The 22nd annual Pacific Islanders Festival was held Sept. 24 and 25 at Ski Beach in Mission Bay, San Diego containing entertainment, arts, food, and crafts from different cultures and was held by the Pacific Islander Festival Association (PIFA). The president of PIFA, Joseph Tariu Taumua, stated “PIFA’s mission is to promote and perpetuate the culture and traditions of our triad islands; Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia with an emphasis in promoting higher education to our Pacific Islander Youth.”
The Pacific Islander Festival held booths for food, vendors, crafts and even performances throughout the weekend inspired by Melanesian, Micronesian, and Polynesian dancers. Some of the booths, vendors, and performance groups featured at the event were Hawaiian Airlines, Island Fire Fitness, Tupua, Kalikiano, Life Changers Ministries, Slades Polynesian Crafts, Hui O Hawaii of San Diego, Island Style Hawaii, and Ohana Hawaiian BBQ, and many more.
An attendee and enthusiast of the event and PIFA, Marvin Calderone, stated: “The Pacific Islander Festival Association grows every year and it is so awesome to see Island culture so strong in San Diego. I love watching the cultural performances, seeing the colorful costumes, and the joy they bring to their audience. And you can’t go wrong with all the great food too. I am pretty sure that PIFA will be around San Diego for many, many years to come.”
The Pacific Islander Festival Association holds many other events through the year to signify the importance of the Melanesian, Polynesian, and Micronesian cultures here in San Diego. One event that was held a few weeks ago, on Sept. 22, was Pacific Islander Night at Petco Park. This event, which took place simultaneously with the Padres game at Petco Park, included performances, food, and even a complimentary Kukuai Nut Lei to reflect the Polynesian, Micronesian, and Melanesian cultures. Rylee Kehaulani, who attended the event stated, “PIFA does an awesome job at bringing the varieties of Pacific Islanders cultures together in one place. The food is great and watching the Hula is like an art, such an experience.”
This year’s theme for Pacific Islander Night at Petco Park and the Pacific Islander Festival at Ski Beach was “Island Way.” The President of PIFA, Joseph Tariu Taumua, stated, “The ‘Island Way’, this year’s theme, is about heritage, culture, and family which is the overall essence of who we are as a PIFA family. We as Pacific Islanders; Melanesians, Micronesians, and Polynesians, are able to celebrate the richness in our cultures, traditions and educate others about how we are able perpetuate and preserve these values away from home.”
The number of attendees for the event reached well into the thousands, which included people from all races and ethnicity enjoying the culture of the Pacific Islanders. President of PIFA, Joseph Tariu Taumua, also stated that he is “grateful to share who we are as a people and thankful for the acceptance from the diverse communities that encompass PIFA.” The Pacific Islanders culture is one about love, acceptance, and above all else, family. PIFA and the events they put on display this full heartedly and, as always, the excitement for next year’s festival has already begun. Until we meet again – A hui hou kākou.