Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 6, Number 2, 1 February 1989 — 1989 Keiki Tahiti Fete At BYU-Laie On March 4 [ARTICLE]

1989 Keiki Tahiti Fete At BYU-Laie On March 4

The Kalihi-Palama Culture and Arts Society, ine. will be hosting the fourth annual Keiki Tahiti Fete on Saturday, March 4, at the Brigham Young University-Hawaii Cannon Activities Center in Laie. The festivities will begin at 10 a.m. with artisan displays of Tahitian handicraft, Tahitian music to weleome guests and a ceremonial opening observing customary Tahitian protocol whieh will be eonducted by representatives of Laie's Tahitian eommunity.

Highlighting the festival will be a young people's Tahitian dance competition featuring talented youngsters 5-12 years of age colorfully attired in traditional costume and sharing their accomplishments in the art of 'ote'a, aparima himene and the ori Tahiti stylings of native Tahitian dances. The upcoming Fete promises a showcase of some of the finest keiki Tahitian dancers representing such well-known Polynesian dance academies in Hawai'i as Patricia Wilson and Lueie Fonoimoana's Moemoea Production's "Te Here No Patitifa," Rene Tetuanui's "Tamarii Tiare Tahiti" from Laie, Kapu Alquiza's "Atooi Marama" from the island of Kaua'i, Dennis Kia and Denise Ramento's "Aloha Pumehana O Polynesia" of Waipahu, Shona Lam Ho's "Ho'omaika'i Hula Studio" from Kaneohe and a host of others.

Also participating in the program will be some of the top professional show groups in Hawai'i performing an entertainment extravaganza in eelebration of Tahitian culture, music and dance. In sponsoring this event, the Kalihi-Palama Culture and Arts Society, ine. hopes to encourage island youngsters to develop an appreciation of Hawaii's affinity with the peoples of Tahiti and to enjoy this affiliation as expressed through the universal languages of music and dance.

Any halau, studio, club or other organization interested in entering their keiki in the dance eompetition may obtain information and an applieahon by calling the Society at 521-6905. Advance sale tickets are available for purchase at $4 per person at the Society's office located at 357 N. King Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96817. Tickets purchased on the day of the event will be $5 per person.