HAPPENINGS

13th Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture kicks off at UH Mānoa

Hula performed at FestPAC
Halau from across the State came together to perform hula kahiko for the opening ceremony for FestPAC.

The opening ceremony for the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture (FestPAC) commenced last night at the Stan Sheriff Center at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

According to the website, FestPAC is the “largest celebration of Indigenous Pacific Islanders, bringing together artists, cultural practitioners, scholars, officials, and the general public from across the Pacific Islands and beyond.” This year’s theme, “Hoʻoulu Lāhui: Regenerating Oceania,” honors the traditions while keeping an eye towards the future. Held every four years, the festival rotates its location within the Pacific between Micronesia, Melanesia, and Polynesia. This year will be the first time Hawaiʻi will host the festival since its inception in 1972.

The opening ceremony included a formal address by Gov. Josh Green, M.D., music by the Royal Hawaiian Band, a hula kahiko performance by halau from across Hawaiʻi, and the Parade of Nations, which offered cultural dances.

The festival expects the engagement of over 2,200 delegates representing 27 Pacific nations.