On a warm Friday evening in Anaheim, California, something quietly extraordinary unfolded. Beneath the lights of The Grove of Anaheim, two Pacific powerhouses, Nonosina Polynesia, a legendary Southern California dance group, and Pacific Connection Choir, an acclaimed vocal group from Wellington, New Zealand met in a moment of sincere cultural exchange.
It wasn’t a concert. It wasn’t a competition. It was something deeper, an embrace between oceans, an echo of ancestral wisdom, and a living testament to the strength found in unity.
As the night drew to a close, Mel Liufau, father of Tiana Nonosina Liufau and husband to Riki Nonosina Liufau, offered a quiet yet resonant reflection:
“E so’o le fau i le fau.”
It’s a Samoan proverb, one spoken softly, yet carrying the weight of generations. It means, “Let the vines intertwine.” A single vine alone is fragile, but when woven with others, it becomes strong. It’s a reminder that unity is strength. And in that moment, it was the perfect metaphor for what had just taken place.
A Meeting Across Oceans
The story begins with a journey.
Pacific Connection Choir, formed in 2019 in the Pacific community hub of Porirua, Wellington, is a group of passionate singers bound by faith, heritage, and harmony. In just a few short years, they’ve shattered expectations: in 2022, they earned the highest barbershop score in New Zealand history; in 2023, they represented Aotearoa in Louisville, Kentucky, placing 8th in the world, an unprecedented feat for a Pacific-based choir.
Now, they’re headed to Denver, Colorado in 2025 to represent their nation once again at the Barbershop Harmony Society’s international contest. As part of their preparations and travels, they stopped in Southern California, a place with its own deep Pacific ties.
That’s where Nonosina comes in.
Founded in 1965, Nonosina has become a name synonymous with Polynesian excellence. Rooted in Anaheim and led by the visionary Tiana Nonosina Liufau, the renowned dance group has spent nearly six decades preserving and showcasing the richness of Polynesian culture through music, movement, and disciplined artistry. The name Nonosina carries more than legacy, it carries heart, community, and generations of cultural stewardship.
So when they learned that Pacific Connection would be passing through, there was no hesitation. With open arms and an open heart, they welcomed their brothers and sisters from across the Pacific.
An Evening of Exchange
On Friday June 27, what transpired at The Grove of Anaheim was nothing short of sacred.
The evening began with a warm welcome from Nonosina, who opened the exchange with a live performance, music, drums, song, and the commanding rhythm of their culture flowing through every beat. Their dancers moved with intention and spirit, honoring their ancestors while welcoming their guests.
Then it was Pacific Connection’s turn to respond.
With about 80 members strong, the choir offered a deeply intentional presentation grounded in the Pacific value of gratitude. Their tribute included songs and dances representing Samoa, Māori, Tonga, Niue, Tokelau, Cook Islands, and Fiji, each one a different way of saying “thank you.” Members stepped forward, gifting tokens of appreciation to their hosts, Tiana, Mel, Riki Liufau, and Kayla Fa’amaligi in a moving display of humility, pride, and familial love. The air was thick with emotion, as if the ancestors themselves were sitting among them.
Nonosina children, sat cross-legged at the front of the room, clapping with wonder. Parents lined the walls, phones in hand, capturing a memory that would one day become family legend. Tears welled in eyes. Hugs were exchanged. Cultures were honored.
More than a performance, this was an act of mutual recognition of what it means to show up for each other across time zones, languages, and oceans. For Nonosina, it was about offering a home, a space where Pacific brothers and sisters could land and be loved. For Pacific Connection, it was about honoring the legacy of those who came before, and saying thank you not just with words, but with soul.
“It’s been mind-blowing connecting with our Pacific family and friends here on the other side of the world. We are super grateful, we praise God for creating this space and this event for each and every one of us,” said Erica Tuese, one of the key organizers of this cultural exchange from Pacific Connection. “Thank you Nonosina for the love, the gift, the mana that you have given us, we hope we have returned the favor back to you guys as well.”
And they did.
On this night in Anaheim, something meaningful took place – quiet, powerful, and deeply felt. For those in the room, it became a memory they’ll carry. For the children, it planted seeds of pride and purpose. And for the elders, it offered reassurance: our culture is being carried forward with care, heart, and strength.
In the words of the proverb shared that night:
“E so’o le fau i le fau.”
Let the vines intertwine. Let our strength be found in each other.
This wasn’t just a cultural exchange. It was a blueprint for the future of the Pacific, where identity is celebrated, where connection is sacred, and where unity is our greatest inheritance.
A sincere thank you to Kayla Fa’amaligi, Tiana Nonosina Liufau, Mel and Riki Liufau, Erica Tuese, the Pacific Connection board, and both groups for making this beautiful moment possible.
Wishing the Pacific Connection Choir continued success on their journey through the U.S. and as they prepare for Denver 2025. Fa’amalosi, the pride of the Pacific lives on.
Follow @nonosina1965 and @pacific_connection to stay up to date with both groups as they continue to do what they do best, killing it and representing our culture with excellence!
