Other PCC, community news

PFHoF players at PCC: The Polynesian Cultural Center welcomed its Class of 2016 inductees into the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame during special induction ceremonies on Saturday, January 30 with:

• Greetings at the PFHoF gallery near the PCC’s front entrance at 10:30 a.m.
• An enshrinement ceremony reception in The Gateway at 11 a.m.
• The enshrinement ceremony in the Hawaiian Journey Theater at 12 noon.
• An autograph session outside the theater at 1:30 p.m.
• A special inductee canoe parade at 2 p.m.

The player inductees are:

• Charles “Charlie” Teetai Ane Jr. (Samoan).
• Rockne Crowningburg Freitas (Hawaiian).
• Troy Polamalu (Samoan).
• Vai Sikahema (Tongan).

The contributor inductee is:

• Albert “Al” Lolotai (Samoan).

The Polynesian College Football Player of the Year:

• Ronnie Stanley (Tongan, Notre Dame OL)

The inaugural Polynesian Professional Player of the Year (still active) goes to:

• Mike Iupati (Samoan), Arizona Cardinals OL: The 6-5 330-pound American Samoa native played for the University of Idaho before being drafted by the Cardinals six years ago. He has been selected to the NFL Pro Bowl four times.

Other current player of the year finalists for 2016 included QB Marcus Mariota (Tennessee Titans), LB Rey Maualuga (Cincinnati Bengals), LB Koa Mis (Miami Dolphins) and LB Manti Te’o (San Diego Chargers).

This year’s attendance was the largest ever with every event sold out. Tickets included the PFHoF enshrinement reception (includes pupu), ceremony, autograph sessions; and admission to the PCC’s villages and other afternoon acivities.

To purchase tickets or sponsorships for next year, go to www.PolynesianFootballHOF.org; visit www.polynesia.com; or call 808-293-3333.

Hukilau Marketplace hosts New Year’s Eve blast: Hundreds of people thronged the Polynesian Cultural Center’s Hukilau Marketplace on December 31, 2015, to bring in the new year with an unusual Fireknife Street Battle followed by a New Year’s Eve dance.

Those of you who have celebrated New Year’s in the islands know it’s we do it up with a bang, and being at the Marketplace seemed to make it all the more special: The food was great, the fireknife dancers were outrageous, while the music and dance were, as we say around here, too good. Hope you can join us next year.

Story and images by Mike Foley

Mike Foley, who has worked off-and-on

at the Polynesian Cultural Center since

1968,  has been a full-time freelance

writer and digital media specialist since

2002, and had a long career in marketing

communications and PR before that. He

learned to speak fluent Samoan as a

Mormon missionary before moving to Laie

in 1967 — still does, and he has traveled

extensively over the years throughout

Polynesia and other Pacific islands. Foley

is mostly retired now, but continues to

contribute to various PCC and other media.