Tagaloataoa Delsa Moe/Event Chair: In Samoan history, there is a very well-known chiefess by the name of Nafanua.

She went out to fight and to defend her family and her village.

She wore a tiputa, a covering that disguised her as being female and she fought some of the best warriors in all of Samoa.

While she was out there in battle, wind came and blew her covering up and revealed that she was a woman.

They were amazed because she fought with such strength and such power.

The Nafanua title today is one of the most powerful chiefly titles there is.

And so it is to her that we pay tribute as we have the Women’s Division of the World Fireknife Championships.

(music) Tagaloataoa Delsa Moe/Event Chair: Historically, the nifo‘oti—or literally translated means the tooth of death—it was a weapon.

It was a war club that had a sharpened tooth at the very end of it.

It was a formidable weapon in ancient Samoan wars because if that hook latched on to you, most times it meant death.

David Galeaʻi/3-Time World Fireknife Champion: The Siva Ailao was performed when they used to come back from war and they would come and meet the chiefs and depict some of the motions and how they would defeat the enemy.

Block.

Strike.

Tagaloataoa Delsa Moe/Event Chair: Through the years with modern influences coming into the islands, it evolved and the wooden shaft was replaced by metal.

That became the new contemporary form of the nifoʻoti that was used now just in dances and ceremonial purposes.

Historic Video Narrator: Historic Golden Gate is the entrance from the Pacific Ocean to the San Francisco Bay.

Matuatoa Steve Laulu/Director of Cultural Islands: In 1946, Chief Olo Letuli, the paramount chief in American Samoa.

He was involved as one of the many entertainers that were at an expo in San Francisco.

Tagaloataoa Delsa Moe/Event Chair: Olo Letuli was doing his nifoʻoti routine there and amazing the world with how he could twirl this knife.

Matuatoa Steve Laulu/Director of Cultural Islands: He saw a girl twirling light bulbs at the end of the stick and he also saw a Hindu man blowing flames out of his mouth and from that he thought to himself, “Well, I can do better than that”.

So, he took the Nifoʻoti and adapted it.

And he simply added material on both ends, balanced it out, soak it in gas, and that’s the birth of fireknife dance.

(music) Matuatoa Steve Laulu/Director of Cultural Islands: You know the Samoans are very serious, and then there’s a part of them that’s kind of casual.

Not kind of.

Very casual.

That’s really a contrast from what it was used originally.

Now it’s used to entertain people, make people happy.

Tagaloataoa Delsa Moe/Event Chair: You know in the 1940s there were a lot of people who said that’s not, that’s not traditional.

But it was exciting.

People liked it.

And now, it is very much a part of Samoan culture.

(People Singing Samoan Hymn) Tagaloataoa Delsa Moe/Event Chair: We at the Polynesian Cultural Center, we try to perpetuate as much of our cultures as we can.

We were trying to find new ways to present the culture and so the idea was, was formed, “why don’t we create these cultural special events”?

And through Pulefano Galea‘i he said let’s host a world fireknife competition.

David Galeaʻi/3-Time World Fireknife Champion: So, you know, the World Fireknife Championship, it started in 1993.

My uncle, Pulefano Galea‘i actually had the idea of creating this competition.

He put everything together: rules, criteria, invited everyone to come and compete.

The first year only had nine competitors and the first champion was Chief Sielu, one of my idols growing up.

I started doing fireknife when I seven or eight.

It was in our family.

It was passed down from generation to generation.

We all were given a stick and we all had to learn the fireknife.

I entered the fireknife competition in 1997.

I was here at the night show as a backup fire knife dancer and ended up coming, uh, first runner up.

And I trained hard and two years from then I ended up winning the first title.

Judge: Okay, you guys ready for the next one, Jeralee?

Tagaloataoa Delsa Moe/Event Chair: Jeralee.

Uh, knife length?

37?

Judge: Her knife length is 35.

Tagaloataoa Delsa Moe/Event Chair: Okay, so zero.

So her measurement is zero for Jeralee Galea‘i.

Tagaloataoa Delsa Moe/Event Chair: The Galea‘i family is a fireknife dynasty.

If you’re born into the Galea‘i family you have no choice, you’re gonna fireknife dance.

Jeri Galeaʻi/2-Time Intermediate World Fireknife Champion The first time I tried actual fire was when I was 10 and I did that at the graveyard with all of my cousins.

It was really fun, just the sound of it, and learning new motions with my cousins.

The environment was—it was just for fun.

David Galeaʻi/3-Time World Fireknife Champion: I’m going to show you how to turn.

Okay, ready?

Go slow, real slow.

I didn’t even have to teach her much to get that basics down.

I saw her spin.

It was a natural spin.

I knew that if I didn’t throw her in the fire and teach her, start training her at the time, then I’m gonna miss out on opportunities.

Jeri Galeaʻi/2-Time Intermediate World Fireknife Champion My dad asked me if I wanted to compete.

So—oh—he didn’t really ask me.

He just put me in.

And I heard him over the phone.

I heard him telling my mom that I was going to compete.

And I came out and was like, “Dad, I don’t want to compete.” I wanted to stick with the fun side more than the competitive, nervous side.

So he let me sit out that year—2011—and I told him I’ll compete next year, I promise.

2012 came.

I had no other choice, I promised him so.

I just went on, I tried to perform to the best and I heard the crowd cheering.

It was just so exciting.

I came off.

My dad was so happy for me.

From there on out, I competed every year.

When I competed, it was only me and my twin cousins.

So we were the only girls.

For me, I felt like people were already counting me out.

I just felt like I haven’t made a name for myself yet.

And that’s what I wanted to do.

Announcer (Steve): Jeralee!

Crowd cheers Jeri Galeaʻi/2-Time Intermediate World Fireknife Champion When I won my first time in my intermediate years, I felt like that allowed me to put my name out there in the fireknife world.

And I just wanted to build more.

I wanted to keep going.

I wanted to keep my name there for everyone to remember.

(sound of fireknife twirling) Jeri Galeaʻi/2-Time Intermediate World Fireknife Champion Every competition I make mistakes.

So I always look back and I see what I can improve on.

Cameraman: You alright?

Jeri Galeaʻi/2-Time Intermediate World Fireknife Champion Yeah!

If I practice junk at home, I will do the same thing on stage.

David Galeaʻi/3-Time World Fireknife Champion: If the flame ends up in your hand or your body, it’s really because you—couldn’t control it.

Because without you it doesn’t do anything it just sits there.

It’s lifeless.

Unless it’s connected to you.

So you need that.

You gotta remember, you’re the one that control it.

So try it again.

All three.

Alright, a couple more times.

There you go.

CLAP David Galeaʻi/3-Time World Fireknife Champion: As she’s grown up, she created the routine herself.

I was just there to point out.

Oh, I think you should put this here; should be a little bit more aggressive on this one.

Jeri Galeaʻi/2-Time Intermediate World Fireknife Champion Everyone has an equal opportunity.

You just have to put your mind to it and see if you're working as hard as others are.

Because there's always someone working harder than you.

I usually like to practice with my dad's knives because his knives are like a little bit heavier.

So when I practice with my one, when I go on stage and do it, it feels lighter.

David Galeaʻi/3-Time World Fireknife Champion: This one usually have—um—sharp end.

Jeri Galeaʻi/2-Time Intermediate World Fireknife Champion I will practice every day at least three times.

So I would do two times throughout my whole routine with practice sticks.

And then my last one I would light it up—usually light it up.

Holy!

Oh wait!

David Galeaʻi/3-Time World Fireknife Champion: She has a natural spin.

So her speed is—even for the boys—it’s a little bit intimidating.

She's faster than me, of course.

I think she's even faster than I was when I was younger.

Jeri Galeaʻi/2-Time Intermediate World Fireknife Champion This is one thing my dad would make us do to practice speed is—um—to keep spinning it until you kill it.

And it’s so tiring.

Oh.

Let me try one more time.

Whooo!

David Galeaʻi/3-Time World Fireknife Champion: If you get your mind strong enough to—to train and practice without distractions.

Block everyone out.

That's the kind of training you need.

That's that line: you get on stage—your mind should be switched on already.

You’re a different person.

Crowd: Talofa!

Judge: Okay.

Welcome to our 27th World Fireknife Championship.

Tagaloataoa Delsa Moe/Event Chair: So we made the decision that we're going to reinstate the women's competition this year and we needed a minimum, you know of six in order to justify holding the event.

So we're glad we have seven.

Tagaloataoa Delsa Moe/Event Chair: For the women's competition this year, you know, we were quite nervous as to whether we were going to have enough to justify a competition.

We ended up with seven very good competitors.

Judge: 33!

Tagaloataoa Delsa Moe/Event Chair: We had three who were Galea‘i’s.

Jeralee, and she had her twin cousins Chandae and Aaliyah Ava, who are Pulefano Galea‘i’s granddaughters.

We had one Moemoana Schwenke from Australia.

She came out wearing the tiputa.

Paying tribute to Nafanua.

Nati Oloa—who is the sister of five-time champion Mikaele Oloa.

We had Maritza from California.

She was a former competitor when we had the women's competition before.

So to know that she’s kept up this sport in California was wonderful.

And then our first ever competitor from Taiwan.

When she competed I was blown away as well as everybody else who was watching, as to how good she was.

Jeri Galeaʻi/2-Time Intermediate World Fireknife Champion During the preliminaries, I was in the middle.

I like to be in the middle like not too late and not too early.

The longer I wait I feel like I get more nervous.

And it lets me see some of my competition.

I felt like the competition was only getting harder.

(music) I dropped one time.

Then after I dropped I tried to push past it.

I tried to make myself go faster and look stronger—just to make up for that.

I didn't think of the judges.

I looked at myself and I tried to see if I did enough—like, I would judge myself.

Announcer (Steve): These are your three finalists who will move on to compete for tomorrow’s awards.

Step forward… From Taiwan: Huang Sih Ping!

Ladies and gentlemen!

Moemoana Schwenke!

And your third and final finalist moving on to tomorrow’s awards… Ladies and gentlemen, let's hear it for…Jeralee Galea‘i!

There you have it ladies and gentlemen—three finalists!

Jeri Galeaʻi/2-Time Intermediate World Fireknife Champion It was so scary.

I was like, oh, there's one more spot.

What if I don't make it.

You know, I was like, hey, if I don't make it, that's alright—there's always next year.

But… I'm just really glad that I’m—that I was able to even make it this year.

So when I heard about the women's division, I was so happy.

I was just glad that they're able to bring it back for all the women all over the world—there’s much of us.

For those of the girls that made it, I’m super proud of them too.

And I’m just happy and I’m honored to be able to perform with them on stage tomorrow.

David Galeaʻi/3-Time World Fireknife Champion: It's not like any other sport today you know—you coming in on your own.

It’s—it’s like…you’re not a team sport where you can: Agh!

It was his fault or, Ah!

You should’ve got him more.

It's actually just you by yourself.

So there's no pointing fingers.

You know, you can compete and you can perform in front of thousands of people, but when you come to this competition if you—if you’re not ready the stage will just swallow you up.

Tagaloataoa Delsa Moe/Event Chair: We have had several competitors that have mentioned, they’re dream is to be able to compete or perform on the stage at the Polynesian Cultural Center.

Fireknife Dancer: Chaaahooo!

(music) David Galeaʻi/3-Time World Fireknife Champion: I ain’t never seen her like that.

She was shaking.

She was kind of like, Dad, I don't know if I can do this.

And I know how she felt.

I've been there before.

Some of the times I held back.

I didn't want her to get that feeling like, Agh!

I could’ve done better…but no regrets.

Jeri Galeaʻi/2-Time Intermediate World Fireknife Champion Can you do it?

You can!

My dad, he would say stuff like, “Aw!

I got three titles, you—you got two.” And I was like, “Oh!

Yeah, yeah… we’ll see about that.” You know?

But he would just play around.

It's just, I like how he does that too—because it does motivate me.

It works, a lot.

My dad's drive is strong in sharing his passion because that's exactly what my Grandma loved doing.

David Galeaʻi/3-Time World Fireknife Champion: Our fireknife school is called Vaimatina—it’s a Siva Afi club where I get a chance to share the knowledge that has been passed down from my mother to me.

My mother, Vai Manalo, she was just a young girl and she learned from my Aunty Vatau, who actually was the first female fireknife dancer.

Manalo, my mother, you know… She was one of those who was very innovative…uhm, creative, and very strict, but she showed a lot of love, too.

Her craft and everything was perfection.

And that's why she taught the way she did.

It’s actually helped me in my life because it’s—it's really the basic things you need in life.

You got to go through trials and you gotta learn how to handle them.

It's more than just teaching fireknife—it’s actually teaching a way of life.

Jeri Galeaʻi/2-Time Intermediate World Fireknife Champion When he started the school that was around the same time I first started learning fireknife at the graveyard.

And so all my cousins that were there—all my friends—that was our original Vaimatina team.

David Galeaʻi/3-Time World Fireknife Champion: Vai is short for, Vai Manalo.

Ma, in Samoan means, and.

And Tina is my sister.

So it’s really just named after my sister my mom.

Two strong women that were in my life and part of the way I am today.

Jeri Galeaʻi/2-Time Intermediate World Fireknife Champion I've learned.

That it's not easy to—to get what you want.

You have to work for it.

If you keep working for it, eventually you'll get there.

But if you stop you won't get anywhere.

I hope that I'm motivating others to learn this art too, because not much woman do it, but it is starting to grow.

And I wanted to give back to my dad for teaching me all that he has.

Tagaloataoa Delsa Moe/Event Chair: As we begin the reinstatement of our Teine Toa competition, our women’s open division.

Last night we started with seven competitors, and tonight it’s down to three.

So with that let's meet our three Teine Toa finalists.

Sau ia Teine Toa o Samoa!

Moemoana Schwenke/World Fireknife Finalist Having the women's division for the first year—this year—it’s something I'm really proud to be a part of, because it's history in the making.

Announcer: Moemoana Schwenke!

Moemoana Schwenke/World Fireknife Finalist Last night there was seven women all together.

And they were all empowering—so strong, so fierce.

And it empowered me and made me feel so proud to not only be a Pacific Islander, but also be a woman.

SONG LYRIC Huang Shi Ping: World Fireknife Finalist I start my fire knife like almost three years.

So I training every day, because I’m working in Hong Kong Disneyland.

And then we have Samoan fireknife dancers.

So I learned from them and then they helped me a lot.

Announcer: And the judges are also looking at the height of the throw.

Tagaloataoa Delsa Moe/Event Chair: For the males, we judge them on aggressive warrior-like moves.

For the females, we’re judging them on how they still maintain their grace and their dignity as they’re doing these moves.

The kakai—the around the neck moves.

They've got to have so many moves that are tossed up in the air, caught behind the back.

The height of their throws have got to be at least twice the height of the dancer.

They’re judged on their entrance and their exit.

Jeri Galeaʻi/2-Time Intermediate World Fireknife Champion My Dad tried to tell me to go to sleep get my rest…but it's like, I couldn't sleep.

I just had to stay up and I had to practice.

I couldn't stop thinking about the performance.

It was way more nerve-wracking than the first night.

The stage was bigger.

The crowd was bigger.

The hype.

The drums.

The whole environment itself.

It felt different.

My favorite part about my whole routine is when I would try and throw it as high as I can.

Just seeing the height and hearing the crowd.

I feel like when I—the higher I go, the louder the crowd cheers.

David Galeaʻi/3-Time World Fireknife Champion: You know, I never seen her that nervous before.

And I just told her in the back, I said, “Hey!

You just go and leave everything on stage.

Whatever happens happens.

That’s just the way it is.

Jeri Galeaʻi/2-Time Intermediate World Fireknife Champion: The second night.

I dropped twice.

Oh-Every time I drop I feel down and then I tell myself to not think about it—just not give up—and to keep pushing because there's still a chance.

David Galeaʻi/3-Time World Fireknife Champion: I mean last night she—she didn’t do a third knife.

And I said, “Eh!

Just look at me.

If you wanna do it, you goin’ do it.

And when I saw her turn I say, “Aw!

She's got it.” Her mind was already—she’s gonna leave everything.

So I was kind of proud of that moment.

(music) Announcer (Steve): Delsa, I do have the results in my hand.

Tausala Samoa.

Our second runner-up, ladies and gentlemen… Huang Shi Ping!

Our first runner up, let’s hear it…for Moemoana Schwenke!

Jeri Galeaʻi/2-Time Intermediate World Fireknife Champion: When they called the first runner-up, I knew that—that was third and second right there—I knew I was gonna be first.

It was just, I couldn't stop smiling.

I was trying to hide it but it was just hard.

You hear all the drums—the drums getting louder, the people getting louder.

I was just so happy… and relieved too.

(cheering and music) I'm just overwhelmed and really grateful for my family.

First of all.

Proud to gain titles like my father did.

He’s the main person behind the curtains; he’s the reason why I’m—why I’m here.

He's always pushing me to the—to do the best that I can.

And I’m forever grateful for him.

David Galeaʻi/3-Time World Fireknife Champion: I told her in the back, "Well, you've done more than I've ever done.

And that’s the last time I ever gonna admit that to you.” Ha ha ha!

Jeri Galeaʻi/2-Time Intermediate World Fireknife Champion: There's so many little—young females…They're all looking up to fireknife.

And I know that they all can do it.

So I hope that I'm an inspiration to some of those girls.

I knew for a fact that even though my grandma wasn’t here or my—the people that aren't here with me right now—I know that they're looking down at me.

And I felt like I made them proud.

Announcer (Steve): This goes to our champion: Jerilee Galea‘i.