Page 14 - IB June July 2024

Cover Cover

Kumu Hula lead a hula to welcome traditional leaders in the grounds of Iolani Palace during FestPAC. Photo: Floyd Tekeuchi

HAWAII ALOHA: HONOURING THE

“HAWAIIAN NATION”

By Floyd K. Takeuchi Senior Liaison for Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific
Islander Affairs. Born and raised in Hawaii, Moritsugu worked
How do we assess the success of a cultural event? What the phones and organised the missing US$5 million for the
metrics apply when you’re talking about dancers, artists and Festival from federal sources. It was appropriate indeed that
a host of creatives? That’s the challenge facing anyone who she had a place of honor on the historic Hawaiian voyaging
wants to determine whether the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts canoe Hokule`a when VIPs were brought ashore at Kualoa
was a success. Beach Park early in the Festival.
A lot of elevated expectations met this year’s Festival: it And the outcome: despite some serious internal
had been eight years instead of four since the last Festival, organisational challenges – during the first few days, the
thanks to COVID-19; Hawaii, which attracts more than six Festival program seemed to change hourly – the 13th Festival
million tourists a year who spend close to US$20 billion of Pacific Arts was a raging success – but perhaps for a reason
annually, was a first-time Festival host; just a few months many would not normally think of. Having nearly 3000 of
before the start of the Festival on June 6, 2024, the Hawaii the region’s finest dancers and artists descend on Hawaii
organising committee was some US$5 million short. The may have marked a sea change for the islands’ indigenous
budget deficit was closed with days to spare by Hawaii’s Hawaiian population.
secret weapon in Washington, DC. She is Erika Moritsugu, an For the first time, many of those Hawaiians heard Pacific
attorney and veteran Washington insider who now serves in Islanders often refer to their islands as the “Hawaiian nation”,
the White House as Deputy Assistant to President Biden, as a sign of respect that hasn’t been internationally recognised

14 Islands Business, June/July 2024