Newsletter

Kiribati

ROYAL CORNWALL SHOW

Glorious weather, large, enthusiastic crowds and wonderful performances by our dancers combined to make the day a huge success. It is true to say that our dancers literally were 'Royal Cornwall Showstoppers' as the audience arena was packed within minutes as our dancers started their programme and the road outside became impassable with crowds stopping to watch the entire performance. Many remained in the audience arena to wait for the second show.

The following message received from The Show Festival of Dance Organiser sums it all up:

'Hello David

I am so pleased you all enjoyed your visit. I was so worried it would not meet your expectations especially with the campsite being so crowded on the Friday night.

Everyone was stunned by your performance, and it was lovely to have so much happiness and so many smiling faces. The Dance Festival was a great success, and there is a lot of enthusiasm now for doing it all again next year. We are optimistic there will be enough funding as we have already received offers of help.

I shall be passing details of PIFE on to some of the dance groups, and it would be great if some of us were able to join you there.

Many, many thanks again for coming to the Dance Festival and giving us all so much enjoyment.

All the best

Pauline

PACIFIC ISLANDS FESTIVAL EUROPE, CORNWALL, UK JULY 19 2008

Friday 18 July and we awoke to low clouds followed shortly by persistent drizzle that, despite the weather forecast, stayed all day. However everyone spent the day in high spirits, as if Pacific Islanders could be any different! Preparations went on with lots of help from all who had arrived. The pig was tucked up warmly in its underground oven and everyone settled down for the night.

Next morning we woke up to a breezy but sunny day and we were blessed with sunshine all day.

At midday we all gathered in the large marquee to be welcomed by the organisers followed a Blessing by Father Robert Draper of St Augustine of Hippo R.C. Church and an Island song.

Then it was time for the feast. The pig was lifted and brought to the dining hall. It was cooked to perfection and surrounded by a wide range of Pacific foods together with Chinese and European dishes all of which were thoroughly enjoyed by everyone.

Back to the main marquee for the dancing and singing. The dancing performance was divided into two parts; an under 18 and adult competition followed by an open session for all who wished to take part.

The winners of the under 18 competition were:

1st place: Silvia Guenther (Kiribati)

2nd Place: Tina Guenther (Kiribati)

3rd place: Stephanie Benze (Papua New Guinea)

Adult section prizes went to:

1st place: Josie Bradbury (Kiribati)

2nd place: Neilima McNaughton (Tuvalu)

3rd place: Catherine Turner (Kiribati)

The trophies were presented by Anna Hoyle of the ECVS who had done so much both to support the MMP Group's application for the Awards for All grant and in steering it to success.

The standards of dances were very high and the performances of all the participants were much appreciated by the audience. Heartfelt thanks are due to the judges from Samoa, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu who had the unenviable task of choosing the winners from the excellent dancers.

After the prizes were presented we were treated to a special performance of 'The Sega', a dance from the Indian Ocean Island of Mauritius performed by Joelle Roussel, a citizen of Mauritius, and supported by Josie Bradbury

The open section brought a great range of dances and song from many solo and group performers that kept us all entertained until the evening.

The day was rounded off with an Island Night disco that kept everyone lively until the early hours. As the evening wore on the second pig was prepared and put into the underground oven ready to be feasted on for the remaining days of the Festival.

On Sunday 20 July a fleet of cars set off in glorious weather to explore other parts of Cornwall, ending up well to the west of the County to gather buckets of mussels from the rocks of a lovely sandy beach by a blue sea and under Pacific-like blue skies.

Thank you to everyone who came from far and near, from Denmark, France, Germany, Holland, Spain, Sweden, Scotland, Wales and all over England, to make the Festival such an enjoyable, happy occasion. Many of our visitors took the opportunity for a stay to visit other parts of Cornwall and the UK and we are sure you will all take away many happy memories of the occasion.

All that remains to say is:

We all look forward to meeting again in 2009 at Vienenburg, Germany from 29 July onwards.