4/4 Pacific Music + Arts Volume 2:2 Oct 2017 | Page 7

Writer: P. Togi-Sa'ena
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vodafone
PAcific MUsic
The 2017 Vodafone Paciϐic Music Awards were held on Thursday 1 June, at the
Vodafone Events Centre. This is our time to reϐlect and continue the celebration of
the 2017 Vodafone Paciϐic Music Awards, where we can celebrate our ϐinalists, our
winners and our heartbeat of the awards ceremony, which are the live performances.
The Paciϐic Music Awards Trust want to thank every individual who took the stage,
who contributed to the night, the crew who worked on the show, the family of sponsors
and funders; and everyone who shared our celebration of Paciϐic music.
Awards
possible – warming all of our hearts. The vocalists and
The theme for the awards was:
"Nurturing the growth of our young shoots,
we tell our own stories,
we sing our own songs."
dancers were outstanding and it was also their level
of talent that astonished the audience before them.
We were told that seeing our young ones perform,
generated this immense sense of pride in who we are
The feedback from our audience this year was excellent as Paci ic people – and that the young performers
and so many shared that this was the “best awards represented all of our Paci ic communties, but also gave
night ever”. Since that night, there has been so much us the sense of the future, the possibilities of what may
love and positive feedback and responses from those come and the amazing foundation and depth of talent
that were in the room and our audience that shared the that we have. It was certainly emotional – from the
show through the live streaming. The awards were able opening note to inal drum beat – with hearts bursting
to connect our people and allow us to come together and tears in so many eyes throughout the room - the
for this moment in time, to focus on the positive and night certainly started off like it had never had before.
celebrate our amazing Paci ic music family.
From that start, the night could only build from there
This year there was an extremely special opening and continue to be an amazing Paci ic celebration. The
performance, paying tribute to Opetaia Foa’i and awards ceremony was hosted by the MC duo of Yolande
the music from the Disney ilm ‘Moana’. This was Ah Chong and John Pulu. With nine outstanding live
performed by SUPA, Saintz Up Performing Arts, with performances and 16 award presentations – the evening
about 120 performers aged from 3 – 18 years of age. was a jam packed celebration of Paci ic music – a night
They performed on stage, in the aisles – in every space like no other!
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