Since its inception in 1972, the Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture (FestPAC) continues to be the foundational platform for cultural recovery and revitalisation in the Pacific.

As the indigenous peoples of the Pacific work in their own island nations and prepare to gather for each FestPAC, the region-wide focus on restoration of vital cultural knowledge and practice is a unique and rare time.  

FestPAC is a vital event for safeguarding the diverse cultures of the Pacific region and a celebration of our practitioners and cultural custodians who are the holders of so much of our cultural knowledge. This festival, held every four years, brings together cultural practitioners and custodians from 28 Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs), providing a platform for them to share their cultural practices and advocate for the protection and safeguarding of Pacific cultures.  

The inaugural FestPAC was hosted by Fiji and set the stage for what would become the most significant Pacific cultural gathering in the world. At the time, leaders and cultural custodians from the Pacific region recognised the need for a unified platform to address the loss of cultural practices in the face of colonisation and globalisation.  

Since its establishment, FestPAC continues to be supported by the South Pacific Commission (now the Pacific Community - SPC) to promote and protect the diverse cultural heritage of the Pacific region through regular, large-scale cultural exchanges and celebrations.  

“At FestPAC you will hear of elders and cultural leaders speak of FestPAC as that time and place where we come together as Pacific peoples in a unified voice and movement to celebrate as peoples with generations of integrated relationships, but coming together with one clear objective – to elevate our cultural practitioners and custodians and support them to protect their cultures, their lands and oceans,” said Letila Mitchell, Culture Advisor and FestPAC focal point at SPC.

“As many Pacific nations have gained sovereignty, others continue to struggle to retain their cultural independence, FestPAC offers a safe gathering space where cultural exchange, inter-generational dialogue and a powerful, shared Pacific voice is enabled."

FestPAC has always had a foundational focus on the recovery and revitalisation of endangered heritage arts and cultural practices.

These heritage art forms, and cultural practice are at the foundation of all Pacific cultures and together at FestPAC a revitalised effort to share and exchange knowledge has seen this cultural recovery strengthened.  

"Since its inception, FestPAC has been crucial in providing a platform for Pacific cultural practitioners and custodians to ensure continued practice and sharing of cultural knowledge amidst the challenges of modernisation and globalization,” said Ms. Mutchell.

“It has continuously focused on safeguarding cultural practices, which are integral to the resilience and survival of Pacific communities."

Since the 8th FestPAC in New Caledonia, creative exploration into new storytelling mediums such as film, digital storytelling, fashion, and new visual arts forms, as well as the introduction of live broadcasts and the internet, has continued to elevate the dynamic nature of Pacific cultures.

While heritage practices and cultural knowledge remain at its core, the festival reflects Pacific people's ability to embrace innovation, technology and adapt to its changing environments.  

Subsequent festivals in Palau, American Samoa and Guam have had a unique opportunity to highlight their cultural assets and address pressing cultural safeguarding issues, such as the impacts of climate change on their lands and heritage sites. Each festival emphasises the transmission of knowledge from elders to youth, ensuring that their cultural practices are not lost.  

As FestPAC looks to the future, it aims to continue adapting while staying true to its mission of gathering indigenous Pacific Peoples to celebrate their success and spotlight the exemplars of cultural practice in the region, while dialogue on common challenges faced by these island nations. There is strength found in cultural solidarity and it is a commemoration of resilience, and a testament to the enduring spirit of the Pacific peoples.  

The 13th Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture (FestPAC13) will be hosted by Hawai’i from 6 – 16 June 2024. With the theme of "Ho‘oulu Lāhui: Regenerating Oceania”, permeating throughout programming across the festival.