Heiva I Honolulu 2008 date announcement

Black Pearl Designs is privileged to announce the event dates for Tahiti Nui International's Heiva I Honolulu 2008. The event will take place March 19-21, 2008 (Event organizers moved event dates to March 13-15, 2008, consult official site or view our updated calendar for the latest information. Dates and details are subject to change according to individual event organizations) at the Waikiki Shell. Event co-director, Rose Perreira, announced the dates after returning from Japan from Heiva I Honolulu's sister event - Heiva I Japan. TNI also produces the Heiva I Tahiti International in Papeete, Tahiti.

Details and information will be forthcoming. Check the official site for upcoming updates, applications, travel & accommodation packages and vendor information.

International Heiva photos

Here's a new gallery of photos from the International Heiva held this past July. The event was organized by Tahiti Nui International who also puts on the annual Heiva I Honolulu. Event organizers Raymond Mariteragi and Rose Perreira created this new event to take place in Tahiti to showcase and expose groups and dancers from the USA and other areas, to the cultural origins of Ori Tahiti. This event took place in the same venues as the original Heiva I Tahiti.

Plans are already being considered for an event for next year.

New Flickr Gallery

Heiva International

The Minister for the Culture and the Craft industry, Natacha Taurua, announced the opening of Heiva International this past week. She was accompanied by the Health minister, Jules Ienfa, and the president of the CESC, Patrick Galenon. The gathering at Sygogne Beach included 12 groups from the US mainland, Hawaii and Japan. Monday's opening ceremonies included a traditional kava ceremony and performances of song and dance by local groups. Minister Taurua thanked event organizers for the opportunity to share the Tahitian culture with so many outside of Tahiti. The event comes at the closing of Heiva I Tahiti 2007, which celebrated its 125th anniversary.

Tuesday saw participants taking part in a traditional ceremony at the Nuutere marae in Vairao. It was an opportunity to take in the rich cultural history and origin of Tahitian dance. Exhibition performances by visiting dance groups took place later that evening in a vibrant revue.

The event was organized by the Tahiti Nui International organization based in Hawaii. Tahiti Nui International has produced the Heiva I Honolulu competitions for the past 7 years. This years event was postponed due to organizers putting all their efforts into this event.

Participating groups include:
Nonosina (Los Angeles - California); Nemenzo (San Francisco - California); Tamalii (San Francisco - California); Te Poe O Patitifa (Stockton - California); Kananu (Salt Lake City - Utah); Here Tama Nui (Honolulu - Hawaii).
Japan: Tiare Heipua (Ishikawa); Mehana O Kala (Tokyo); Kalokemelemele (Tokyo).

Exhibition groups:
Hitia'a o te ra (Los Angeles) ; Tahiti Toa (Honolulu) ; Te Vai Ura Nui (Honolulu)

The solo competition took place Thursday at "Te Fare Tauhiti Nui" (House of culture, in PAPEETE). Finalists will perform Friday at To'ata Place PAPEETE. "The dancers of this event are carrying out a dream coming to Tahiti", expressed Raymond Mariteragi, of Tahiti Nui International.

Bora Bora Heiva photos and more...

The Heiva are in full swing (forgive the pun) in French Polynesia. Although we weren't able to make it down there, there are a few US groups who have made the trip. Nonosina, out of Anaheim, California is participating in the Heiva I Tahiti International in Papeete. Nonosina is one of the larger Tahitian dance groups based in the US.

Galleries are starting to show up on the web, most notably, flickr. Check out some of the photos from the Bora Bora Heiva, the International Heiva and a few of the others that are occurring throughout French Polynesia.

Galleries
» Nonosina
» Bora Bora Heiva
» Heiva I Tahiti » Papeete - Papeete II