The World Fireknife Championships at the Polynesian Culture Center in La’ie, Hawaii is becoming a must-see event in the American state’s cultural calendar. LOUISA MOSESE TE'I covered the 15th Annual event this year where the competition was more diverse and fierce than ever.
The lights go out and a young warrior walks to the centre of the stage. His heartbeat accelerates as the pounding of island drums reverberates throughout the amphitheater. Cool Hawaiian trade winds are blowing, but there is an intense heat as the warrior sets his knife alight and begins to twirl, deftly making the flame appear like a ring of fire. He moves the spinning knife around his waist, under his arms, between his legs and tosses it high into the air. Playing with fire never looked so easy.
So begins the 15th Annual World Fireknife Championships at the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) in La’ie, Hawai’i.
Since its inception, the competition has sought to elevate the level of fireknife performance and increase interest. This year, 44 of the best fireknife dancers in the world came from as far as Samoa, Tahiti, Japan, Hong Kong, Guam, the US mainland and Hawai’i .
Pulefano Galea’i, the PCC Director of Cultural Islands initiated this event in 1993 and is astounded by the rising level of competition and number of contestants.
“Fireknife dancing is very exciting because it makes a young man feel like a warrior,” says Galea’i. “It stems from a ceremonial tradition performed by Samoan warriors returning victorious from battle. One warrior would perform the ailao, the twirling of the nifo oti or 'deadly tooth', to intimidate the enemy in a display of strength and power.”
Despite its ancient influences, the Samoan fireknife dance is a relatively modern innovation, incorporating the ancient gestures of the ailao, but developing the modern version by combining the nifo oti with another Samoan weapon, the “lave” or hook. Over the years, youngsters have developed the twirling motions into an art form and stylised the knife by adding a chrome blade and reshaping the hook. Early pioneers increased the complexity of their performances by adding two or even three knives simultaneously to their routines.
In 1946, a young Samoan man entertaining in San Francisco added flaming pads to each end of his nifo oti and the modern fireknife dance was born.
Uluao Letuli, from Nu’u’uli, American Samoa, was inspired by both a Hindu fire eater and a baton twirler. Letuli, who would later become known as Paramount Chief Letuli Olo Misilagi, is widely regarded as the father of the modern day fireknife dance.
His exciting dance was an immediate hit and he went on to perform for many years as well as sharing his skills with all the early fireknife dancers, including his own daughter Malie Letuli, who is "flamebearer" of her father's gift and a regular judge at the World Fireknife Champs.
The current generation of fireknife dancers now incorporate elements of gymnastics, martial arts and juggling to increase difficulty – this isn’t your grandfather’s fireknife routine!
Starting a new tradition, the 2007 event added even more variety by introducing a duets competition involving a synchronized flaming knife act as well as a female category.
The duet category offered twice as much fire, twice as much risk and twice the excitement for the performers and the audience. The inaugural winners of the category are no strangers to winning at this competition. 15-year-old Viavia Tiumalu was the 2006 Junior champion and 17-year-old Mikaele Oloa has won the Master’s division for the past two years. The cousins hail from Orlando, Florida and have been dancing with fire since the age of 11. They are both students at Oloa’s father’s fireknife dancing school where they practise four hours a day, seven days a week. They both perform at Universal Studios in Orlando as well as doing other regular gigs at hotels throughout Florida.
“I think what it takes to be the best is to always believe in yourself,” explains Tiumalu. “Just try to do the best you can every day and if you keep improving and progressing, then you’ll get better,” adds Oloa. “I think it’s our determination and hours of practice,” says Tiumalu. “You know, we’re young guys and we just want to keep going, to keep the tradition going and to stay hungry. We’re always looking for more ways to improve.”
This year’s lone female contestant was not deterred by the fact that no other women entered the competition. Janelle Fejeran, originally from Guam but living in San Diego put on a stunning display for the crowd and the judges, even though she knew she would take the top prize by default.
“It was still intense having the crowd and the judges here,” she remarks after her performance.
“I was really feeling the vibe of the different competitors here to support me. It felt really fulfilling. I was really proud and honoured to perform as the first in the women’s division.”
This year’s winner of the Masters division was Andrew Umi Sexton, originally from Waianae, Hawai’i but now living and performing in Orlando. He is proud to be continuing his family tradition. “My grandfather danced with fire, my father did it and now I’m doing it,” he said after being crowned the world champion and receiving a check for US$4,000 (over NZ$5000) and a ceremonial trophy knife. “I was so excited and pumped to perform in the final. A lot of emotions were running through me while I was onstage but I’ve been doing this for twenty years, since I was three years old and it has taken all my heart and dedication to get here. I did it especially for my family who are all here to support me.”
