DBEDT RFP #18-02-BDSD
Coordinator for the Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture
Description
2018
2019
Salaries
Festival Coordinator Directs all planning, budget
preparation, implementation
and reporting activities$ 50,000 $ 50,000
Finance Director
Establishes and manages
FESTPAC accounts, bookkeeping
and financial reporting. Assists
in budget preparation.
$ 25,000 $ 40,000
Establishes and manages
Director of
Administration and FESTPAC planning systems,
fundraising and advocacy.
Development
Assists in budget preparation.
$ 10,000 $ 25,000
Prepares public and private
Grant Writerfunding proposals$ 15,000 $ 25,000
Administrative
Assists Festival Coordinator with
Assistantscheduling, notetaking,communications and marketing $ 10,000 $ 20,000
TravelSouth Pacific
FESTPAC planning meeting Community (SPC)
Council Meeting in Planning Team (4 travelers) x 4
days travel, accommodations,Fijiground and per diem. Makana.
$10,000 $TOTAL$ 170,000 $ 450,000$ 120,000$ 160,000

2020

3-Yr Total$

50,000 $ 150,000$

40,000 $ 105,000$

50,000 $85,000$10,000 $50,000$20,000 $$50,000-$- $10,000FESTPAC-Hawaiʻi 2020 Budget DRAFT
2019

2018

3-Yr Total

2020

Planning and Design
Salaries
Festival Coordinator$

50,000$50,000$50,000$150,000

Finance Director$

25,000$40,000$40,000$105,000

Director of Administration andDevelopment
Grant Writer$

10,000$25,000$50,000$85,000$15,000$25,000$10,000$50,000Administrative Assistant$

10,000$20,000$20,000$50,000$-TravelSouth Pacific Community (SPC)
Council Meeting in Fiji
Total Planning & Design$

10,000

$

-

$

-

$

10,000$120,000$

160,000$

170,000$

450,000

Opening Ceremony$

150,000$

150,000 Iolani Palace

Arrival of the Wa'a Ceremony
Closing Ceremony / Flag HandoverCeremony$

150,000$$

150,000$

150,000 Magic Island
Festival Village or Waikiki
150,000 Shell

Heads of State Welcome$

75,000$75,000 Washington Place

VIP Gifts and Protocols$

30,000$30,000Artistic
Ceremonies and Protocol

Programming and Production
Artistic Planning meetings

$

5,000

$

5,000

$

10,000Artistic personnel$

50,000$100,000$

100,000$

250,000$

50,000$200,000$

250,000

Community engagement$

50,000$100,000$

100,000$

250,000

Education programs$

50,000$100,000$

100,000$

250,000$

155,000$

355,000$

1,055,000$

1,565,000

Salaries - Section Directors and staff $300,000$

400,000$

400,000$

1,100,000

Office rental$

250,000$

250,000$

187,500$

687,500

Furniture, telephone, utilities
Office equipment, computers,
software, copiers, printers$

30,000$30,000$22,500$82,500$50,000$50,000$50,000$150,000$

70,000$140,000$

210,000$

24,000$48,000$84,000Artistic contractors

Total Artistic
Administration

Language services
Events and meetings$

12,000Travel - Festival observationn/aCommunications
IT and Telecommunications:
Infrastructure, Landline, Wireless,Radio Frequency, Public address
systems, TV and cable, Internet$

10,000$50,000$200,000$

260,000$

10,000$25,000$50,000$85,000$50,000$50,000n/a

n/a

See Pre-Planning

Legal
Legal services
Licensing royalties
Insurance$

10,000$25,000$100,000$

135,000

Operational/workplace safety$

50,000$50,000$100,000$

200,000

HR staff$

50,000$60,000$100,000$

210,000 or Contract

Permanent staff

$

-

$

400,000$

400,000$

800,000 10 x 40K

Human Resources

1 of 3

Temporary staff

$

-

$

400,000$

400,000$

800,000 20 x 20K

Volunteers/volunteer coordinator$

50,000Consultants$

50,000$50,000$75,000$175,000$

100,000$

50,000$Contractors$

200,000-$

50,000$200,000$

Uniforms

250,000$-$

25,000$25,000$Total Administration

50,000$872,000$

2,059,000$

2,598,000$

5,529,000

Coordinator position$

50,000$50,000$50,000$150,000

Visitor accommodation$

10,000$10,000$25,000$45,000

Fees

$

-

$

5,000

$

10,000$15,000$60,000$65,000$85,000$210,000$

10,00010,000Government Coordination

Total Government Coordination
Media, Marketing & Sponsorship
Festival program design
Festival program printing

$

-

$

-

$

$

25,000$50,000$75,000Decorating - venues

$

-

$

-

$

50,000$50,000Marketing$

35,000$100,000$

200,000$

335,000

Sponsorship

$

5,000

$

5,000

$

10,000$20,000

Merchandise$

10,000$10,000$200,000$

220,000

Ticketing$-$

50,000$150,000$

200,000

Community relations staff$

50,000$75,000$100,000$

225,000

Media relations staff$

50,000$50,000$100,000$

200,000

Corporate and Gov't relations staff$

50,000$50,000$50,000$150,000

Website development$

100,000$

100,000$

100,000$

300,000

Broadcasting

$

-

$

100,000$

250,000$

350,000

Advertising/Media$

100,000$

250,000$

500,000$

850,000

Documentation

$

6,000

$

12,000$120,000$

138,000$

416,000$

827,000$

1,880,000$

3,123,000

Exhibition / performance venues$

1,000,000$

3,000,000$

1,000,000$

5,000,000 Festival Village

Media / Work force offices

$

-

$

50,000$50,000$Temporary facilities$

10,000$25,000$50,000$85,000

VIP lounges

$

-

$

-

$

50,000$50,000HOD administration centers

$

-

$

-

$

50,000$50,000250,000

Total Media/Marketing/Sponsorship
Venues and Facilities
Venue Build-Up

100,000

Venue Logistics and Operations
Venue rental

$

-

$

-

$

250,000$

Cleaning/waste management

$

-

$

-

$

50,000$50,000Laundry service

$

-

$

-

$

10,000$10,000Utilities

$

-

$

-

$

20,000$20,000150,000

Venue Production
Security: crowd control, bag search

$

-

$

-

$

150,000$

Ushers / tickets

$

-

$

-

$

50,000$50,000

Audience service and info
Equipment rental - sound, staging,lighting

$

-

$

-

$

10,000$10,000

$

-

$

-

$

500,000$

500,000

Production personnel

$

-

$

-

$

250,000$

250,000

Production contractors

$

-

$

-

$

250,000$

250,000

Total Venues and Facilities$

1,010,000$

3,075,000$

2,740,000$

6,825,000

Support Services
Medical Services

2 of 3

Hospital facilities

$

-

$

-

$

100,000$

100,000

Medical transport$-

Venue first aid

$

-

$

-

$

50,000$50,000$-$25,000$Delegation care$-

25,000$-$20,000$20,000Catering
Delegation (2,800)

$

-

$

-

$

1,764,000$

1,764,000 3 meals x $15.00 x 14 days

VIP (200)
Hospitality - VIPs, Sponsors,
Government

$

-

$

-

$

168,000$

168,000 3 meals x $20.00 x 14 days

$

-

$

-

$

50,000$50,000100,000

Staff and volunteers

$

-

$

-

$

100,000$

Spectator

$

-

$

-

$

28,000$28,000 Food Trucks

Media

$

-

$

-

$

14,000$14,000Equipment and facilities

$

-

$

-

$

150,000$

150,000

Contracted security

$

-

$

-

$

500,000$

500,000

Security

Support to Police

$

-

$

-

$

200,000$

200,000

Planning, training & management

$

-

$

50,000$50,000$100,000

Delegation travel - buses

$

-

$

-

$

400,000$

400,000

VIP travel - rental cars

$

-

$

-

$

70,000$70,000Work force, committee

$

-

$

-

$

14,000$14,000Transportation

Media

$

-

$

-

$

-

$

-

Corporate/sponsors/donors

$

-

$

-

$

5,000

$

5,000

Public

$

-

$

-

$

-

$

-

$

-

$

50,000$3,708,000$

3,758,000

Accommodations - delegation

$

-

$

-

$

Accommodatons - VIP

$

-

$

-

$

2,016,000 $
900,000 $2,016,000 Dorm Rooms @ $40/night X 2,800 delegates X 18 days
900,000 Hotel Rooms @ 250/night X 200 VIP X 18 days

Total Residential

$

-

$

-

$

2,916,000

2,916,000

TOTALS

$2,633,000$

6,591,000

Total Support Services
Residential$ 15,152,000$$ 24,376,000

Fundraising Plan: 1) Public - Vicky Holt Takamine will request that the Hawai'i US Congressional delegation request
appropriations for FESTPAC 2020 in the Federal Budget; Vicky Holt Takamine will ask State legislators to introduce
bills designed to support Hawaiʻi hosting of FESTPAC 2020 and for Governor's support; Vicky Holt Takamine will ask
City and County of Honolulu Council to designate funding in their budget for FESTPAC 2020 and for the Mayor's
support; PA'I will submit annual proposals to the State and City and County Grants-In-Aid (GIA) programs for
FESTPAC specific funding awards; 2) Private - PA'I will solicit major sponsorships from corporations, such as Bankof Hawai'i, First Hawaiian Bank, Hawaiian Airlines,the Hotel & Lodging Industry and others serving the PacificRegion; PA'I will solicit grants from national and local Foundations; advertising from local businesses; anddonations from individual donors. PAʻI will create fundraising events to create opportunities for individual andcorporate donations, raise public awareness of FESTPAC and build support for the Festival.
Contingency Plan: In the event that the entire budget is not raised from public and private sources before theFestival occurs, adjustments will be made to individual budget items, without reducing the overall scope of work
planned. For example, in catering - the budget provides for a certain level of hospitality for media, volunteers andstaff; if necessary, meals may only be provided to delegations and VIPs. With Transportation - activities may besubstituted at nearby locations, reducing the need for cross-island bus travel. Regardless of the level of funding
raised, every effort will be made to encourage businesses and providers to donate as much as possible theirservices in-kind, with the understanding that the return economic value of 3,000 delegates and up to 100,000
accompanying visitors to the island will benefit their bottom lines.
3 of 3

Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture 2020
Participating Nations:
1. American Samoa
2. Aotearoa
3. Australia
4. Federated States of Micronesia
5. Fiji Islands (2024 Hosts)
6. Guam (2016 Hosts)
7. Hawaiʻi
8. Kiribati
9. Marshall Islands
10. Nauru
11. New Caledonia
12. Niue
13. Norfolk Island
14. Northern Mariana Islands
15. Palau
16. Papua New Guinea
17. Pitcairn Islands
18. Rapa Nui
19. Rarotonga
20. Samoa
21. Solomon Islands
22. Tahiti
23. Tokelau
24. Tonga
25. Tuvalu
26. Vanuatu
27. Wallis and Futuna
28. The indigenous peoples of Taiwan are also invited to participate in the festival.

June 8-10
June 9-10
Thursday, June 11
Friday, June 12
June 12-26

Saturday, June 13
Sunday, June 14

FESTPAC 2020TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
June 8-27, 2020

ARRIVAL OF DELEGATES
Housing at EWC & UH Dorms
Heads of State & Heads of Delegations at Various Waikiki
HotelsLei Making at the FESTPAC Cultural Village
Lei Draping Ceremony at the King Kamehameha Statue
Opening Ceremonies at ʻIolani Palace
Canoe Arrivals & ʻAwa Ceremonies (Place TBD, PVS)Grand Opening of FESTPAC Village (Plaxe TBD)
Daily Film, Forums, Culinary Demonstrations, Theatre, Music &Dance, Cultural Demonstrations, Performances, Presentations& Gallery Exhibits will be Scheduled for appropriate facilities
including:• Neighbor Islands Pending Sufficient Funding for hosting
and travel• Arts at Marks• Bishop Museum (TBD)• East West Center• FESTPAC Cultural Village• HawaiʻI Convention Center (TBD)• HawaiʻI Theatre (TBD)• HawaiʻI Theatre for Youth (TBD)• Honolulu Community College (TBD)• Honolulu Museum of Art (Daily)• ʻIolani Palace (TBD)• Kapiʻolani Community College (TBD)• Kapiʻolani Park Bandstand (Daytime Performances)• Kumu Kahua• NBC Concert Hall (TBD)• Thomas Square (Weekends)• UH Kennedy Theatre (TBD)• UH Mānoa• UH Orvis Auditorium (TBD)• Waʻa Village• Waikiki Shell (Evening Performances)• Waimea Valley• West Oʻahu College (TBD)• Windward Community College (TBD)
Kamehameha Day Parade/Festival Parade
Ecumenical Services, Stan Sheriff Center

Friday, June 19
Saturday, June 20

Sunday, June 21
Special Events

Delegates hosted lunch by community partners
Annual Flag Day Celebration at Ala Moana Park
Kualoa Ranch – Pacific Island Games Competition
Waikiki Beach – Surf Contest
Waimanalo Beach Park – Canoe Regatta & Slack Key Festival
Ecumenical Services, Stan Sheriff Center••

Wearable Art Shows – HawaiʻI Convention Center
Choral Festival – Kawaiahaʻo Church

FESTPAC MEETINGS

1. September 7, 2016 – Meeting at PAʻI Arts & Culture Center with Elise Huffer, SPC
Social Development Advisor-Culture

2. July 31, 2017 – Organizational Meeting at Kamehameha Schools –Kaiwakiloumoku to set up Committees. The following committees have been
established:
a. Administration: Michael Pili Pang, Hālau Hula Ka Noʻeau
b. Finance: Leilani Williams-Soloman (Bank of Hawaiʻi), Grant
Kealiʻiwaʻanui (First Hawaiian Bank)c. Visas: June Kumamoto, Kanika Lavy (East West Center)d. VIP Hosting: Senator Kalani English, Senator Brickwood Galuteria,
Randie Fong, Jamie Fong,e. Bio-Security: Kim Evans
f. Logistics: Hailama Farden, Ian Custino, (Kamehameha Schools)
g. Marketing & Advertising: Shane Pale, Ryan Naka, Kaiwi Coakleyh. Food: Tammy Smith, Pōmaikaʻi Crozier, Kealoha Domingo
i. Film Festival: Leanne Ferrar (Pacific Islanders in Communication),
Donne Dawson (HawaiʻI Film Office), Heather Giugni (West Oʻahu
College), Beau Bassett (independent film maker)
j. Housing Committee: Keala Monaco (University of HawaiʻI, Office of the
President)
k. Festival Village Construction: Kalawaiʻa Moore (Windward
Community College), Palani Sinenci (Cultural Practitioner, Hālau Hale
Kuhikuhi), Glen Mason (Mason Architects)l. Festival Village Operations: TBD

3. August 13-16, 2017 – Site Visits with SPC Director, Social Development
Programme (Gender, Culture & Youth), Leituala Kuiniselani Toelupe TagoElisara
Sunday, 8/13
• Kawaiahaʻo Church, site of FESTPAC Choral Festival: Choral Festival Chair,
Nola Nāhulu (2020 will be the 100th anniversary of the founding of
Kawaiahaʻo Church)
Monday, 8/14
• 'Iolani Palace, site of the FESTPAC Opening Ceremonies – Delegations will bestaged on the State Capitol lawn and the State Library• Kamehameha statue, site of the Lei Draping Ceremony• Meeting with Dennis Ling (DBEDT)• Royal Hawaiian Center, performing arts venue• Magic Island, site of FESTPAC voyaging canoe arrivals• Kapiʻolani Park and Bandstand• Waikīkī Shell
Tuesday, 8/15
• University of Hawaiʻi - East West Center, dormitory• Imin Center

FESTPAC MEETINGS

a. Asia Room – possible location for Ministers meeting, with interpretersroomb. Keoni Auditorium• Stan Sheriff Center, Site of FESTPAC ecumenical services• Local health support systems:c. John Burns School for Medicine
d. Queen’s Hospitale. Waiʻanae Coast Health Comprehensive
f. Papa Ola Lōkahi
• Bishop Museum• Hawai`i Convention Center
Wednesday, 8/16
• Windward Community College• Papahana Kuaola, site for traditional cultural practices – ʻawa, laʻau lapaʻau(healing), and lomi (massage)• Kualoa Beach Park, site of voyaging canoes housing and navigation programs• Kualoa Ranch, site for Polynesian Games
4. November 13, 2017 – Meeting with Director, Council of Indigenous Peoples, andpresentation to International Austronesian Conference, Taipei, Taiwan
5. Sunday, November 26, 2017 – Meeting with Palani Sinenci, (Hālau Hale
Kuhikuhi 1) & Kalawaiʻa Moore (Windward Community College)

6. November 28-30, 2017 – Site visits and meetings with SPC Representative Elise
Huffer, SPC Social Development Advisor-Culture
Tuesday, November 28• Film Festival Committee
Wednesday, November 29• UH Hamilton Library, Gallery Exhibits• Honolulu Museum of Art• Meeting with Jamie Lum (DBEDT)
Thursday, November 30• Meeting with Ian Custino (Kamehameha Schools)
7. December, 18, 2017 – East West Center. Meeting with June Kuramoto, Valerie
Wong re: visa applications
8. FESTPAC Presentations:

1 The Mission of Hālau Hale Kuhi Kuhi is to perpetuate the Hawaiian Culture throughbuilding of Hale Kahiko and Restoration of ancient stone structures practicing the
Hawaiian values of LOKAHI, MAHELE, KULEANA and LAULIMA with its' ultimate
goal of creating a sustainable Ahupua'a.
.

•
•
•
•

FESTPAC MEETINGS

June 15, 2017 – Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce
October 5, 2017 – Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Directors
November 13, 2017 – International Austronesian Conference, Taipei, Taiwan
December 8, 2017, Kanaeokana Komike Hoʻokele, Native Hawaiian Charter
Schools, which will develop curriculum, online interactive maps and tools forschools and the Youth Ambassador programFESTPAC 2020
Logistics Planning Notes

Fundraising: Government
National:
Institute for Museum & Library Services (IMLS)
Administration for Native Americans (ANA)
National Endowment for the Arts: Our Town
National Endowment for the Arts: Artworks
Private Foundations
Artplace
Doris Duke Foundation
Mellon Foundation
Ford Foundation
Local:
State Government:
State Legislature: GIA
Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority
Office of Hawaiian Affairs
State Foundation on Culture and the Arts
City Government:
Mayors Office of Culture and Arts
Private Foundations:
Atherton Foundation
Castle Foundation
Cooke Foundation
HawaiʻI Community Foundation
Partnerships/Sponsors
Kamehameha Schools
Hawaiian Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Hotel & Lodging Industry
Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce
Howard Hughes Corp
Alexander & Baldwin
Bank of HawaiʻiFirst Hawaiian Bank
American Saving Bank
University of HawaiʻiEast West Center
Other Income: Merchandise Sales
Fundraising Events
Vendor Fees (Food Booths, Craft Booths)

Housing: University of HawaiʻI & East West Center Dorms
Hotel Lodging for Heads of State & Head of Delegation
Proposing a performance at the hotel in exchange for hotel rooms,
advertising etc.
Meals: Tammy Smith (Hale Kealoha), PōmaikaʻI Crozier (Maui)• Proposing we plan to grow as much of the food for approximately
9,000 meals a day• Increase local food production• Develop community agricultural farm lots
• Develop community commercial kitchens/food trucks
Ground Transportation:
Bus transportation needed for the delegates
Rental Cars for Heads of State and/or Head of Delegation

Celebrating theFestival of Pacific Arts
By Karen Stevenson

Pacific Community (SPC)
Suva, Fiji, 2018

© Copyright Pacific Community (SPC) 2018
All rights for commercial / for profit reproduction or translation, in any form,
reserved. SPC authorises the partial reproduction or translation of this material forscientific, educational or research purposes, provided that SPC and the source
document are properly acknowledged. Permission to reproduce the document
and/or translate in whole, in any form, whether for commercial / for profit or nonprofit purposes, must be requested in writing. Original SPC artwork may not bealtered or separately published without permission.
Pacific Community Cataloguing-in-publication data
Stevenson, Karen

Original text: English

Celebrating the Festival of Pacific Arts / by Karen Stevenson
1.
2.
3.

Art festivals — Oceania.
Culture — Oceania.
Cultural property — Oceania.

I. Stevenson, Karen II. Title III. Pacific Community
700.790995

AACR2
ISBN: NEW ISBN to be provided after layout

[see comment]

The Festival of Pacific Arts, which is, this year, celebrating its
40th anniversary. What began as a modest idea, has become
an institution. It has grown from the First South Pacific Festivalof Arts with 1000 participants from 20 countries to this year’s
11th the 12th Festival of Pacific Arts in Guam in 2016, withclose to 2500 participants from 24 countries attending. 1
The concept of a regional festival originated in the Fiji Arts
Council in 1965. At that time, many Pacific Island nations werebeginning to embrace their cultural traditions as symbols ofnational identity. Fearing that the younger generations may be
tempted away from their cultural heritage with theintroduction of western technologies and entertainment, it
was felt that a festival would help ‘preserve and develop
various local art forms, as well as providing the occasion for
Pacific Islanders to meet, share and celebrate their cultural
heritage.’ 2 They envisioned a festival put on by and for Pacificpeople; a festival built on the tradition of both sharing andpassing cultural knowledge from one generation to the next.
Working to facilitate this vision, the Fiji Arts Council and theSouth Pacific Commission (now the Pacific Community – SPC)
combined their resources to host the First South PacificFestival of Arts in Fiji, in 1972.
With the belief that the Pacific Region was in danger of losing
its traditional art forms, the organising committee wasdetermined to highlight those cultural values inherent andimportant to Pacific communities. The Festival – a cultural
event indigenous to the Pacific – seemed a fitting venue. The
organising principles were noted in the souvenir brochure of
the first Festival:

The culture of the South Pacific is a living culture. It shows
itself in dance and music, artifacts and handicrafts, in thearchitecture of their buildings, in their games and in theirlanguages. These are as exciting and as varied as are theislands themselves. In the flurry and the bustle of modern
living, where the speed of change has swamped much thatwas good, the islands remain placid, peaceful oases where
lasting values still count. But even in the Pacific change isinevitable, and positive efforts are needed to prevent theage old arts from succumbing to the pervading sense ofsameness that exists in much of our society, or being
swamped by commercialism, or cheapened to provide facile
entertainment for tourists.
We hope that this Festival will not only encourage thepreservation of the best in Pacific Island culture, but that it
will also serve to re-establish much that is in danger of being
lost. In particular, we hope that it will re-emphasize theneed for the retention of classical art forms, for the best
taste, for the highest ideals and dignity. Perhaps it may alsoenable a recapturing of some of the old chants and dances
as they were when they were originally created and in theform they were enjoyed by the peoples of the Pacific longago. 3

2

The highlights of the first festival were traditional dance, thecreation of a village of traditional houses, and the sailing oftraditional canoes. The University of the South Pacific was thesite for a village of Tonga, Kiribati, Tuvaluan, Solomon Island,
New Caledonia, Niue and Fijian houses. The diversity ofarchitectural styles across the region stimulated muchdiscussion about both the similarities and differences inarchitectural technologies. Similarly, navigational practices
were highlighted, with traditional canoes from Kiribati, Tuvalu,
Niue and Fiji. These events created a precedent for each hostnation to develop a theme around which their festival wasbuilt (see appendix).

3

Figure 1: Tongan performers at the First South Pacific Festival of Arts, Fiji,
1972. © National Archives of FijiWith the success of the first festival, the South PacificCommission created a mechanism for the event to take place
every four years, each hosted by a different island nation. 4 As
the organising body, the then South Pacific Commission (nowPacific Community) facilitated not only the planning meetings,
but the festivals themselves. In 1975 it was agreed that theaims of the festival would be to:­ Encourage the preservation and revival of traditionalarts and cultures of the Pacific­ Encourage new forms of cultural activities suited to
the needs of the Pacific­ Encourage greater awareness of the cultural richnessof the Pacific throughout the world­ Foster a greater sense of unity throughout the Pacificto promote excellence in arts
­ Promote the development and use of ethnic[indigenous] languages. 5
The following two festivals were hosted by New Zealand andPapua New Guinea, respectively. These first three festivals
were called the ‘South Pacific Festival of Arts’, as those
involved were geographically located in the South Pacific, butalso because they belonged to the then South PacificCommission. Asserting their presence at the 3rd Festival in
Papua New Guinea, both the Hawaii and Guam delegations
justified the North Pacific’s inclusion in the event. As a result,4the name was changed to the Festival of Pacific Arts. Taiwan
and West Papua sent delegations to Palau in 2004, and afterthat a policy was created enabling the host country to invite
non-Council member countries that fit within the purview of
the Council for Pacific Arts (known as the Council of Pacific Arts
and Culture since 2010). 6
The Festival continues to grow as the needs and desires ofPacific people change. In 1998 the Council of Pacific Arts
adopted the current guiding principles:We, the indigenous peoples of the Pacific, assert ourcultural identity, rights and dignity. We do so, mindfulof our spiritual and environmental origins, throughour dynamic art forms and artistic history andtraditions. As indigenous peoples we share thefollowing objectives:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–

Encourage awareness of a collective voice
Foster the protection of cultural heritage
Explore the creation of dynamic new arts
Cultivate global awareness and appreciation for
Pacific arts and cultures
Promote our traditional languages
Value the wisdom of our elders
Support the aspiration of our youth
Advocate a cultural peace through dialogue withthe cultures of the PacificPromote cultural development within the social,economic and political development of ourcountries
Encourage the indigenous peoples of the Pacific tocontinue their efforts for recognition. 7
5

Just as festival guidelines have developed and diversified overthe past 40 plus years, so too have the activities and events ofeach festival. As stated, the host nation chooses which events
they want to highlight. Traditional performance has always
dominated the festival, yet a range of activities have become
its mainstays. For example, an arts/craft village is at the centreof the festival venue, and here one will find artists/artisans
involved with weaving; tapa making; wood, stone and bonecarving; ceramics; and tattooing. In more recent festivals,
contemporary artists have joined the mix, as havecontemporary music, theatre and film. At the water’s edge
one will find traditional boat-building and navigational crafts.
In addition, costume pageants and fashion shows, traditional
medicine and healing arts, culinary arts, philatelic arts,
traditional money, oratory arts, storytelling, musicalinstruments, vernacular architecture, traditional games andsports, symposiums, debates and workshops have all beenpart of the festival.
Festival activity is firmly rooted in the Pacific past and is,therefore, a perfect vehicle to both ensure and promote a
Pacific identity and culture in the future. The concept of thefestival is very much linked to cultural identity. The
importance of forging or creating a cultural identity within the
Pacific region has grown exponentially as, over the past 50
years, former colonial governments have given way to newnations. Drawing on their cultural heritage, Pacific Island
leaders have created both national and localised symbols ofidentity. Using these as rallying points, diverse groups andagendas meld together in the creation of a cultural andpolitical identity accomplished through the concept of theFestival of Pacific Arts.

6

The festival also provides participants with the opportunity toreflect on the strength of their cultural heritage, which,despite the impact of colonial history, has remained a vital
part of contemporary society. The Council of Pacific Arts andCulture, along with the Pacific Community, has provided
governments across the Pacific with the platform from whichto speak with an artistic and cultural voice. This, in turn, hasaided in the development of unique national identities.
Governments, whose fiscal support of the festival is essential,
can therefore turn to the festival to promote themselves in aninternational arena. The themes chosen for the festivals haveoften demonstrated this convergence of arts and politics.
Most importantly, the heritage of the Pacific – traditional
dance, music and art, navigational technologies and skills, andthe visual arts – remains an integral and valuable aspect of

7

contemporary culture.

Figure 2: Papua New Guinea performers at the 10th Festival of Pacific Arts,
2008, American Samoa. © Pacific Community

Another result of the festival’s more than 40-year history isthat it has become a goal or dream for many Pacific Islanders
to represent their culture, to demonstrate their art, toparticipate in a regional forum. It has also stimulated a newsense of cultural pride among Pacific Islanders, young and old,
generating excitement and promise for the arts and cultures8

of the region. Participation in the festival bestows honour on
the participants and is recognition of the value of their culturaland artistic heritage. Delegations create, choreograph andshare their performances with each other. Youngcontemporary artists and performers express themselves, andtheir talents help to bridge the gap between traditional
cultural expressions and the aspirations of our youth.
The festival, since its inception, has also had a following froma small group of academics interested in the myriad issues thathave arisen over the past four decades. 8 They have frequently
highlighted and given voice to such debates as: authenticity,
tourist art, cultural borrowing, intellectual property rights, andthe relationship (sometimes conflict) between the traditionaland contemporary arts. These academics – informal delegatesin a sense – have participated in many discussions andsymposia, and have added to our knowledge about the arts of
the Pacific.
The Festival of Pacific Arts is not a tourist festival, but rather ashowcase event by and for Pacific people. Its focus remains on
Pacific artists and their arts. The festival has successfully
implemented its initial goal to become an important
instrument in the preservation and promotion of theperforming and visual arts, which represent the broad varietyof cultural expressions in the Pacific. Since the festival’s
inception, expertise and skills in crafts have been revitalised,
while traditional and ceremonial performances have beenrediscovered. The festival has also provided the platform for a
consolidated political voice and identity. This has aided thedevelopment of cultural and national identities across the
Pacific and around the globe.

9Fulfilling the initial hope of the organisers, we have learned
from the past. The Festival of Pacific Arts has, over the past
four decades, become an important venue for theperpetuation of Pacific arts and cultures. It has developed intoa strong entity in which cultural sharing and learning fromdifference have enhanced our appreciation and knowledge ofthe region. With the success of the festival, and in particular
the themes that have been their highlights, many traditionalarts have seen a resurgence, and for some a ‘renaissance’. It
has become clear that the issue for the festival is no longer
preserving what was in danger of being lost, but rather how toensure its pre-eminent position in the future. The necessity toprotect intellectual cultural property while embracing the
dynamism of new art forms has both challenged andenlivened the festival. As a venue for cultural sharing andinteraction, the festival recognises that the past is firmly
embedded in contemporary Pacific culture. It has both
encouraged and rejuvenated the arts of the Pacific. As such,10the Festival ensures the continuity and strength of the Pacific’s
cultural traditions.

Figure 3: Carver at work, 11th Festival of Pacific Arts, Solomon Islands,
2011. © Lucy Dryden, Solomon Islands.

11

APPENDIX
This appendix offers some specific details about each Festival:
location, timeframe, number of participants, logo and theme.

1972 South Pacific Festival of Arts, Fiji
Preserving Culture

The first festival – the South Pacific Festivalof Arts – was held in Suva, Fiji from 6 to 20
May 1972. More than 1000 participantsfrom 14 countries and territories attended.
All countries in the South Pacific wererepresented except for Easter Island andFrench Polynesia. Pitcairn Island,
Norfolk Island, Tokelau and Wallis andFutuna were not able to send delegations,but did send handicrafts, stamps and films.

1976 South Pacific Festival Arts, New Zealand
Sharing Culture
The 2nd South Pacific Festival of Arts was held in
Rotorua, New Zealand, from 6 to 13 March 1976.
This event drew over 1000 participants from 20
Pacific Island countries and territories. An
additional 500 tribal members of Te Arawa andTuwharetoa presented a strong Maori presence byperforming traditional challenges and welcomes atthe opening day ceremonies.

1980 South Pacific Festival of Pacific Arts,
Papua New Guinea
12

A Celebration of Pacific AwarenessThe 3rd South Pacific Festival of Arts was held in Port Moresby,
Papua New Guinea from 30 June to 12 July 1980. This festival had
more than 1600 participants from 22 Pacific Island countries andterritories. It was the first time people from the northern Pacific hadparticipated in the Festival, which would lead to a change in thefestival‘s name.

French Polynesia

1985 Festival of Pacific Arts,My Pacific HomeThe 4th Festival of Pacific Arts was held in French Polynesia from 29
to 15 July 1985. Originally scheduled to take place in New Caledonia
in 1984, the festival venue was changed and the date delayed due topotential political incidents occurring in New Caledonia. It was agreat success, with almost 1200 participants from 21 Pacific Island
countries and territories. 500 delegates from Tahiti’s
Leeward archipelagos, the Tuamotu, Marquesas andAustral Islands, also participated.

1988 Festival of Pacific Arts, Australia13

To promote the maintenance of indigenous cultures of the PacificregionThe 5th Festival of Pacific Arts was held in Townsville, Australia from
14 to 27 August 1988. This Festival coincidedwith the 200th anniversary of the founding ofmodern Australia, combining that history with alarge Aboriginal presence. Over 1700
participants from 24 Pacific Island countries andterritories attended.

1992 Festival of Pacific Arts, Cook Islands
Seafaring Pacific Islanders
The 6th Festival, held in Rarotonga, Cook Islands from 16 to 27
October 1992, celebrated the achievements of Pacific Islanders as
great ocean voyagers. The focus on navigational technologies wasbalanced with a symposium focusing on the issues of culturalproperty rights. It attracted over 1800 participants from 23 PacificIsland countries and territories.

14

1996 Festival of Pacific Arts, Samoa
Tala Measina
Tala Measina is a form of introduction offeredby the orator or tulafale, just before a big orfinal presentation is made. It means to unveil treasures. In thecontext of the festival, it is the unveiling of our culture, arts andtraditions. The 7th Festival of Pacific Arts was held in Apia, Samoa
from 8 to 23 September 1996, and was attended by over 1500
participants from 25 Pacific Island countries and territories. This
festival saw the introduction of a contemporary art exhibition to its
schedule of events.

2000 Festival of Pacific Arts, New Caledonia
Words of Yesterday (Paroles d’hier), Words of Today (Paroles
d’aujourd’hui), Words of Tomorrow (Paroles de demain)
The 8th Festival of Pacific Arts was held in New Caledonia from 23
October to 3 November 2000. Over 2000 participants from 24 PacificIsland countries and territories attended. In an effort to bring local
communities and festival participants together, the
8th Festival had many venues in various communes in
New Caledonia’s three provinces. The issue of theevolution of culture and the impact of modernity on
traditional societies was the focus of debates andround-table discussions.

15

2004 Festival of Pacific Arts, Palau
Oltobed a Malt – Nurture, Regenerate,
Celebrate

The 9th Festival of Pacific Arts was held in Palau from 22 to 31 July
2004. The theme selected by Palau for this festival was ‘Oltobed a
Malt – Nurture, Regenerate, and Celebrate’. This festival attracted
more than 3000 delegates from 27 Pacific Island countries andterritories. Each delegation was hosted by a particular village, whichfacilitated cultural sharing and interaction. This festival also included
delegations from Taiwan and West Papua.

2008 Festival of Pacific Arts, American Samoa
Su'iga'ula a le Atuvasa: Threading the Oceania 'Ula
The 10th Festival of Pacific Arts was held in Pago Pago, American
Samoa, from 20 July to 2 August 2008, with more than 2700
participants from 23 Pacific Island countries and territories. The
theme was Su'iga'ula a le Atuvasa: Threading the Oceania 'Ula. The'ula, or necklace, is an adornment that is always representative of acelebration or festive occasion. This festival demonstrated theimportance of using Pacific traditions as a means of cultivating
understanding across the region.

16

2012 Festival of Pacific Arts, Solomon Islands
Culture in Harmony with Nature
The 11th Festival of Pacific Arts was held in
Honiara and other locations in the
Solomon Islands from 1 to14 July 2012.
there were 2500 participants from some
24 Pacific Island countries and territories.
The theme ‘Culture in Harmony with
Nature’ highlighted the relationshipbetween the cultural and the natural
world (wild life, marine life/flora andfauna, traditional medicines, navigation,and tools). Pacific cultural expressions
through dances and various art forms
portray a living proof of this important connection. The festival
promoted collaborative efforts to preserve the Pacific environment
from the destructive nature of globalisation, and to maintain Pacificcultural values and heritage to maintain the harmonious connectionof Pacific people with their natural environment.
2016 12th Festival of Pacific Arts, Guam

What we own, what we have, what we share – United Voice of the
Pacific
The 12th Festival of Pacific Arts was held in Guam in the summer of
2016. The largest island in Micronesia, Guam was honoured to hostclose to 3000 participants from countries and territories across the
Pacific, for the largest FestPac ever. The
theme, ‘What We Own, What We Have,
What We Share – United Voices of the
Pacific’, was conceived to reinforce theheritage and traditions of Pacific people’s
distinctive backgrounds, and to reunite
Pacific people to commemorate their17

customs and arts. Since 1972, when the first Festival was held, theworld had already begun to consider methods of sustainability. Since
then, Pacific people have been among the first to experience thechanging world. The 12th Festival of Pacific Arts in 2016 brought
Pacific people together in Guam to celebrate the strength andresilience that has preserved all that Pacific people have owned andshared since the beginning of time.

iReferences18

Hereniko, Vilsoni. 1980. Art in the New Pacific. Suva: Instituteof Pacific Studies, University of the South Pacific.
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CORD-SEM Conference. Dance Research Annual VIII.
Kaeppler, Adrienne. 1987. Pacific festivals and ethnic identity.
In: Alessandro Falassi (ed).Time out of Time: Essays on
the Festival. University of New Mexico Press. 162–170.
Kaeppler, Adrienne. 1988. Com mek me hol yu han. Impact
of tourism on traditional music. Jamaica: Jamaica
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Kauraka, Kauraka. 1993. The VIth Festival of Pacific Arts, apersonal story. Pacific Arts 8, 25–27.
Keesing, Roger. 1989. Creating the past: custom and identity
in the contemporary Pacific. The Contemporary Pacific1(1-2):19–42.
Keesing, Roger and Robert Tonkinson. 1982. Reinventing
traditional culture: the politics of kastom in island
Melanesia. Mankind. Special Issue 13(4).
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Research Reports 9.
Leahy, Joycelin, Joyce Yeap-Holiday and Bill Pennington. 2010.
Evaluation of the Festival of Pacific Arts. Noumea:
Secretariat of the Pacific Community.
Lewis-Harris, Jackie. 1994. The 6th Pacific Arts Festival. PacificArts 9 and 10:10–20.
Lewis-Harris, Jackie. 1996. Review of ‘Maire nui vaka: The 6th
Festival of Pacific Arts and a quest for a pan-Pacificidentity, a film by Gundolf Kruger and Rolf Husmann,
1995. Pacific Arts. July:117–119.
Marion, Virginia. 1988. Kiribati adaptation of dance for the 3rd19South Pacific Arts Festival. In: A. Kaeppler. Com Mek Me
Hol Yu Han. Jamaica: Jamaica Memory Bank. 139–144.
Moulin, Jane Freeman. 2005. Oltobed a malt (Nurture,regenerate, celebrate). The Contemporary Pacific.
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Myers, Doug. 1989. 5th Festival of Pacific Arts. Australian
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Simons, Susan Cochrane. 1989. The 5th Festival of Pacific Arts.
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Suva.1972. Fiji Times and Herald.
Stevenson, Karen. 1993. The 6th Festival of Pacific Arts. PacificStudies 6:67–69.
Stevenson, Karen. 1997. Wicked magic: The Seventh PacificFestival of Arts. Art AsiaPacific 14:22–24.
Stevenson, Karen. 1999. Festivals, identity, and performance:
Tahiti and the 6th Pacific Arts Festival. In: Christopher
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Stevenson, Karen. 2000. Pacific Arts Festival. In: Brij V. Lal andKate Fortune (eds).The Pacific Islands: an encyclopedia.
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20The member countries include: American Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands,
Easter Island, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam,
Hawaii, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand,Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea,
Pitcairn Islands, Sāmoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu,
and Wallis and Futuna. Taiwan and West Papua sent delegations of
performers and artists to the Festival of Pacific Arts in 2004. The number ofcountries attending has varied from festival to festival.
2 Leahy, Yeap-Holiday, and Pennington, Evaluation of the Festival of PacificArts. 2010:23.
3 South Pacific Arts Festival.1972. Souvenir Booklet.
4 Fiji was the first nation to host a festival, followed by: New Zealand, Papua
New Guinea, French Polynesia, Australia, Cook Islands, Samoa, New
Caledonia, Palau, and American Samoa. Solomon Islands is the host for the
11th festival.
5 Leahy, Yeap-Holiday, and Pennington, Evaluation of the Festival of PacificArts. 2010:24.
6 Leahy, Yeap-Holiday, and Pennington, Evaluation of the Festival of PacificArts. 2010:25.
7 Leahy, Yeap-Holiday, and Pennington, Evaluation of the Festival of PacificArts. 2010:26.
8 This group includes but is in no way limited to: Barbara Smith, Adrienne
Kaeppler, Jane Moulin, Kauraka Kauraka, Faustina K. Rehurer-Marugg,
Vincent Diaz, Michael A. Mel, Pam Zeplin, Trish Allen, Hilary Scothorn, Susan
Cochrane, Judy Flores, Caroline Yacoe, Jackie Lewis-Harris and Karen
Stevenson. There are also many delegates who have attended multiple
festivals. Arts and cultural educators and attaches, and photographers havealso contributed greatly to the discussions and debates surrounding PacificArts Festivals. A special edition of Pacific Arts (2002) focused its attention on
the Festival.
121