The famed Berber-Moroccan scholar and traveller, Ibn Battuta, once said “Traveling—it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.”
In a nutshell, the quote aptly describes how I felt after being given the opportunity to go on an amazing trip to Hawaii earlier this month, and I must say it was one of the most incredible experiences of my life.
I was part of the first media delegation sent out by the Fijian Media Association with the support of the US Embassy Suva and Fiji Airways. We departed Nadi on Wednesday evening, June 5, 2024 for the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture (FestPAC).
The team consisted of Fiji Live editor Reginald Tui, Sivaniolo Lumelume Gukinaivalu of Fiji Broadcasting Corporation, Alipate Narawa of Communications Fiji Limited/Fiji Village, Josefa Kotobalavu of Mai TV, Stella Morisio Taoi of Fiji TV and Wati Talebula of the Fiji Sun.
Each media rep provided coverage for his/her respective organisation.
We landed in Honolulu, Hawaii after a five-hour flight from Los Angeles (LAX).
This was after a 10-hour transit flight from Nadi via Fiji Airways.
Somewhere along this flight route we crossed an imaginary line, gained a day and end up in Hawaii sometime in the past. Isn’t time travel great?
My colleague from CFL, Alipate’s birthday was on June 5, the day we departed Fiji; so when we arrived in Hawaii after 15 hours of travel, it was still his birthday.
Alipate got to celebrate his birthday in three different places Fiji, USA and Hawaii.
At the airport we were warmly welcomed with leis by my aunt, Meredani Straube and her friend; whom we are greatly indebted to for all the love and support during our short stay in Hawaii.
A lei, the equivalent of a Fijian salusalu, is a common symbol of love, friendship, celebration, honour and greeting. In essence, it is a symbol of aloha.
I was told, in ancient Hawaii wearing a lei represented wealth, royalty and rank.
My aunt whom I fondly call nei Dani, hosted us to our first meal in Hawaii at Gangnam Style BBQ Yakiniku, which was close to where we stayed at Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Waikiki.
The next day, June 6, 2024 was the official opening of the Pacific Festival of Arts and just like foot soldiers, we were ready and dedicated to our calling and assignments. We quickly adapted ourselves to the new surroundings.
We knew that we couldn’t be at all the events during the festival but we made sure we were present at most of them.
So we walked, jogged, hired an Uber or taxi, and shuffled through the crowds to be at event on time.
On the first day, after getting our media accreditation, we decided to do a bit of sightseeing in this concrete jungle. We got lost amid Honolulu’s maze of streets because the signs started to look different on our way back to our hotel and no one had any data to consult Google Maps.
In the afternoon, a colourful and vibrant celebration showcasing the creative spirit of our diverse Pacific communities, was officially opened at the Stan Sheriff Center, University of Hawaii.
The 10-day festival which ran until June 16, aimed to promote cultural exchange among Pacific Islanders and highlight the importance of preserving and celebrating one’s heritage.
The Fiji delegation to the FestPAC consisted of more than 100 personnel from eight distinct clusters in the heritage, art and culture sectors.
Despite the online backlash from the public, I must say Team Fiji delivered exceptionally well.
I reiterate what Simione Sevudredre, a renowned Indigenous Fijian scholar and a consultant of the Sauvaka Culture Consultancy, said: “Vou’s strength is re-inspiring dance in today’s contemporary space. They draw from the traditional and re-create to form “na ka vou”.
Then there was the powerful speech from Jope Koroisavou who said the Pacific was different and our way of life must be preserved.
Mr Koroisavou spoke on the importance of preserving the Pacific culture at all costs.
He said the traditions and cultures of the Pacific were similar in so many ways yet unique to each grouping which made it significant and treasured.
He paid tribute to the ancestors of the Pacific Islands because of the boldness and courage they had, at a time when the islands were getting smaller against the challenges of globalisation.
“Fiji is here to tell them (Pacific Islands) that they are not descendants of small islands. They are descendants of great voyagers, navigators, mathematicians.
“They dared to journey beyond, where the rest of the world did not dare to do so.”
Those words made us more confident, proud and thrilled to do our best and deliver what we were there to do in Hawaii.
Part 2 continues next week
