12th Festival of Pacific Arts underway in Guam

Transcript

The 12th Festival of Pacific Arts is underway in Guam with 27 Pacific countries and territories participating.

Guam's Paseo Stadium was filled to capacity for the opening ceremony for an event that includes around 2,000 performers from across the Pacific.

Indira Stewart has more.

The two week long festival is the largest gathering showcasing the unique cultures of the region.  Christine Calvo, the First Lady of Guam, said there will be a lot for everyone to learn in the festival. 

CHRISTINE CALVO:  The theme of this year's FestPac pac is so fitting. Hafa Iyo-ta, Hafa Guinaha-ta, Hafa Ta Patte, Dinanña' Sunidu Siha Giya Pasifiku. What We Own, What We Have, What We Share, United Voices of the Pacific. During Fest Pac, all of our voices will be heard as we express and showcase the stories of the people of the Pacific.

Award winning Director and performer of Samoan descent, Mavaia Nathaniel Lees, is part of New Zealand's delegation of around 100 members and is presenting his performance work called Fale Sa.  He says the best thing about the festival is the opportunity to view work from other creatives across the region.

MAVAIA NATHANIEL LEES:  To meet with people who are at a kind of level that they feel they are representative of their island, is something that I was looking forward to with sharing my ideas as a practitioner who's working in Aotearoa. The excitement of working with people from across the Pacific with an idea is what's brought me here mainly.

Local Gina Kono says it's an exciting time for Guam's local communities.

GINA KONO:  Everybody in Guam is very excited and really want to help out and volunteer and just make the experience wonderful for our local residents as well as the visiting artists. So we're trying to really embrace that and then try to provide the things that they need to feel at home in our island.

The festival is sponsored by the Pacific Community and occurs every four years.  The head of the SPC's delegation, Leituala Kuiniselani Toelupe Tago Elisara, says significant events at the festival include the Pacific Ministers for Culture meeting and a unique cultural forum which will be led by the SPC and UNESCO.

LEITUALA KUINISELANI TOELUPE TAGO ELISARA:  They haven't had this kind of thing before so this will be the first time that they've had a major symposium as part of the festival in addition the Ministerial meeting and the Council meeting.

The festival will run until the 4th of June.