I had the pleasure to attend the annual recital fundraiser for Tupulaga today.  Tupulaga is a Polynesian dance team based in Los Angeles, California.   The group was founded in 1990 with 10 members who practiced in a garage in Carson.  The group currently has a group of 25 dancers and musicians who participate regularly in community activities and cultural festivals.  Tupulaga performs dances from Tahiti, Hawaii, Tonga, Fiji and New Zeland and specializes in dances from Samoa.

This was my second year in attendance and it was fantastic.  (Thank you to Melin and Melani for inviting me)  Tupulaga literally means “generations” in the Samoan language.  It’s is commonly used to describe younger generations.  Tupulaga’s mission is to preserve and perpetuate the Polynesion tradition and culture through dance and music.  They strive to educate their students about their history and ancestry. 

I purchased a Tupulaga CD.  The CD sales go towards supporting the dance team. Most of the songs on this album are songs that they have used in the “Our Voyage through Polynesia” performance.

I encourage you to see for yourself how gifted and dedicated these folks are.  For more information you can contact Dr. & Mrs Kurene Ma’o at tupulaga2003@hotmail.com or your can check out the Tupulaga myspace page.  Send them blessings as they journey to Tahiti this summer!