(RAʻIĀTEA, FRENCH POLYNESIA)- On Day 3 of the annual Raromataʻi Festival on Raʻiātea Island in French Polynesia, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) Board of Trustees led by Chairperson Kaialiʻi Kahele andKamehameha Schools (KS) led by Dr. Randie Fong hosted an afternoon event, “Celebration of Hawaiian Culture,” at the ʻApatoʻā Beach & Garden Village in the district of Fe Tuna.
A brief opening protocol with mele, pule and a welcome by Dr. Larry Kimura ushered in a festive atmosphere as guests were welcomed to relax to kanikapila style music provided by OHA trustees Kahele, Vice Chair Keoni Souza, Chair Emerita Carmen “Hulu” Lindsey, Fong, and Uncle Danny Akaka accompanied by impromptu hula.
The celebration also included a variety of workshops offered by Hawaiian cultural practitioners such as Traditional Hawaiian Chant and Dance by Dr. Kalena Silva and Dr. Kekoa Harman; Traditional Drum-making Techniques by Loea Kanaʻe Keawe; Hawaiian Language Revival and Comparisons with Tahitian Language by Dr. Larry Kimura and Pelehonuamea Harman; Traditional Feather Lei-making and Hair Adornments by Kilinahe Coleman; and Background and Use in Ceremony and Social Engagements by Lāiana Kanoa-Wong.
“For the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, engaging in international affairs across Moananuiākea is not just diplomacy – it is the restoration of ancestral pilina,” said OHA CEO/Ka Pouhana Stacy Kealohalani Ferreira. “Hosting today’s cultural exchange at ‘Apato’ā Beach & Garden Village affirms that the ties between Hawaiʻi, Raʻiātea, Rapa Nui, Aotearoa and all our Pacific cousins remains unbroken. Through chant, language, and hana noʻeau shared by our esteemed practitioners, we honor that sacred bond.”
The relationship between OHA, Kamehameha, and Raʻiātea follows the signing of a Cultural Heritage, Education, and Community Exchange Agreement between Raʻiātea and Hawaiʻi in January 2025. The agreement underscores a shared commitment to friendship, cultural preservation and mutual understanding and support.
“Today at ʻApatoʻā, we didn’t just bring our leaders—we brought the future, the next generation. We didn’t just share performances; we shared our soul,” said OHA Board of Trustees Chairperson Kaialiʻi Kahele. “Through ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, hula, and ceremonial protocol, we reawakened cultural pride, reaffirmed identity, and deepened our intimate connection to place. These are not just traditions—they are our inheritance, and our gift to our beloved cousins here in Raʻiatea.”
