time has helped him improve a lot. “I try every single day. My parents and all the fire dancers here inspire me. I love this place, and I’m going to come every year. I hope everybody does their best tomorrow, and I’m glad to be here.”
Cadousteau, a part-time knife dancer in Tahiti, said associating with the other fireknife dancers at the Polynesian Cultural Center has helped him learn a lot. “When you see the other dancers, you change. Every year I become better, with the help of these guys.”
Of this year’s semifinal competition, Delsa Moe, PCC’s Director of Cultural Presentations and one of the program emcees, said “the difference in the scores was so low. Probably the number of drops determined who won tonight. The juniors were all impressive, as well.”
“This competition just gets better and better. You would think that can’t happen, but they just kick it up another notch each year,” she said.
— Story and photos by Mike Foley, a PCC alum
Los Angeles businessman
explains sponsorship of PCC event
Laie, HAWAII — John Mataalii, as in the Henry S. Mataalii and Company — which co-sponsors the Polynesian Cultural Center’s World Fireknife Championships and Samoan High School Cultural Arts Festival, along with Hawaiian Airlines, Turtle Bay Resort, Electric Pencil, Cirque du Soleil, Pepsi, Galumalemana Lester W.B. Moore, Western Union, the Hawaii Tourism Authority and the City and County of Honolulu — has come home to Laie every May for the last seven years to get personally involved in the events.
The key word is home: John, his sister Kathy Mataalii Anderson, their brother — the late Henry S. Matalii, and his wife Shirley, are Samoans who all grew up in Laie, where the Cultural Center has played a key role in the small community for 45 years. Before that the Mataalii family as well as other Hawaiian and Samoan families in the close-knit community put on the world-famous Hukilau, starting in 1948.
Years ago the Mataalii’s moved to Los Angeles, California, and got involved in the family’s airplane engine cowling manufacturing business . . . but they kept a home in Laie and can’t forget their roots.
“There’s a Samoan saying, ‘E lele le toloa ‘ae mau le vai,’ [ literally, 'the duck flies, but the water stays'] which means ‘wherever the duck goes in life, he’ll always return where the pond is.’ Laie, this is our ‘pond,’ and no matter where we go, we come back here. Whenever we’re in a position to help anything that occurs in Laie, we’re more than happy to do that,” said Matalii.
“It’s a privilege and an honor to always come back home and do something good for our people.”
— By Mike Foley
Injury derails defending senior champ
Laie, HAWAII — A right shoulder injury forced defending senior World Fireknife champ Andrew “Umi” Sexton of Orlando, Florida, to shorten his routine [pictured at right] during the competition semifinals in the Polynesian Cultural Center’s Hale Aloha amphitheater, and leave the stage in agony.
Sexton, who later returned for the awards portion of the May 16 semifinals with his right arm in a Polynesian-print sling above an ice pack, explained he had “ripped my shoulder about two weeks doing a show” in Florida. “I haven’t used it since, until yesterday [the May 15 preliminaries] was my first day back.”
Indeed, the audience could see Sexton grimacing as he struggled through his single-knife routines. Everyone thought he was done; but surprisingly, he shook off the advice of his knife handler and came back on stage to attempt his two-knife routine. It was a real lesson in some of the deeper cultural values associated with this Samoan art form.
“Tonight, I reinjured my shoulder. I fought through it, and did my best. I laid it all out, gave my 200% and I held nothing back,” he said. “I’m so proud of this culture, and I’m proud to represent myself and my family. I can’t wait for next year. I’m looking forward to it.”
“I’ve been coming to PCC since I was four years old. I’m 24 now,” said Sexton, who dances regularly at the Polynesian Resort in Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, and several other locations, indicated he will now have to rest for a while and heal.
— Story and photo by Mike Foley, PCC alum
PCC’s 2008 World Fireknife Championship
senior preliminaries: By the numbers…
Laie, HAWAII — Hundreds of fans and tourists filled the Polynesian Cultural Center’s Hale Aloha amphitheater on May 15, 2008 to watch:
• The 16th annual World Fireknife Championships.
• As many as 8,000-10,000 people will participate in this year’s events.
• 27 senior dancers performed in the preliminaries.
• 3 of the dancers who could have competed as juniors opted to match courage and skills with the seniors.
• Judges selected 9 of them to advance to the semifinals on May 16, including:
• Joseph Cadousteau, Tahiti, French Polynesia
• Conan Higa, Makawao, Maui
• Mikaele Oloa, Orlando, Florida
• Heiva Potelle, French Polynesia
• Sakaio Harry Pupualii, Samoa
• Andrew “Umi” Sexton, Orlando, Florida
• Jerome Slade, Kona, Hawaii
• Dana Teai, French Polynesia
• Viavia “VJ” Tiumalu, Orlando, Florida
3 of the semifinalists come from Orlando, Florida, and 3 from French Polynesia.
PCC Vice President of Operations Leilua Logoitino Apelu, a Samoan who is also chairman of the Center’s “special events” such as the Samoan fireknife championship and accompanying high school festival, said the competition “has grown into a big event, and the quality of all the competitors has really improved greatly. Even the judges — who are all former dancers and cultural experts — can’t believe the quality the performances that are going on over here.”
For example, some of the winners from the duet and girls competition on May 14, including an awesome quartet number [pictured below], were so good that they have been asked to make additional appearances during the rest of the festival.
“Tonight, we had champions from Florida, Samoa, Tahiti and L.A. [Los Angeles],” said Pulefano Galea’i, founder of the PCC’s Samoan festival, who helped emcee the preliminary competition; “and everyone of the boys tonight did a wonderful job.”
“Knife dancing has taken off so much, not only here in Hawaii, but all over: There are two other tournaments in Samoa, one in Anaheim [California], one in Kauai, and another in Las Vegas. The level of competition has gone very high,” continued Galea’i, who just retired from the PCC a week ago after working there for 27 years. As a young man, Galea’i was one of those who danced professionally in Waikiki and around the world, helping spread the popularity of the knife dance.
Pulefano Galea’i (in yellow shirt at right) announces
the nine senior semifinalists: Each is guaranteed
a $500 cash prize.
Asked what he’s going to do after this year’s PCC competition, Galea’i said he’s working on four other events of his own, as well as producing a Samoan-language TV show and running a recording studio.
Asked what’s the most dangerous part of the dance, Galea’i warned it’s not so much the fire — although all fire knife dancers get burned, they get somewhat accustomed to handling the flames. For example, when the fire end of one of the knives came undone during one of the preliminary performances, one of the drummers walked on stage and picked the piece up in his hand to remove it. But, of course, the dancers routinely use their hands, thighs, chests, even tongues, to help spread the fire. No, Galea’i said, it’s the lave or hook on the nifo oti that can do some serious damage.
Because of the scale of the Samoan event, Apelu explained many of the competitors and his committee works year-round to get ready. “In fact, a lot of the competitors started off as juniors, and they’re now appearing as seniors. Some of them have competed for four or five years.
“This event benefits the students and Samoan community at large because it brings us together to foster our Samoan culture, especially the values of respect and also helping each other.”
For example, Apelu said this year the committee invited Samoan cultural groups from several Christian churches on Oahu to perform exhibitions. “Last night it was a Methodist group. They were pleasantly surprised to be invited,” he added, probably because The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints founded the PCC in 1963 to provide a place for students next door at Brigham Young University Hawaii to work.
He added that another Samoan-Christian group from Honolulu has been invited to sing Lo Ta Nuu, the Samoan anthem, during the high school cultural arts competition on Saturday.
Apelu also said that the event “also endorses the Polynesian Cultural Center as a repository of culture. The World Fireknife Championships have brought a lot of attention throughout the world to the culture and also the Center.”
“This is not just something we do to sell tickets,” he continued. “This has a profound purpose in Samoan culture; and as a Samoan, I am elated with the results of the event.”
“For the past 16 years we have never missed running the World Fireknife Championship and high school Samoa Festival. We get participants from Japan, Samoa, Tahiti, Guam and the U.S. mainland, and I’m very pleased with the results.”
“I also strongly feel this competition benefits the entire Pacific and all of the competitors. Several of them are now working at Disney World in Japan; and in talking with several of the past champions and their parents, they said they always look forward to coming to the Polynesian Cultural Center, despite all the other competitions. They feel like this is a big stage for their boys. They want to come, not because of the cash prizes, but they want to follow in the footsteps of those they look up to.”
Apelu is quick to point out the competition has also impacted some of the student workers at the PCC: “Several of the boys who have become performers for the Polynesian Cultural Center had to be qualified as semifinalists before they could be considered cultural ‘ambassadors.’ In fact, Kap Te’o-Tafiti, has been a past semifinalist several times, is a good example of one of our ‘ambassadors’ in the Samoan village and a night show performer.”
“I am so grateful to the Center and the committee for putting this together,” said Apelu.
Next up: the tamaiti — kids — and semifinalists, the high school Samoan arts festival Saturday morning, and then, of course, the finals on Saturday night. Don’t miss it.
— Story and photos by Mike Foley, a PCC alum who worked on the Samoan fireknife committee for its first three years and has watched nearly every event. “When I was a Mormon missionary in Samoa over 40 years ago, I actually tried the fireknife one night (don’t tell my mission president!). I could spin the blade a little, but adding fire was definitely scary: The fire seemed to make a lot of whooshing noise, and in the dark was also kind of blinding. On the other hand, just like someone can pass a finger through a candle flame, if he does it quickly enough, I was okay as long as I kept the knife spinning. My advice: Don’t try it at home. Come watch it at the PCC.”
Polynesian Cultural Center Presents
The 16th Annual World Fireknife Championships
Congratulations to the Senior semifinalists who will compete tonight, Friday, May 16, at Polynesian Cultural Center’s Hale Aloha Theater, beginning at 7:45 p.m. The semifinalists are:
- Joseph Cadousteau - French Polynesia
- Dana Teai - French Polynesia
- Sakaio Harry Pupualii - Samoa
- Mikaele Oloa - Orlando, FL
- Viavia Tiumalu - Orlando, FL
- Conan Higa - Makawao, HI
- Jerome Slade - Kona, HI
- Andrew Umi Sexton III - Orlando, FL
- Heiva Potelle - French Polynesia
To see information and video, click here.
KHNL 8 News Coverage
Dancers Taking a Stab at Fire Knife Competition
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Updated: May 13, 2008 07:56 PM
LAIE (KHNL) — What once was used for battle, is now entertaining people all across the world. And beginning Wednesday, fans can witness the art of …
More >>
| 16th Annual World Fireknife Championships |  |
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| Written by Sunrise on KGMB9 - sunrise@kgmb9.com | |
| May 14, 2008 07:06 AM | |
| It’s getting hot tonight in Laie. The Polynesian Cultural Center hosts the 16th Annual World Fireknife Championships and our Ramsay Wharton is live from the PCC with some of the competitors.
16th Annual World Fireknife Championships and Samoa Festival
Polynesian Cultural Center 55-370 Kamehameha Hwy., Laie, HI Wed., May 14 - 7:45 p.m. (Hale Aloha Theater)
Thurs., May 15 - 7:45 p.m. (Hale Aloha Theater)
Fri., May 16 - 7:45 p.m. (Hale Aloha Theater)
Saturday, May 17 (Pacific Theater)
May returns in a blaze of glory at the Polynesian Cultural Center’s 16th Annual World Fireknife Championships beginning on Wed., May 14 to Sat., May 17. The event is the second cultural event of PCC’s 45th anniversary year. The art of fireknife dancing is one of the most intense, skillful, but beautiful Samoan traditions in which dancers twirl a sharp knife with both ends on fire at high speeds and with acrobatic finesse. The fire is very real, and dancers often make contact with different parts of their body with only a short lavalava wrap around their waist. As any fireknife dancer will tell you, they do get burned, as dancers use no other form of protection. Admission to the Hale Aloha Theater events and the Samoan Cultural High School Arts Festival is $8 for adults, ages 12 and up and $6 for keiki ages three to 11. To join in on the final night of festivities, visitors must purchase a reserved seating ticket to either of the two Horizons night shows that evening, as the finals take place during the intermissions of both. For more information or to make reservations, please call the Polynesian Cultural Center ticket office at (808) 293-3333 or visit the PCC Web site at www.polynesia.com. |
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| Last Updated ( May 15, 2008 06:20 AM ) |
Job Swap: Jason Tang’s ‘Hot’ Dance
Posted: May 1, 2008 04:37 PM
Updated: May 2, 2008 12:23 AM
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By Jason Tang
LAIE (KHNL) — It’s one of the hottest attractions in the islands, and we find out first hand that’s meant literally.
The Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) hosts thousands of visitors every day, but to get the real experience, Boyd Luano and the guys at the PCC thought I should give fire knife dancing a try.
It’s a job where there’s no room for fear, and having fun is the key.
This adventure at the Polynesian Cultural Center begins two months ago. Fire knife dancing isn’t something you just pick up and do, it’s something you have to work at.
“Alright you ready,” asked Luano. “You want to try now?”
“No,” I said.
It takes guts to hold the flaming knives for the first time.
“I need to get some insurance first,” I said.
“You don’t have it, give it,” Luano said.
Insurance comes into play later.
But in this first lesson with Boyd, we go over the basics with unlit knives.
“All you gotta do is just let the fire knife go right around your arm and then you catch it back,” said Boyd.
However, for a rookie that’s not as easy as it looks.
By the end of our lesson, the feel begins to come, but there’s still a long way to go.
“Got it, like he said a lot of practice - a lot of practice.”
Practice, practice and more practice, both with Boyd and on my own.
Practice is supposed to make perfect, but at one point I get much more than I bargain for. A blistered and burnt hand.
To add insult to injury, on the night of the big performance, Boyd gives some wardrobe advice.
“Just make sure you wear something underneath it, we don’t want the audience to get another surprise there.”
With lack of clothing- we go through the routine one last time.
Things go smoothly but how will it go in front of a live audience who don’t even know there’s a novice on stage?
The time has come - and I’m ready to fire up and show off my new found talent.
But in no time at all - it’s clear advice to keep the day job, while Boyd does his best to make things better.
“I’ll put it this way, lots of people have been doing this for awhile, but you only came for a month and a half and today’s your first time on.”
But really - there’s only one thing which will make me feel better.
“I’m going to go put a shirt on, thanks bro.”
Fireknife Championship Prizes
First place contestant receives a $4,000 cash prize and a six-foot-long hand-carved and chromed ceremonial nifo oti or Samoan dancing knife created by event founder Pulefano Galea’i.
Second place contestant receives a $2,000 cash prize
Third place contestant receives a $1,000 cash prize.
Fireknife Championship Venues
The World Fireknife Championship will be held in two different venues inside the Polynesian Cultural Center in Laie.
The Aloha Theater, with a capacity of over 1,000 people, will host the:
The Pacific Theater, with a capacity of over 2,700 people, will host the:
16th Annual World Fireknife Championships and Samoa Festival
The art of fireknife dancing is one of the most intense, skillful, but beautiful Samoan traditions in which dancers twirl a sharp knife with both ends on fire at high speeds and with acrobatic finesse. The fire is very real, and dancers often make contact with different parts of their body with only a short lavalava wrap around their waist. As any fire knife dancer will tell you, they do get burned, as dancers use no other form of protection.
In addition to the adult and junior competitions, the Warrior’s Duet Fireknife Competition and women’s competition, Teine Toa o Samoa, return for a second year.
For more information or to make reservations, please call the Polynesian Cultural Center ticket office at (800) 367-7060 or visit the PCC Web site at www.polynesia.com. In Hawaii, call (808) 293-3333.
Duet Competitors and Women Competitors
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