Cultural High Schools Arts Festival Will Also Share Samoan Culture
La‘ie, HI – April 9, 2009 – Visitors can witness the daring art and skill of Samoan fireknife dance at the 17th Annual World Fireknife Championships, held at the Polynesian Cultural Center beginning on Thurs., May 14, to Sat., May 16. Talented competitors from around the world will unite for this fiery event with their sights set on becoming this year's World Fireknife Champion. Dancers of all ages will showcase mesmerizing acrobatics and agile skill, while attempting to avoid the very real and very dangerous flames.
This year's competition will be fierce, with at least three previous World Fireknife Champions returning to battle for the title, including reigning champion, 17-year-old Viavia Tiumalu of Orlando, Florida and three-time World Champion David Galeai of La‘ie.
The preliminary competition will take place on Thursday, May 14, and semi-finals, duet and junior competitions take place on Friday, May 15. Competitions will take place at the PCC's Hale Aloha Theater. The top three finalists will then battle for the championship on Saturday, May 16, at PCC's Pacific Theater during the intermission of the Horizons night show, held twice that evening. Immediately after the second show, the 2009 World Fireknife Champion will be declared with a victorious ceremony held in their honor.
"We are extremely excited to host this competition year after year," said Logo Apelu, vice president of operations for PCC. "This is sure to be one of the most riveting and memorable competitions in the history of the event. Most of these performers have been practicing since they were just keiki and for many, fireknife dance runs in the blood— a tradition passed on from generation to generation."
The modern fireknife dance stemmed from the Samoan ailao - a warrior's knife dance performed with the nifo oti, or "tooth of death." This dance was displayed before battle to frighten the enemy and afterwards to celebrate victory. Today, the art of fireknife dancing has become one of the most intense, skillful, and beautiful Samoan traditions. The modern dance consists of twirling a sharp knife, with both ends on fire, at high speeds and requires acute precision and acrobatic finesse. The fire is very real, and dancers often make contact with the flames.
In addition to the fireknife competitions, the PCC's Pacific Theater will also serve as a venue for the annual Samoan Cultural High Schools Arts Festival where Hawai‘i high school students will demonstrate their own cultural knowledge of Samoan traditions with exhibitions in basket weaving, coconut husking as well as fire making among other events. The festival will be held at the Pacific Theater beginning at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 16, prior to the World Fireknife Championship face-off that evening.
The event is sponsored this year by Hawaiian Airlines, Henry S. Mataalii & Company, Turtle Bay Resort, Electric Pencil, Bank of Hawai‘i, Pepsi, the City & County of Honolulu, Hawai'i Tourism Authority and Galumalemana Lester W.B. Moore.
Admission to the Hale Aloha Theater events is $10 for adults, ages 12 and up and $5 for keiki ages five to 11. Kama‘āina Annual Pass holders and any full-day ticket holder can enter free the first two nights, as well as the Samoan Cultural High Schools Arts Festival on Saturday. To join in on the final night of festivities, visitors must purchase a reserved seating ticket to either of the two Horizons night shows that evening, as the finals take place during the intermissions of both shows. Ticket prices begin at $43.00.
For more information or to make reservations, please call the Polynesian Cultural Center ticket office at (808) 367-7060 or visit www.polynesia.com. In Hawai'i, call (808) 293-3333.
Founded in 1963 as a non-profit organization, the PCC has entertained more than 33 million visitors, while preserving and portraying the culture, arts, and crafts of Polynesia to the rest of the world. In addition, the PCC has provided financial assistance to 17,000 young people from over 70 countries while they attend Brigham Young University-Hawai'i. As a non-profit organization, 100 percent of PCC's revenue is used for daily operations and to support education.
###
For media inquiries or photography, contact:
Amy Hennessey or Maria Quidez at (808) 531-0244
