Rasigatale’s US adventure

Culture

FIJ I cultural expert and entertainer Manoa Kasigatale can claim some credit or urmg tourists into f iji with his special brand of entertainment.

And after 21 years in the business, Manoa has struck his first big break with a shot at cracking the United States market. Manoa’s story began in the 19705, when after a career in journalism and a dab in the music industry, he decided to give it a go with cultural entertainment. Thus, the Dance Theatre of Fiji was born With a troupe of Fijian dancers, and more recently firewalkers from the island of Beqa, Manoa has performed for both tourists and locals at his Pacific Harbour location, a 30-minute drive from Fiji’s capital, Suva. Manoa then moved into the big time with a cultural exchange scheme with the Polynesian Cultural Centre in November last year.

Under the scheme, Manoa and his 15-member team were invited to stage a two-week show at the end of last November Hawaii. He said because the first show was an overwhelming success, they were invited to perform there again for three weeks in July this year.

“We returned to Hawaii for a threeweek show in July because of public demand and they want us back in February next year.”

Fie said the Polynesian Cultural Centre was expecting a bigger audience with the Fiji shows. “Hawaii is the gateway to the United States and several organisations on the US mainland have made approaches for shows in the US,"

Manoa said. f . . . iNot bad . or someone Wlth such humble beginnings in 1972. During the brst week of July next year, Manoa and his team are expected to give shows at a festival in Las Vegas which is expected to draw some 168,000 people. He has also been asked }° g ive shows at Sea World California. It is estimated that 40 million people pass through Seas \\ orld every year. Norway next July and Spain are al so on the agenda for next year.

Manoa is the first to admit that one of hls mam attra cdons are his firewalkers.

“The Dance Theatre has been touring 21 Y™' To add ingrediants to thf show ’ 1 brou ght m firewalkers.

“The Americans understand technology but cannot figure out how the firewalkers are walking across white hot

stones.” Manoa has no doubt he has made a substantial contribution to Fiji’s economy via tourism. “We have made a great impact for Fiji’s economy and the dill.Ml * U yg mainland ° UI P rtSCnCt ° n 1 U ‘ '. , , , ICIC wou dbc no c ° j st to the Fiji g ovcriimcilt an v ' c won ( too glad to Uk gOVCrnmcnl and “ Alr Manoa however warned that Fiji had to be prepared to meet the expectations of the Americans as they were “so advanced”, “Service has to be spot-on and person nel in the tourism industry have to be trained for a higher level of presentation, “Tourism is a fragile industry. Like a ceramic pot, it should be held with both hands because if you drop it, it breaks and is very hard to put back together.”

Manoa also believes that culture Sh ° uld bC h f ndl l d Careful !>> “ W e should n ° co P y othe . rs this can lead to , tura S ,™f/ de ' e °P e Wlb see a show Z « confidence in Fiji’s tourism industry, “We certainly have the talent and the people to make the industry even more successful here in Fiji.”

Pictures: BARRY MARKOWITZ

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Pictures: BARRY MARKOWITZ

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