Sāmoa, Host of the 7th Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture
Cover Image: Masthead of Ka Nupepa Elele published on April 9, 1887.
Aloha Nūhou Monday!
This week’s post was contributed by team member, Hilinaʻi Sai-Dudoit. It honors Sāmoa which, in 1996, became the 7th nation to host the Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture, under the theme, “Tala Measina.” The festival was held in Apia.
The Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture is the world’s largest celebration of Indigenous Pacific Islanders, bringing together artists, cultural practitioners, scholars, and officials from member nations of the Pacific Community (SPC).
This traveling festival is held every four years and was first launched by the South Pacific Commission in 1972 to halt the erosion of traditional practices through ongoing cultural exchange. In June of 2024, Hawaiʻi will host the 13th festival on Oʻahu.
Over the coming months, we will honor each of the previous FestPAC hosts with posts featuring those island nations and their connections to Hawaiʻi’s own history.
Image: Hawaiian naval ship, Kaimiloa, in Sāmoa in June–August, 1887. Photo by J. J. Williams per “Paradise of the Pacific,” December 1929. Bishop Museum Archives, SP 204413
Dear Reader,
In an effort to mitigate Western imperialism within Sāmoa, and with the ultimate goal of creating a confederation composed of Oceanic nations, King Kalākaua and King Malietoa Laupepa concluded a treaty on March 21, 1887, in which the former states, “I do hereby freely and voluntarily offer and agree and bind myself to enter into a political confederation with His Majesty Kalakaua, King of the Hawaiian Islands, and I hereby give this solemn pledge that I will conform to whatever measures may hereafter be adopted by His Majesty.”
Though the the intentions of this treaty were never realized, its conclusion marks one of a handful of measures taken in creating a confederation of Oceanic states––the creation of the Royal Order of the Star of Oceania and the arrival of HHMS Kaimiloa to the shores of Apia were among those measures.
Image: King Kalākaua (top deck, center) and crew aboard Hawaiian Navy ship, Kaimiloa; Hawaiʻi. 1887. Bishop Museum Archives, SCB 31099
Image: “KEENA O KO NA AINA E: Kuahaua,” Ka Nupepa Elele, April 9, 1887, p. 3
Image: “TREATIES and CONVENTIONS concluded between the HAWAIIAN KINGDOM and OTHER POWERS since 1825,” pg. 171 (DU Hist Pam, 132).
Image sharing on social media is welcome. For all other uses please contact Archives@BishopMuseum.org
Image: “TREATIES and CONVENTIONS concluded between the HAWAIIAN KINGDOM and OTHER POWERS since 1825,” pg. 172 (DU Hist Pam, 132).
Image sharing on social media is welcome. For all other uses please contact Archives@BishopMuseum.org
Image: “TREATIES and CONVENTIONS concluded between the HAWAIIAN KINGDOM and OTHER POWERS since 1825,” pg. 173 (DU Hist Pam, 132).
Image sharing on social media is welcome. For all other uses please contact Archives@BishopMuseum.org
This post is part of He Aupuni Palapala: Preserving and Digitizing the Hawaiian Language Newspapers, a partnership between Bishop Museum and Awaiaulu with assistance from Kamehameha Schools. Mahalo nui loa to Hawaii Tourism Authority for their support. Learn more about this project here.
