Maori Village Reopens in Pre-Sunrise Ceremony Ily
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AUGUST 2013 President’s Message: Merry Christmas, Happy New Year First, I want to wish each of our PCC ohana members and special friends a warm Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We’re also delighted we can share the joyous messages of Christmas with our guests at this time of the year by acknowledging the birth of the Savior through our annual Christmas Lagoon production. It’s absolutely delightful, and the best one we’ve done yet. Mahalo nui to all of you and the community volunteers who help us Carvers, community members, senior missionaries and PCC island leaders join with the Maori Village on November 30, 2013, to commemorate the new carvings and reopening of the marae. — PCC photos by Mike Foley make Christmas Lagoon a memo- rable experience for the whole fam- Maori Village reopens in pre-sunrise ceremony ily. Activities like this remind us Before sunrise, in accordance with Maori three houses for use by everyone in a stately that it’s really a wonderful blessing custom, carvers, service missionaries, island procession. to come to work, knowing people representatives, other Maoris from the com- with the same important values munity and special guests waited at the Maori Speeches and songs in Maori followed, surround us. Village gate on November 30 for a special Fitzgerald orating on behalf of the PCC and Foremost among the former, kawanga (house-opening) ceremony to mark Continued on page 2 of course, has been our 50th the reopening of the PCC’s Islands of Aote- Anniversary celebration: Our aroa marae following extensive renovations PCC earns worldwide Golden Jubilee turned out and replacing some of the original carvings. ‘Thea’ Award for excellence to be a wonderful year filled More than 150 people participated in the with fantastic events and ceremony that included Seamus Fitzgerald, The Themed Entertainment Association capped by our reunion cel- PCC Director of Cultural Islands and Maori has awarded its 2014 Thea Award for Out- ebration. Mahalo nui to all Village manager, and his team inviting the standing Achievement to the Polynesian of you who participated guests onto the with chants, followed Cultural Center’s recent revitalization. The and helped make this an marae by the entire group symbolically clearing the annual award, one of only 13 in the world, will unforgettable occasion. be presented during a special awards gala at Disneyland in California on April 5. We also made In this Issue significant progress The Thea Award, considered the entertain- Construction project updates . 3 on improving our ment and attraction industry’s highest honor, facilities with the Reorganizational changes . 4 recognizes excellence in creating outstanding opening of the new Spirit of Aloha award goes to . 6 guest experiences, as recently demonstrated by Continued on page 5 50th Anniversary DVDs on sale . 8 Continued on page 2 DECEMBER 2013 Following that, each of the island repre- installed the original carvings. Maori Village reopens sentatives presented Walker with a cultural gift. In his remarks, PCC President and CEO In addition to Walker’s own Havelock Continued from page 1 North crew, PCC carver Doug Christy — Maori master carver Takaputai “Taka” Mete Alfred Grace, a New Zealand Maori, said the whose father, the late Epanaia “Uncle Barney” Walker, QSM, 79, of Havelock North, New Center is “very grateful to Uncle Taka” for Christy, was also one of the original carvers Zealand, responding. helping embody Elder Matthew Cowley’s vi- sion of a carved house in Laie. — went to New Zealand twice to participate in the project. “It was a fabulous experience,” “We’re also grateful for those who have Christy said. “It brought back lots of memo- gone on before us, and we’re grateful for a new ries and a little bit of a tear to the eye.” day here,” he continued, praising former PCC President Von D. Orgill, “who recognized the Walker explained the new carvings are pat- importance of making sure that we remain terned after those designed by original master true to who we are” in regards to the renewal carver, Hone (John) Taiapa, but include more of the Maori Village. detail. “There just wasn’t time in the schedule before the Center originally opened to include “As requested by Seamus, we agreed to do all of them,” he said. He also noted there this properly and have Uncle Taka come back,” wasn’t enough time in 1963 to hold a kawanga Grace said. “The first time around we were a ceremony, “so this is very special to me and a little rushed, so he made sure everything was historical moment for this marae ” [village]. done spot-on this time. Thank you, Uncle. Thank you, Seamus. You make all the Maori PCC Director of Facilities Dan Briskin people here proud.” reported the Maori Village renovations also include new sidewalks, a much larger version To the Maoris gathered that morning, of the structure where guests learn to play the Grace also said, “I hope this is an experience stic, and new infrastructure. you’ll always remember. You’ll go back to your own marae and your own hapu (clan), but “The project expanded into something big- you’ll always belong to this one, too.” ger than we originally thought,” he said, “but The procession respectfully enters the meeting house. we’re very pleased with the results. What we’re Finally, at the end, everyone enjoyed a kai, getting is almost a brand-new village.” Following the speeches, everyone shared a typical New Zealand breakfast. a hongi — the traditional Maori pressing of While the improvement work was under- noses. Then Fitzgerald presented koha or gifts Much of the way, visitor activities took place in the May to several of the carvers and senior missionar- credit for the Day area and Tongan Village amphitheater . ies who played key roles on the project: A toki new carvings or adze head pendant created from the same goes to Walker. Other project updates piece of Maori greenstone in Hokitika, New Fifty years ago With the end of the Polynesian Cultural Zealand. he was the youngest — Center’s 50th Anniversary year just days away, “All of you who received this are connected and today the construction crews have been focusing their through your work here,” Fitzgerald said in only surviving efforts on other projects: Some are very visible, bestowing the special gifts. He also noted member — of and have required both PCC villagers and volunteer labor missionaries built the PCC’s the eight-man guests to be flexible, while others are behind original Maori Village 50 years ago, “and it’s crew from New the scenes. significant that they helped again on this Zealand who Walker Briskin shared the following run-down on project.” created and some of those projects: and CEO. “We’ve been putting a great deal of The new Market Place Thea Award... energy into revitalizing our guest experiences and facilities to better showcase the diverse “The Center is still waiting to receive our Continued from page 1 cultures and people of Hawaii and the rest of main building permits for the new Market the PCC’s new Hawaiian Journey cinematic Polynesia.” Place,” Briskin said, “but we’ve already got presentation and redesign of the Gateway permission to start on ‘deep underground’ restaurant. A sample of 2014 recipients include Gar- utilities, such as sewer connections for the dens by the Bay in Singapore and new bathrooms, while we wait for the rest of “It’s a tremendous honor to win the Thea The Song of performance at Universal Studios the permits to be approved. That could happen Award and see the Polynesian Cultural Center An Angel Japan. Other recent recipients include the any day.” placed alongside some of the biggest names Aulani Disney Resort in Ko Olina, Oahu; and in the global entertainment and attractions “The Making of Harry Potter,” Warner Bros. He explained that soon after the 50th industry,” said Alfred Grace, PCC President London, England, studio tour. Continued on page 3 IMUA POLENISIA Momentum picks up on other PCC renovations Anniversary celebration in September, the that elevates it — is nearing completion. Pacific Theater bathrooms were demolished and temporary portable facilities installed. “This means that all of the concrete we temporarily poured on the village malae [com- Eric Workman, PCC Executive Vice mon area] o accommodate the Island Feast President of Sales, Marketing and Develop- while the Hale Aloha was closed, has been ment, explained that the new Market Place removed. We are in the process of relandscap- Near-future projects plans call for four buildings to be constructed ing the area, and it’s going to look beautiful.” makai [seaward] of the Pacific Theater. “We’ve Maintenance Building: “We’re going to Islands Office already had meetings with potential tenants, be doing a lot of painting and other work on and we’re beginning to take applications from Briskin said that after the PCC receives the the building,” Briskin said, “including ‘repro- others who would be interested in being a part appropriate permits, the existing Islands Of- gramming’ it to make better use of the existing of the activities in that area.” fice — between Samoa and Aotearoa — will space to accommodate the warehouse needs of the new Market Place.” “One of the Center’s overall objectives is to be demolished. “We plan to rebuild it about 15 feet [inland] of its current location on help the community, and the interest level has mauka Pacific Theater: He added that early the service road. While construction is going been high,” he said. next year the PCC will begin repair work on on,” he said, “the Islands Office will temporar- “the mountain.