Island Breeze is an on the road performing arts team, sharing stories through songs, dances and chants of the Pacific Islands and other nations to introduce people to God. Island Breeze travels and performs everywhere they feel led to go from doing presentations in professional settings to school assemblies to church services, festivals, and even retirement homes. Based in Kansas City, Missouri, in the United States, Island Breeze was founded in Samoa in 1979. Island Breeze is an extension from the ministry Youth With A Mission (YWAM).
We were able to have a chat with Island Breeze member/dancer, Silia Matelau of Tongan descent, and dive deeper into her experience with Island Breeze.
Island Breeze is composed of a team with different backgrounds and descents, in which they get to travel all around the world to help be a beacon of light and hope to those in attendance. After a 40 year hiatus of performing in the Pacific Islands, Island Breeze’s team decided it was time to go back home.
In your words what is Island Breeze?
“So many things to Island Breeze, but a big part about Island Breeze is restoring. Whether it’s Island culture or any culture – it’s been twisted over time and we’re going in with what we do, trying to bring that restoration – or sharing with our Polynesian dances we are bringing back the Beauty and the Dignity of our culture because it has been twisted and over sexualized over the years…”
-SILIA MATELAU
Being Tongan, Matelau shares how having a platform to perform in front of other Pacific Islanders and travel all across the Pacific, she was able to witness that restoration, healing, and unity her Aunty Olepa and Uncle Rudy, leaders of Island Breeze IWT (International World Tour), instills in the team.
What was the most notable experience you’ve had so far?
Matelau’s favorite experience so far has been traveling to American Samoa where she met a young Fijian girl who made an impact on her. Matelau reveals with us the lasting impact COVID has had on American Samoa and how the rise of drugs and suicide rates increased post pandemic.
“Uncle Rudy says our main message everywhere we go is we’re called to reach the lost and we don’t ignore the furthest. We visited the furthest Village on the island and I think we drove five hours across the island and met the people of the village – no one usually goes that far especially if it’s like a performing group…”
In American Samoa, her and the Island Breeze team witnessed the normalcy of drug raids and suicide upon the people at such a young age. Upon meeting the young Fijian girl, Matelau felt led to speak to her one night, and in doing so Matelau was able to relate to her with a similar testimony. Both Matelau and the Fjian girl experienced similar stories of losing a twin sister at a very young age, and with the passing of their sibling, it brought a lot of internal shame and guilt upon them. The young girl even considered death upon herself too, but she was pulled back by a force and gentle whisper saying “I don’t want you to die” which Matelau shared that encounter can only be the power of Jesus saving her. Matelau expressed her own struggles with suicide and how God met her and saved her as well. Now, she is able to testify of the Goodness of God saving her through the darkest times, so she can live to express the life God intends for us to have. The young girl and Matelau shared their testimonies, which then led to freedom and restoration of healing through the power of the Gospel and love of Jesus.
Island Breeze, although it is composed of many different ethnicities and nationalities, every member represents themselves and where they come from. Through production and performances, everyone involved is all about every culture being represented with dignity, authenticity, and purpose! At an event, Silia recalled a time where a youth pastor said “I want you to see that most of us here aren’t even from these islands, but we can do this together, we’re one in the body of Christ.” Through the honesty and authenticity of representation Island Breeze has on their team, they’re able to be a voice and a beacon of hope to those who are watching and seeking for it. It doesn’t matter what island we are from, or if we are mixed, or grew up in the diaspora, we are all connected through our ancestry, the ocean, and most importantly one in the body of Christ.
Island Breeze is a non-profit ministry & each member raises their own funds to keep going. If anyone would feel led to support Silia in Island Breeze here’s a link to do so:
Click here to Support Silia Matelau
