MINUTES OF THE COMMISSION ON THE 13TH FESTIVAL OF
PACIFIC ARTS & CULTURE (FestPAC) MEETINGMONDAY, MAY 20TH, 2024 AT 03:00 P.M.
HYBRID VIA ZOOM
Commission Members Present were:
Kalani Kaʻanāʻanā
Shanty Asher
Snowbird Bento
Stacy FerreiraSen. Jarrett Keohokāhole
Jamie Lum-Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority (HTA)
City & County of Honolulu
Community
Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA)
Hawaiʻi State Senate
Department of Business, Economic Development,and Tourism (DBEDT)Elise Amemiya
Maka Casson-Fisher-Office of the Attorney General
Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority (HTA)

Aaron J. SalāJimmie Collins
Kealiʻi Haverly
Apologies:
Māpuana de Silva
Makana McClellan
Rep. Richard Onishi-Festival Director, Gravitas Pasifika
Office of Homeland Security
Polynesian Cultural Center-Community
Governor’s Designee
Hawaiʻi State House of Representatives

Staff:
Guests:CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Chair Kalani Kaʻanāʻanā (Chair) at 3:04pm, who welcomed
everyone present via ZOOM.
WEHENA
Chair Kaʻanāʻanā provided the wehena (opening), who then abbreviated to “Hana i kahana- to dothe work.” As the festival event fast approaches, Chair asked of the commission to continue theircommitments to seeing through each of their respective kuleana (responsibilities).
ATTENDANCE
Chair Kaʻanāʻanā and Commissioners Bento, Ferreira, Keohokālole, and Lum were present.
Commissioners de Silva, McClellan, and Onishi were excused prior. Staff Member CassonFisher, Festival Director Aaron Salā, and Deputy AG Elise Amemiya, were also present via
Zoom.

Minutes of the Commission on the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture
Monday, May 13, 2024 at 3:00 p.m.
Page 2 of 6

PUBLIC TESTIMONY ON AGENDA ITEMS
Chair Kaʻanāʻanā invited public members attending the ZOOM call to testify on any agenda
items. Hearing and seeing none, Chair proceeded to the next agenda item.
REPORT ON PERMITTED INTERACTIONS, PURSUANT TO ACT 103, SESSIONLAWS OF HAWAIʻI 2021
Chair noted neither an Admin or Venue Committee meeting took place between commission
meetings. Hearing and seeing no further permitted interactions from the commission, Chair
continued to the next agenda item.
APPROVAL OF THE MAY 13th, 2024 MEETING MINUTES
Due to the fast turnaround for this newly scheduled commission meeting, the minutes for May
13th 2024 could not yet distributed and reviewed by Commissioners. Chair Kaʻanāʻanā deferredto adopt the May 13th, 2024, and May 20th 2024 meeting minutes during the next FestPAC
commission meeting. Chair proceeded to the next agenda item.
PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION AND/OR ACTION REGARDING THE FESTIVAL
DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Festival Director (FD) Salā presented updates on programming, followed by operations, withemphasis on security and protocol, marketing and promotions, community engagements, andupdates on the festival village build.
Waʻa Arrival Ceremony
5:00am-Delegates and VIPs depart from accommodations
6:00am-Delegates and VIPs on waʻa arrive at Mokapu to travel acrossKaneohe bay, into Hakipuʻu.
6:30am-Delegates/VIPs begin boarding waʻa
7:00am-Waʻa depart their moorings/docks-Delegates arrive to Kualoa Regional Park
8:00am-Waʻa arrival – Hakipuʻu ʻOhana/ ʻOhana Waʻa Pū-Waʻa arrival to shore-Hoʻokupu Presentation
10:30am-Procession to the Ahu
11:00am-Ahu Protocol-Pū/Oli-Welcome Speech: Hakipuʻu Ohana-Speaker: Nainoa Thompson-Kākua Ceremony (Performed by the Hakipuʻu ʻOhana-Speaker: FestPAC Representative (Pending: Chair Kaʻanāʻanā orSenator Keohokālole)-Key Note: Nainoa Thompson-ʻOli Kuamoʻo – Iwi o Kuʻu Iwi-Pu
12:30pm-ʻAina Awakea (Lūʻau Luncheon)
2:00pm-Guest departures begin

Minutes of the Commission on the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture
Monday, May 13, 2024 at 3:00 p.m.
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Decisions regarding programming have been made in consultation with Bonnie Kaapeha andRandy Fong coordinating on behalf of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, waʻa that will travelfrom Mokapu across Kaneohe Bay to Hakipuʻu. An opportunity has been provided for threeVIPs to travel via canoe from Mokapu, assigned to designated waʻa by Kaʻapeha and Fong.
Senator Keohokalole will be representing the commission at Hakipuʻu for the arrival ceremony.
Transportation will be provided for five representatives per country to attend the ceremony inKualoa Regional Park, to assure full representation participation. Countries participating in thewaʻa arrival are the Cook Islands (arriving on the Marumaru Atua), French Polynesia,
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), and Aotearoa (New Zealand).
Transportation and medical service will be provided the 100 voyaging delegates which thecommission is responsible to. This will be noted in detail to heads of delegations in a leadership
meeting taking place the following date (May 21st 2024).
Opening Ceremony
3:30pm-Prelude – Royal Hawaiian Band
4:00pm-Traditional Protocol – Lālākea Foundation Pule
4:10pm-Welcome of Hawaiʻi Guests
4:20pm-Musical Selection – Royal Hawaiian Band
4:23pm-Traditional Protocol
4:43pm-Parade of Nations7:52pm-Introduction of Governor – Commission Chair
7:54pm-Welcome Speech, Governor, First Lady
8:00pm-Traditional Dance
8:05pm-Welcome Speech – SPC
8:11pm-Traditional Dance
8:16pm-Keynote Speech – Festival Director
8:26pm-Traditional Dance
8:40pm-Pau
The opening ceremony will follow a traditional wehena (opening) structure. FD Sala noted that
this ceremony is atypical: all delegates will begin at the Stan Sheriff Center, not the Festival
Village. In the past, a parade of nations would bring each country into the opening ceremonies
venue, but the actual festival village opening will take place all at once. Speeches are being madeby the commission chair to introduce the Governor and First Lady, with opening remarks fromthemselves, the SPC representatives, and the festival director. FD Sala then shared a few clips of
the Lālākea foundation’s practice sessions, with 250 'ōlapa (dancers) preparing for the openingceremony.
FD Sala noted that New Caledonia has officially withdrawn from the festival due to civil unrest
within the country. This withdrawal has been accepted, but the commission has asserted to NewCaledonia that they would still be represented during the festival event, and in the festival
village. He expressed intent to stanchion off the hale (house), with assurance that we wouldafford all the rights and privileges to New Caledonia in spirit, through the village engagement.
Likewise, Vanuatu, for the commission has officially withdrawn. This has been noted to the SPC
as there is still potential for them re-engaging the festival, should they choose to participate, thecommission will support them.
The artistic delegation count currently stands at 1,873. Including self-funded and VIPs, thecurrent count is slightly above 2,100 total delegates traveling to Hawaiʻi for the festival. FD gave
acknowledgement to June Matsumoto and Karen Lockwood of Pacific Islands Institute (PII) forMinutes of the Commission on the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture
Monday, May 13, 2024 at 3:00 p.m.
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their assistance in real time. Final delegate information provided to the commission will provide
a final schedule for transportation.
Ecumenical Service
Sunday, 09 June 2024, 1:00pm – 2:30pm
Stan Sheriff Center, UH Manoa
Planning Committee: Kahu Ken Makuakāne, Kahu Rennie Mau, Kahu Wendell
Davis, Tamā Toeaina Falelua
The ecumenical service is being designed by a representation of the Kawaiahao Church,
Liliuokalani Church, the Hawaiʻi Association of Evangelical Churches, and Tamā Toeaina
Falelua. The liturgy and which countries will provide scriptures, readings, hymns, and prayers
for this event have been drafted. The duration of the ecumenical service is between 1:00pm to2:30pm so that countries may attend “home” churches if they so wish with their community, thenreturn to celebrate together at the Bishop Museum later that evening.
Marketing and Promotion
Star Advertiser Insert (36-pages, 02 June)
Community Engagement
Volunteer Training May 23rd 9:30am – 12:30pm
May 25th 9:00am – 12:00pm
Opening & Closing Ceremonies Rehearsal-Lālākea Foundation, May 17th – 19th
Consular Corps Meeting (5/16)
In a consular corps meeting held in the week prior, responsibilities per the secretariat to the hostto two cars, and two drivers. However the festival team is in need of assistance as this would
relate to proper diplomatic notes, assuring that the heads of state and government have been fully
activated through the department of state (DOS). This communication would be passed throughthe DOS to Jimmie Collins, the festival’s head of security and protocol working group. If
diplomatic notes are not received, the proper infrastructure in place to support security andprotocol for dignitary accreditation will not be supported by the state and government. Eightlevels of accreditation will revolve around two levels of delegates, three levels of management
and staff, and three levels of media. Gravitas Pasifika and PII have been working together on theregistration process via the online portal. When delegates leave the baggage claim, they will gothrough a picture taking process that will include their bio information, serving what would
become a credential. Physical credentials will be worn with lanyards throughout the festival.
Regarding marketing and promotions, a Star Advertiser 36-page newspaper insert is to be
included in the upcoming June 2nd Sunday edition paper. 20,000 overprints on newspaper quality
paper and higher quality paper will be made available too. Streaming will take place throughHawaiʻi News Now, and several press releases. A press conference has been prepared incollaboration with Stryker, Weiner, and Yokota (SWAY) with the Governor and First Lady at
Washington Place in the following week. Volunteer training is in process, inclusive of culturaland cultural sensitivity training. Ongoing community town hall meetings with our pacificislander and local communities are additionally ongoing, with an additional meeting set for thefollowing week prior to the festival.
FD acknowledged DLNR (Department of Land & Natural Resources) and Ryan Kanakaole (alsofor their efforts during the severe weather Oahu observed in early May) in assisting with thefestival village build. Tree felling and timber harvesting has been completed, with preparations
for installment beginning on Friday, May 31st 2024. FD made a special note for awareness that

Minutes of the Commission on the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture
Monday, May 13, 2024 at 3:00 p.m.
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upon the removal of the albizia trees where they were sourced in Waimanalo, an ancient Native
Hawaiian pathway adorned with petroglyphs was discovered. This historic path leads all the way
into Nuuanu Valley. “What this has done is provide opportunities to us [...] to rekindle ourrelationships to our own culture and history through the process of preparing for this festival,”
said FD Sala.
Further acknowledgements were shared by FD for Linda Lileikis and the Events Internationalteam.
Regarding the focal point of the festival village, a hale was planned to house the Mauloa Waʻacanoe, which will be displayed during the event. Due to the dimensions of the Mauloa, this has
been done away with. The center stage will be an estimated 46 by 52 feet, with performancesfrom 10:00am to 6:00pm. There are several evenings with stage engagements planned past
6:00pm, with robust participation anticipated.
FD Sala then invited Jimmie Collins of the Office of Homeland Security to share updates on
security and protocols. Collins then shared full walkthroughs with all participants of theprotection team, inclusive of law enforcement, have initiated. Collins and team have additionallybegun gathering incident action plans. Two security assessments have been completed, with five
more to be finalized. Details of the operation center hosted at the convention center and receiving
federal support have been discussed amongst her team, with intention for this to be seen throughwhether or not they provide dignitary support. The SPC has been in touch with the state
department, that has outline the process for requesting the support of for tier one dignitaries. Of
these, five so far have been received by the secret service and will be adjucated between the state
department and the secret service. Upon receiving diplomatic notes from these dignitaries, theywill adjucate who they will support, with local secret service in touch with Collins’ team on adaily basis. She then noted per the state department process, dignitaries do not actually have tonotify until three days in advance of travel.
PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION AND/OR ACTION REGARDING ADMINISTRATIVECOMMITTEE UPDATE
Chair deferred the agenda item as there was no meeting of the administrative committee.
PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION AND/OR ACTION REGARDING VENUES AND
PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE UPDATE
Chair deferred the agenda item as there was no meeting of the venues and programming
committee.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY ON AGENDA ITEMS
Chair Kaʻanāʻanā invited public testimony. Kealii Haverly of the Polynesian Cultural Center(PCC) then inquired how he and PCC might be able to support if not financially, with otherresources. FD Sala responded that he would reach out to PCC regarding this opportunity.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Chair announced that the next meeting is scheduled for Monday, June 3rd 2024 at 3:00pm.
Hearing no further announcements, the Chair asked for unanimous consent to adjourn themeeting, at 3:37PM

Respectfully Submitted,

Minutes of the Commission on the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture
Monday, May 13, 2024 at 3:00 p.m.
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Jun 7, 2024

Kalani KaʻanāʻanāChairDate