MAORI CULTURE TAKES CENTERSTAGE AT THE POLYNESIAN CULTURAL CENTER’S FIFTH ANNUAL WHAKATAETAE COMPETITION

La‘ie, HI – March 10, 2004 – The Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) will be holding the fifth annual Whakataetae Maori Song and Dance Competition on beginning Friday, March 26 through Saturday, March 27. The festivities will feature the Maori culture in a series of activities for young and old, as well as a chance to win a free trip for two to New Zealand on Air New Zealand courtesy of Business and Leisure Holidays.

On Friday, March 26, the competition kicks off at 6:00 p.m. with a Powhiri (gathering of all participants) and continues from 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. with a Korero (speech) competition in the PCC’s Hale Ohana. Saturday begins at 9 a.m. with the group competitions in the Pacific Theater. Attendees at both days’ events can register to win the grand prize trip to New Zealand.

There will be two divisions of the group competition, ages five through 13 will be eligible to compete in the Junior division; anyone 14 years or older will compete in the Senior division. Competition categories will include: Whakaeke (Entrance), Moteatea (Chant), Haka, Poi Balls, and Whakawatea (Exit). The Junior division will also have a special Te Korero (Maori Speech) competition. Monetary gifts will be awarded to each division’s winners.

Judges from both Hawaii and New Zealand will grade the competitors on their skills in singing, dancing, chanting and speaking.

This year’s distinguished panel of judges includes:

• Dr. Timoti Karetu - chairman of Kohanga Reo in New Zealand, chairman of Aotearoa Traditional Maori Performing Arts Festival, former professor at University of Hawaii. He is also the former Inaugural Commissioner of Maori Language (a government assignment), and has written many books and other forms of literature on Maori language and the arts.
• Wetini Mitai-Ngatai - Tutor and leader of Matarae Io Rehu performing group which won the Aotearoa Traditional Maori Performing Arts in 2002; he is also CEO of Mitai Tours in Rotorua, New Zealand, and a cultural specialist and artisan at the Maori Arts & Crafts Center in Rotorua.
• Dr. Rapata Wiri – Professor of Maori Language & Maori performing arts at the University of Hawaii
• Arapata Meha, Marie Nin Paongo, and Marsie Mo‘o – former dancers at the Polynesian Cultural Center, and avid Maori enthusiasts.

Saturday evening closes the competition festivities with a concert by Kontiki, a Tongan-American reggae group that shares is special blend of crossover-reggae with a Polynesian perspective and a positive message celebrating triumph; hope; faith; and endurance in the quest for a better life. The concert starts at 8:00 p.m. in the Hale Ohana. Whakataetae ticket holders get in free with proof of purchase. General admission Kontiki concert tickets are $5.00.

Regular kama‘aina admission to the song and dance competition is $6 for children and $8 for adults with proof of Hawaii residency. Annual Pass holders get in free. General admission tickets start at just $30 for adults and $25 for children. Purchase of a Whakataetae Competition ticket allows for admittance to the Center for the rest of the day and an IMAX™ film, excluding meals and the Horizons night show. For more information or reservations, please call 293-3333 or visit www.Polynesia.com.

Business and Leisure Holidays has specialized in South Pacific Travel for over 12 years, and continues to work with Air New Zealand on unique marketing campaigns throughout Hawaii. This is Business and Leisure Holidays’ first year as a sponsor of the PCC’s annual Whakataetae Maori Song and Dance Competition.

Founded in 1963 as a non-profit organization, the PCC has entertained more than 30 million visitors by preserving and portraying the spirit, culture and people of Polynesia to the rest of the world. More important is the mission of the PCC, which supports the educational mission of Brigham Young University-Hawai‘i and provides an extension of the classroom in a workplace setting. Since its establishment, the PCC has employed more than 12,000 BYU-Hawai‘i students. As a non-profit organization, 100 percent of the PCC’s revenue is used for daily operations and to support the students who earn their tuition, room and board, and books. The PCC also provides significant financial support to elementary and secondary schools and to college students attending institutions of their choice besides BYU-Hawai‘i.