The largest Pacific arts festival in Hawaii, with a large New Zealand delegation expected, has been postponed until next year.
A series of canoes representing the region's countries arrive in Guam for the opening day of the Festival of the Pacific Arts. Photo: Festival of the Pacific Arts
The much anticipated 13th Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture was set for June this year, but was put on hold due to growing concerns over the Covid-19 outbreak.
What was initially called the South Pacific Arts Festival was started by the Pacific Community (SPC) in 1972 to help stem erosion of traditional cultural practices by sharing and exchanging culture.
It is a traveling festival, hosted every four years by a different Pacific Island nation.
Festival chair Senator J Kalani English said event organizers postponed the 11-day event citing the health and safety of Hawai'i residents and festival participants, but the focus was now on the new date ahead.
"History will be witnessed in Hawai'i in 2021. When our Pacific Island cousins come here, they will experience the welcoming, unifying, life-changing experiences they have graciously shared with our delegations over the decades," he said.
The only other time the event was postponed was in 1984 due to political unrest moving it from New Caledonia to French Polynesia.
The festival will now be held from 18 to 27 June, 2021.
Creative New Zealand said it remained committed to supporting the Aotearoa delegation of more than 100 to still attend next year.
In total, 27 projects representing 65 artists were selected for the Aotearoa delegation.
Among those selected represent a breadth of artforms ranging from customary Māori arts such as uku (clay artistry), taonga pūoro, tā moko, weaving and whakairo, through to contemporary arts practices such as dance, music, visual arts, moving image and sculpture, spoken-word poetry and theatre.
The delegation also includes representatives of Ngā Tūmanako, the 2019 winners of national kapa haka competition, Te Matatini - the winners the year before the festival are invited to be a part of the delegation each festival.