Tafesilafa'i Festival

100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, CA 90802

"E Tu Manu ae le Tu Logologo – Remember! Remember!"
12th Annual Pacific Islander Festival celebrates the art and
culture of Southern California's Samoan and Pacific Islander Communities.

The partnership with the Aquarium of the Pacific, a non-profit 501(c)(3), will make this Festival one of our best ever, as we take a different look at island life in Southern California. The partnership adds a whole new meaning to the expression “sleeping with the fish.” Admission to the Festival is free; participating Youth groups will be given discounted 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.

Tafesilafa’i started in 1997 as a conversation about meaning making in an ethnic community, and it has grown into an inquiry into ways of being in the Urban Pacific Islander communities in Southern California. The Tafesilafa’i 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 commune with others, reaffirming respect for God, self, family, and the greater community.

Tafesilafa’i Festival is divided into Gospel Talent Night, Mr. and Miss Tafesilafa’i Pageant, a Cultural Song & Dance Component and finally a Sacred Song Competition. Between the major events, Island groups will share with you their culture, dances and their way of life. Many events will be in the evening so bring a light sweater or a jacket and come spend a week with us at the Aquarium.

Youth Groups may register through Katrina Hidalgo
by email: katrina@tafesilafai.org
by mail: 655 Cedar Ave Long Beach, CA 90802

Sponsors may advertise through Ron Yates
by email: ron@tafesilafai.org
by phone: (310) 686-7928

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.

VENDOR APPLICATION

PROGRAM ADVERTISING RATES

FESTIVAL ENTRY FORM

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.

SAMOAN LANGUAGE SURVEY