www.youtube.com/watch?v=pv00KHpJpdg

Miss Tahiti 2010 (second from right), Luçie Poehere
Hutihuti Wilson of Laie

By Scott Nagata

Luçie Poehere Hutihuti Wilson of Laie, Hawaii, became Miss Tahiti 2010 on June 25 in Papeete. It was the 50th anniversary of the pageant and has gone through many changes since its inception, the latest being last year when the pageant was purchased by investor Narii Faugerat.

Born and raised in Laie on the North Shore of Hawaii, this young woman has had a long history of pageantry, winning countless competitions as a young girl and later claiming titles in Hawaii and Las Vegas. She has been performing at the nearby Polynesian Cultural Center (also one of her main pageant sponsors) for most of her life and recently was the nightly featured soloist at the evening show Ha Breathe of Life. In addition, she belongs to the PCC's promotional team, representing the Center traveling throughout the country and trips to Asia and the South Pacific.

Luçie has excelled in academics and is majoring in International Business at Brigham Young University–Hawaii. She also completed a one-year business internship in Japan and is a 2007 recipient of the Fukunaga Foundation Scholarship. However, most have noticed how much she excels and stands out when she is performing. For example, her most recent Tahitian dance, or Ori Tahiti title was this past March at Heiva I Honolulu where she claimed the overall vahine title.

Lucie's parents, Christian Wilson and Patricia Hutihuti, have been ecstatic and extremely proud of her accomplishments. They have always encouraged her to build upon her abilities and strive to focus on enriching her own life, her family and those close to her.

Her younger sister, Kiana Wilson — an aspiring journalist at Kahuku High School and budding scientist, has spearheaded documenting Luçie's activities and set up a special Facebook page dedicated to keeping friends, relatives, and the media abreast of happenings. She also is a member of the PCC's promotional team. Kiana represented Hawaii in last year's International Science & Engineering Fair in Reno, Nevada, and competed in the Speech & Debate state finals this year for Kahuku High & Intermediate.

Miss Tahiti 2010 Pageant activities have been going on for several months, including preliminary pageants, interviews, photo shoots and rehearsals in Papeete and the surrounding areas. Twelve finalists competed at the culminating event that took place at Place Toata, the same location where Heiva i Tahiti takes place each year.

Luçie succeeds Puahinano Bonno, Miss Tahiti 2009, and will next represent Tahiti and French Polynesia at the Miss France 2011 competition in December. Tehani Hautea Maono of Moorea, was awarded first runner up, and Mehetia Hsiao, also of Moorea, was second runner up. The Miss Heiva 2010 title went to Poerani Taiarui, of Hiva Oa in the Marquesas.

[AUTHOR'S NOTE: As a sponsor and extended family, Black Pearl Designs would like to congratulate Luçie (Poehere). As a featured model for us through the years, we've watched her grow into a beautiful, confident young women and wish her only the best.]

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Scott is a former resident of Laie and Polynesian Cultural Center alumnus.]

— Photos courtesy of RFO Radio

May Night queen Amber Anuhea Ah Sue and king Pololu Silva, and their court, received lei from proud parents, performed their respective hula and presided over the proceedings, while "Da Bruddahs" comic duo provided emcee antics and commentary that cracked up the audience. In short, it was a fun and entertaining evening:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQZ5ZMrBpeo

If you cannot see the video window above in your web browser,
please click on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQZ5ZMrBpeo

Five other groups took the PCC stage on Kahuku High's May Night evening, including:

Hawaii

www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwK0xNmHA8c

If you cannot see the video window above in your web browser,
please click on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwK0xNmHA8c

 Tonga

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmrsJzRZvdQ

If you cannot see the video window above, please click on
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmrsJzRZvdQ

Fiji

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQM1J_xEfaE

If you can't see the video window above, please click on
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQM1J_xEfaE

Tahiti

www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9IKHp0jW2c

If you can't see the video window above, please go to
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9IKHp0jW2c

Maori

www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZ2AHAxjIYo

If you can't see a video window above, please click on
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZ2AHAxjIYo

— Videos by Mike Foley

Other 2010 special events at the PCC include:

•  May 13-15, 2010, Samoa Festival: 18th annual World Fireknife Championship and Samoan Cultural High School Arts Festival
• July 10, 2010, Tamarii Tahitian Fete: The 10th annual Te Mahana Hiroa o Tahiti children's Tahitian dance competition.
• August 2010, Te Manahua Maori Festival: Celebrating traditional Maori song and dance.
• October 2010, Haunted Lagoon: The third annual Haunted Lagoon will be even better than 2009's spectacular event.

The upcoming Moanikeala Hula Festival honors the Polynesian Cultural Center's first kumu hula, Aunty Sally Wood Naluai. It has evolved from a keiki hula competition into an exhibition of hula which draws schools from throughout Hawaii and Japan.

For more information on this and the other PCC special events, go to http://www.polynesia.com, or call 808-293-3333.

From November 16 to December 31, 2009, kamaaina with a valid Hawaii ID can purchase tickets to the PCC's new  night show, Hä: Breath of Life, for $25 and eat at The Gateway dinner buffet for free.

"The Kamaaina Holiday Special is our way of saying thanks to all the kamaaina that have supported us over the years," said Ray Magalei of Laie, PCC Director of Marketing. "With the recent launch of Hä: Breath of Life, now is a great time for Hawaii residents to rediscover the Polynesian Cultural Center. We encourage kamaaina to spend the evening at PCC with their ohana to experience our new evening show, and dine with us for free."

Hä: Breath of Life debuted to a standing ovation in the redesigned Pacific Theater this past summer and has been receiving rave reviews from locals and visitors alike ever since.

The PCC's Kamaaina Holiday Special offer is limited to only one ticket per ID, per day, and the discount cannot be combined with any other specials or offers. For more information, on Oahu call 293-333, from the neighbor islands or U.S. mainland call tollfree 1-800-367-7060, or go to the PCC's web site at www.polynesia.com.

That night the PCC invited media, travel industry people and about 200 school children to an updated version of last year's successful Halloween-island-style event…and based on initial reaction, within moments of leaving the canoe landing, everyone was nervously looking over their shoulders, wondering where the next fright was coming from. In fact, the anxiety level held up right to the end of the approximately 25-30-minute ride, with everybody half-expecting one more scare right up to the moment the canoe docked.

Some of the lucky school kids who previewed the PCC's
Haunted Lagoon 2009

For example, the lady sitting next to me — who I didn't know — involuntarily grabbed my arm a couple of times during several particularly scary moments. Of course, there was lots of screaming from every canoe…marked by moments of tense anticipation in between eerie tableaus and unnerving encounters in the dark of the Center's lagoon.

For me, it was a fantastic experience; but starting October 2, everyone can decide for themselves…

Every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday
throughout October 2009: 6:30 – 9 p.m.
http://www.hauntedlagoon.com for more info

She's back: Haunted Lagoon 2009 is themed around the story of the Laie Lady, whose ghost appears a number of times: Without giving too much away, think of the frightening, jerky apparition in The Ring, flavored with a good dose of old Vincent Price horror movie effects — as well as some modern updates, such as a chain-saw incident and some 10-foot-tall monsters…plus, "she's not alone," said PCC events specialist and imagineer William Mahoni of Laie, a Tongan-Maori artist originally from New Zealand.

"We've taken the Laie Lady, who we found was the most feared character from last year's Haunted Lagoon, and built this year's entire event around her," he said. Our creative team came up with a story — the 'Legend of the Laie Lady' — to bring all the characters into play."

In that story which starts over 200 years ago, Mahoni explained, the family of a young Hawaiian woman, Nalani, who fell in love with a visiting sailor, beats the man severely. The couple flees to Laie where Nalani discovers she is pregnant and the sailor soon dies from his injuries. She plants a special coconut tree by the side of a river to mark his grave. After her son is born, she becomes very reclusive, and one day her son goes missing, leaving only toys near the riverbanks. Over the ensuing years, Nalani becomes even more eccentric, wandering the riverbank and calling out for her family.

"As you enter the lagoon on the ride, you're trespassing on her search for the little boy," Mahoni continued. "The twisting shape of the kapakahi coconut tree symbolically represents her difficult life; and this legend gives us the opportunity to bring in additional creatures. We're also really excited to use animatronics for three of them as well as three puppets that tower at least 9-11 feet in height. They're incredible."

"These new characters will go along with the others from last year, which have been tweaked, plus we also have additional sound and lighting effects this year. All these together will make this year's event one of the most incredible haunted experiences in the country."

As you might expect, such preparations have been going on for some time, with hundreds of volunteers from BYU–Hawaii and the community participating.

"Last year we did the Haunted Lagoon for one week, and we didn't expect the outstanding response we got from the community," said Raymond Magalei, PCC Director of Marketing. "Since then, everybody had been telling us how much fun they had and asking us if we're going to do it again. Our Haunted Lagoon ride is something you can't get anywhere else, so we've extended it for a longer period of time."

Magalei pointed out that:

• The cost for kamaaina [with Hawaii ID] is $15 for adults (ages 16-and-up), $10 for children (5-15) for each trip.
• The cost for non-kamaaina is $25 per ride.
• "All PCC Kamaaina Annual Pass members [with Hawaii ID] can get one free Haunted Lagoon trip per night." Subsequent rides on the same night are charged at the regular kamaaina rate.
• The PCC and Pepsi are co-sponsoring a "Pepsi's Haunted Wednesdays": "It's $5 off if you bring a Pepsi can," Magalei said.
• The PCC also has "special offer" Haunted Lagoon promotions with key partners, including 7-Eleven Stores, Pepsi, 76 Stations and Price Busters.
• Those who don't want to wait in line can purchase a kamaaina "fast pass" upgrade: $30 for adults, $20 for kids.

"With the amount of people we expect, we're planning for as many as 70 canoe rides a night and looking at having over 100 people involved in the lagoon area, not including the canoe pushers and other support staff," Mahoni said.

"There are a lot of great things we do every year, but the Haunted Lagoon is definitely one that everybody's looking forward to. If you don't come, you'll regret missing out on a special experience. It's one you'll not see in any other location in Hawaii."

"This hana hou [reprise] of last year's surprise success in family-oriented entertainment is a great community event, and we love doing this type of thing," Magalei agreed. "A lot of kamaaina have not been here since their fourth grade field trip, so for them to come back is a great experience; and it's wonderful for us to have so many of our community members together, having a good time with us. It's going to be fun…and ultra-scary."

As for me, I give the whole experience two thumbs up: It was terrific. One hint: You might get a little wet; and finally, I definitely had a feeling that I should go again, because I couldn't possibly see everything in just one ride.

— By Mike Foley

When the evening was over, a panel of judges selected nine semifinalists who will compete for three top spots tonight, May 15. The nine semifinalists are:

•  Jeurell Lavata'i, Pago Pago, American Samoa
• Dana Teai, Faaa, Tahiti
• Pati Levasa, who previously won the event four times, from Samoa by way of the Hong Kong Disneyland where he's currently performing
• Brandon "Fue" Maneafaiga, Waianae, Oahu
• Joseph Cadousteau, Papeete, Tahiti
• Mikaele Oloa, formerly of Orlando, Florida, and now living in Waialua, Oahu, who several years ago as a 15-year-old junior jumped into the senior division and won the next two world championship titles
• Lopeti Tu'ua, Lahina, Maui
• Viavia "VJ" Tiumalu Jr., from Orlando, Florida, and the 2008 world champion, who followed Oloa's lead by jumping his age group into the senior competition
• Chesrveigh "Jessie" Usiel, a Pohnpeian who lives in Harmon, Guam

Congratulations to all of them. Photos of them can be found on my blog at:
http://nanilaie.info/?p=362

More information on them can be found at:
http://www.polynesia.com/fireknife/competitors.html

Also, check out the PCC's new special events blog, including videos of all the competitors at http://polynesia.com/blog

Before the preview began, PCC Director of Cultural Presentations Delsa Moe said that starting "about a year-and-a-half ago we experimented with some new things to see what our audience might like, to give us an indication of what kind of new night show we should create for our guests. We also wanted to see the acceptance level of our guests when it came to a mixture of contemporary Polynesian as well as traditional art. So, at that time we created a new overture and finalé."

She noted the new night show will see several staging and lighting effects put into place — such as large tapa cloth sails that drop from the top of the amphitheater and act as a screen for projected animation and narration between sections. Likewise, the stage itself has been modified: Two rows of seats have been removed so the stage appears more like an island, complete with a sandy beach.

"Ha, the Breath of Life" also contains a dramatic story line with universal appeal that runs through the sections. For example through song, dance and enactments during the preview:

• The Samoans portrayed the mutual attraction of a young man and woman.
• The Tahitians celebrated their marriage [pictured at right].
• And the Fijians experienced the birth of their child as well as the death of a family member [pictured below] during an attack by enemies.

Moe said story-line elements that might occur in the other night show sections include the Tongans accepting a shipwrecked couple into their community, the Hawaiians celebrating their first-year baby luau, and the Maoris teaching their customs to the youth.

Before the performers came on stage, Moe reminded the audience, "Please remember, this is still a work in progress. We've got a long ways to go, but we hope you'll appreciate our efforts."

And the audience did. A lot. It was great!

Afterward, PCC President & CEO Von D. Orgill said "it was fun to see the celebrations of life" and thanked the cast for their "tremendous amount of work. I always thought we would get to a point where everybody would feel so excited about the new night show, and we're looking forward to the time when we can officially announce it to the outside world." However, he added that the Center's board of directors must first approve that date.

"We've already put together a marketing plan that will work with this in a very effective way," Orgill continued. "The key is, because of the constraints in the economy right now, we're trying to be very careful with all of the financial resources that we have. It's important for the board of directors to feel this is the most effective, highest-leverage way we can use those resources to move forward."

If PCC Chairman of the Board Mark Willes response was indicative, that approval shouldn't be long in coming. He joked that for 15 years he has left the night show "totally depressed that I don't have a body like the young men I see dancing. But also every time we come, we look at your faces, and we love you. We not only see the energy and enthusiasm you have, we also see the spirit you have inside."

After praising the existing night show, Willes explained putting on a new night show "is designed to help people have another reason to come back to the Center, again and again." And thanking the cast for the "extra time and effort, after tonight I can see that every bit of it has been worthwhile. It's going to be a spectacular show."

As the cast cleared the stage, PCC senior manager Ellen Gay Dela Rosa also said, "Getting to this point with the second half of the new night show is a miracle," and she explained that rehearsals for the next six months would focus on the first half. "There's still a lot of work to be done."

— Story and Photos by PCC alumnus Mike Foley