Aloha Friend,

Last week Governor Josh Green convened along with leaders from across Hawaii the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture (FestPAC) 2024, the world’s largest celebration of indigenous Pacific Islanders.

Continuing this week, FestPAC Hawaii 2024 will run from June 6 - 16, with the theme of “Ho’oulu Lāhui: Regenerating Oceania.”

“This festival is about bringing people together from the entire Pacific community,” Governor Green said. “It’s about celebrating the diverse indigenous cultures of the Pacific, and it’s about understanding and healing.”

The opening ceremony last Thursday began with a formal parade of Pacific nations, with the indigenous people of Taiwan performing their traditional dances and presenting a gift to Governor Green — a framed leather carving incorporating elements of the Paiwan culture.

“We have been humbled by your performances and your generosity,” First Lady Jaime Kanani Green said to the delegations attending the opening ceremony. “We have felt your strength, your joy, your spirit, and your pride."

FestPAC was launched in 1972 to help stop the erosion of traditional practices through ongoing cultural exchange, and has since been hosted by different Pacific Island nations on a rotating basis.

The goal of the festival is to strengthen bonds among Pacific Island communities and foster a greater understanding of their distinct cultures, and to bring indigenous Pacific Islanders together to share traditional arts, crafts, music, dance, and oral traditions with the world.

Each nation that hosts FestPAC, including Hawaii this year, takes on the responsibility of organizing the festival and creating a welcoming atmosphere for artists and visitors.

“I’m incredibly proud of Hawaii today,” Governor Green said. “Right now we are sharing the best of our state with our Pacific family and with the world.”

We will continue to keep you updated on exciting cultural events like FestPAC that Josh believes help to promote greater understand and healing.

Mahalo,

Team Green