Indigenous for Our Survival Series: FestPAC, a Homecoming and Call Home

by Sharde Freitas, Chapter Organizer, and Kawenaʻulaokalani Freitas | Reading time: 5 minutes

For the first time since the creation of the Pacific Festival of Arts and Culture (FestPAC), Hawaiʻi hosted over 20 Pacific Nations at the beginning of June on Oʻahu. Over the course of the eleven-day festival, there were numerous events, performances, and opportunities to celebrate and remember our Indigenous brilliance as “caretakers of the largest ocean in the world.” (See Opening Ceremony speech by Samoa). This was a collective and personal experience for me, my daughter who performed with her hālau hula as part of FestPAC, and my ʻohana. As I continue to reflect on the ways in which I continue to be moved intellectually, spiritually, and emotionally, I share this article highlighting some of the learnings that we can all continue to build upon in the years to come. My daughter, Kawena (11 years old) and a youth plaintiff in the Navahine v. Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation also offers her manaʻo.

The ʻōlelo noʻeau, “I ka wā ma mua, ka wā ma hope,” speaks to how we might look to the past in order to learn how we can prepare for the future. As part of FestPAC’s opening ceremony, the speaker from Aotearoa, acknowledged all of the peoples of Moananuiākea and affirmed that “our sources of knowledge are correct and in accordance with the teachings and wisdom of our ancestors.” In this same spirit, FestPAC was dubbed as the biggest family reunion. I would add to say that it was a homecoming. A call to us all to return to ancestral wisdom, to look to the past, so that we may bring that brilliance with us into the future. Even more, we will need that wisdom in order to have a future. FestPAC facilitated remembrance of our cultural pride, brilliance, and aloha. Remembering how we can use our Indigenous wisdom today. And we must not forget that from an Indigenous worldview, we are planning seven generations into the future, and the importance of our ʻōpio, our keiki, as they are our future leaders.

With the array of performances at multiple locations, the art and crafts demonstrations, artists selling their work, and the performers’ smiles and pride beaming, the cultural pride was palpable. From the start of FestPAC with the opening ceremony as each participating Pacific nation was welcomed, it was truly a once-in-a-lifetime honor to witness. As my daughter, Kawena, writes, she enjoyed seeing and learning from all of the different Pacific nations with their dancing, singing, and showcasing of their arts and culture. She particularly liked the group from the Cook Islands.

Ua hoihoi wau i ka ʻike ʻana i nā lāhui like ʻole ā puni o ka Pākīpika – e hula ʻana, ka hīmeni ʻana, ka hōʻike ʻana – i ko lākou mau mea mai ko lākou lāhui. Ua hauʻoli wau i koʻu komo ʻana i ka ʻaha no ka ʻike ʻana i nā lāhui like ʻole o ka Pakīpika e launa ana. Ua hoihoi wau i ka ʻike ʻana i nā kānaka mai Cook Islands/Kukeʻailani e hula ʻana, ka hīmeni ʻana a me nā mea ʻē aʻe a lākou i hōʻikeʻike ai. Ma ka Pōʻahiku lā 9 ʻo Iune, ua hele wau i ka Ecumenical Ceremony a ua nahenahe nā leo o nā lāhui ʻē aʻe. Ua kiʻekiʻe nā leo o kekahi mau lāhui a ua hauʻoli wau i ka hiki o ka nānā a hele ʻana i kēia FestPAC ma Hawaiʻi.

I liked seeing all of the different groups from across the Pacific with their dancing, singing, and showcasing their heritage. I was happy to be able to witness all of these different Pacific groups, and to meet them. I liked seeing the group from the Cook Islands and their dancing, singing, and other things they showcased from their culture. On June 9, I went to the Ecumencial Ceremony and the singing of all of the groups was superbly so pleasant to the ear. Their voices were high for groups and I was happy to be able to go and attend FestPAC in Hawaiʻi.

Western society often forces Indigenous knowledge into a particular category or box that is more convenient for their understanding, processing, and to maintain power and control. FestPAC provided a reminder that we shall remember to use our Indigenous wisdom today. Traditional leaders convened in the Throne Room of the ʻIolani Palace to commit to the use of Indigenous knowledge in current day (and future) contexts with the Tuurama Ariki Declaration (Declaration). Interestingly, King Kalākaua had set out to do something similar during his lifetime with convening the various leaders of the Pacific. The Declaration outlines values and creates an Osiania Traditional Leaders Forum that, among other things, sets out “to apply our ancestral cultural wisdom in navigating our future for our moʻopuna/mokopuna/meinsinuri (grandchildren).”

As we look to the past to prepare for our future, we must remember the Indigenous worldview that we are planning for seven generations into the future. There are a multitude of signs and impacts that we are experiencing, the impacts of climate change being one example, that underscore the need for us to return to our Indigenous wisdom. Further, as Kawena writes, she speaks to the importance of us seizing this opportunity to continue convening, exchanging and learning from one another, and that we do not have to wait until the next FestPAC to do so.

Makemake wau e noho kēia pilina kēia launa ʻana o nā lāhui like ʻole a ʻaʻole pono e kali a Festpac e launa ai kēia mau lāhui. Hiki ke launa a loaʻa i kekahi pilina me nā lāhui i nā lā ā pau. Makemake wau e holomua ai kēia pilina launa ʻana o nā lāhui like ʻole o ka Pakīpika.

I want this connectedness and exchange with the various groups to continue. We don’t have to wait until the next FestPac to convene. We can continue this connection and relationship everyday. I want this relationship to continue to progress with all of the groups of the Pacific.