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100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, CA 90802

2013 Tafesilafai Festival
July 28 - August 4, 2013

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2013 SLEEPING WITH THE FISH
KEEPER OF THE FLAME WORKSHOP

“Talitakumi: Heal the World”

17th Annual Tafesilafa’i Festival celebrates the thoughts, art and culture of
California's Pacific Islander Communities

The promise of the 17th Tafesilafa’i is healing.  The task: examining hurtful relationships and allowing them to heal.  The charge is giving your relationships time, space and being to heal.  The week-long celebration starts July 28 and ends August 4, 2013. Admission is FREE and your attendance will afford you a discounted admission to the Aquarium of the Pacific.  Participating youth groups are given tickets to the Aquarium and there will be other fun things to do in Long Beach that week.  Please carpool.  Paid parking is available at nearby parking structures and metered parking at the Marina.  FREE shuttles are available from nearby churches, METRO lines and hotels. Discounted hotel accommodations are available throughout the city.  Last year we recorded over 30,000 visitors during the last 4 days of Tafesilafa’i.

Background:  Tafesilafa’i started in 1997 as a conversation about meaning-making in the Samoan community.  It has now grown into a platform where issues in the Pacific Islander communities in California are examined.  The Festival is an integration of indigenous, cultural, and religious values in ways that accentuate the importance of family, community, and others.  These values are expressed through music, dances, narratives, and rituals. Participants in Tafesilafa’i deepen their faith, hone their talents, and heighten their cultural awareness as they share with others, reaffirming respect for God, family, self and others.

This year’s theme “Talitakumi: Heal the World” underscores the importance of healing relationships to the world.  It affirms the existence of hurtful ones.  It is the realization of this necessary way of being that creates thriving, meaningful and healthy communities.  Many events will be in the evening so bring a light sweater or jacket, bring your friends and come spend a few days with us around the water.

Tafesilafa’i starts Sunday July 28th with family centering. Each family puts on their Sunday “toniga” or uniform and attends service at their place of worship. Uniform is a sign of solidarity and, when found in community, signifies unity in diversity. After centering, each family is encouraged to brunch together or accept a brunch invitation from others. See Tafesilafai Family Sunday Schedule (coming soon).

Monday July 29th is the 24-hour prayer marathon, where prayers, thoughts and petitions, gathered throughout the year, are sounded off and prayed for at each participating place of worship. Many pray for the well-being of the Festival and that it results in healing connections throughout the Pacific Islander Community.  Each prayer warrior signs up for 30-minute prayer sessions at Second Samoan Congregational United Church of Christ.

Tuesday July 30th finds us wrapping up the prayer marathon and candlelight vigil as youth groups put the finishing touches on their dances, songs, performances and cultural sharing.  This year’s leader’s forum will be in the evening at the Second Samoan fellowship hall.  The event is FREE and open to the public but you must let us know you are coming so we can save a seat for you.  This year we are adding a volleyball tournament.

Wednesday July 31st is friend-raising and set-up day at the Aquarium of the Pacific. The tents are raised, the stage is put together, the booths and sinks are hooked up, the “umu” is put in place and the decorations set.

Thursday August 1st the drums start beating around the lunch hour.  After the Aquarium closes, visitors will be treated to authentic island dance performances. Each group puts on authentic island performances in their unique vernacular.  You can purchase authentic island products, experience unique island performances, songs and dances, take part in preparing island cuisines in an above ground "umu" and experience island spirituality.  FireKnife of Samoa is offering the Keeper of the Flame workshop where your kids can learn how to twirl the “nifo ‘oti” and become a Keeper of the Flame.

Friday August 2nd when the sun begins to set, another group of performers take the stage to share their ideas of what it means to be authentic, cathartic and alive. Your children will have the opportunity, to “sleep with the fish” at the Aquarium of the Pacific Friday night.  The necessary enrollment forms are available on line. Download the application here (link to the sleep with the fish application)

On Saturday August 3rd, you will experience island rituals and an “ava” ceremony early Saturday morning.  Dances, songs, talent exhibitions and games follow, or you can walk the beach or take a catamaran out to the bay.  Spend the entire day near the water, retiring to your hotel room exhausted, tanned and relaxed.  The Keepers of the Flame will be performing for the audience.

Finally, Sunday August 4th opens with community centering at 11am followed by a community meal, spiritual dances, performances, songs and praise hymns from the community until late afternoon.  The tempo is very different from other festivals and the sound is uniquely islander, beating to the rhythm of the world’s largest ocean.

FESTIVAL SPONSORS
See's Candies Six Flags Magic Mountain St. Mary Medical Center
Long Beach Playhouse Los Alamitos Race Course Guam Communications Network
Farmers & Merchants Bank Tagaloa-Tulifau Foot and Ankle Center Alen’s Fabric
American Samoa’s Government Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin Los Angeles United Methodist Urban Foundation
The Body Christian Fellowship Te Faufa’a Maohi Tekurio Nui
Downtown Long Beach Knott’s Berry Farm Aquarium Of Pacific
Dominquez Youth    
 

 
 

The festival began in 1997 and attended by over a hundred guests.  Over the years, we have featured many esteemed guest note speakers, who each brought a unique and poignant message to a growing audience.  In 1998, Congressman Eni Faleomavaega shared his experience as a model for the Youth to adopt to an audience of over 500.  Other guest note speakers include 1999-Governor Tauese Sunia, and 2000-Council member Jenny Oropeza.  Council member Bonnie Lowenthal was the guest speaker for 2001, the best attended festival to date with over 6,000 guests, and offered her message of many things that Long Beach has to offer such as the Skyline, Queen Mary and the City Hall.

This year we have a variety of fun-filled activities for 3 exciting days such as Youth Games, cultural pese & lauga exhibition, Mr. & Ms. Tafesilafa'i Pageant, an Ava Ceremony, special performances representing islands from Tahiti, Marshall Islands, Kutturan-Chamoru and of course various Samoan Youth Groups all across Southern California.  If you have wondered of the Samoan community and their beautiful culture, we highly recommend you attend Tafesilafa'i and fulfill your curiosity.

What can we expect from Tafesilafa'i Festival?

The Youth groups participating can expect to come away with 3 senses of affirmation.  The first affirmation pertains to their teamery and preparation.  The second sense of affirmation involves the diversity which exists even within a particular culture. The third sense of affirmation is of their storied heritage.

The spectators can expect to come away with a sense of identification with the Samoan community, but more importantly, a sense of identification with the larger inclusive faith community.

The vendors and sponsors, in addition to economic fulfillment, will have participated in the only faith-based Pacific Islander Festival in Southern California.

All will definitely come away exhausted, tanned and blessed because they have communed with others.   

The Tafesilafa'I Festival offers many benefits for Long Beach, culturally and economically.  The festival brings the Samoan community together for three days every year providing an excellent way of introducing Samoan culture to all people in the City of Long Beach.  Finally, as with all such events there is an economic gain for the community in that the City of Long Beach will realize increased revenue as the event grows in attendance. 



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