Melanesian Heritage Night
🌺Melanesian Heritage Night🌺
YUMI PASIFIKA | Together, We Are Melanesia
Celebrate Culture • Build Connections • Inspire Change
A Celebration of Pacific Culture & Community Resilience
A Legacy of Leadership Resilience
YUMI PASIFIKA 2025: Melanesian Heritage Night
Date: Friday, May 16
Time: 5:00 – 9:00 PM
Location: Bainbridge Island Museum of Art (BIMA)
Admission: FREE | Suggested Donation: $10
🌺 Kidimu Children’s Program
Time: 3:30 – 4:30 PM
Location: Pop-up outside BIMA
Join us early for hands-on, family-friendly fun!
Grass skirt making
Melanesian lei crafting
Storytelling circle & games
🎭 Live Cultural Performances
Traditional West Papuan dance
Authentic Fijian kava ceremony demonstration
🎥 Learning Highlights
Climate Resilience Documentary Screening
Youth Talent Showcase – Odyssey School students present service projects from the Solomon Islands
🌏 Tok Stori: Conversations Across Melanesia
Engage with cultural presenters from West Papua, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea.
Explore their art, learn about their homelands, and ask questions about the Melanesian subregion of the South Pacific.
🎟️ Raffle Alert!
Come prepared to buy raffle tickets for a chance to win amazing prizes!
💛 Become a Community Champion
Your $25+ donation automatically gives you membership with MWT.
▸ Support girls’ education in Melanesia
▸ Support the Climate restoration of vital mangrove forests
The month of May is the beginning of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AANHPI) in the U.S. It's important to recognize these key distinctions to better understand Pacific Islander communities. "Pacific Islander" refers to Indigenous peoples from Oceania's three main island regions: Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Meanwhile, "Pasifika"—from the Polynesian word meaning "Pacific"—has emerged as a cultural identity, particularly in New Zealand and among global Pacific diaspora communities. While "Pacific Islander" denotes ethnic heritage, "Pasifika" represents shared experiences while honoring diverse island identities.
This distinction is especially important during AANHPI Heritage Month. As we celebrate AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) communities, we must intentionally uplift all Pacific Islander voices—including Native Hawaiians, Chamorros, Samoans, Tongans, Solomon Islanders, and other PI groups—to ensure equitable recognition.
Historically, grouping these distinct populations under broad categories has made Pacific Islander communities statistically invisible in data collection, policy, and resource allocation. Using accurate terminology like "Pasifika" when appropriate, while advocating for separate PI representation in AANHPI initiatives, helps address these disparities and properly celebrates Pacific Islander cultures, histories, and contributions.
WHEREAS, the theme for the 2025 Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AANHPI) is “A Legacy of Leadership Resilience." This year's theme honors the hard work of AANHPI leaders who established a foundation for future generations to thrive and adapt to change and adversity.
WHEREAS, the theme for the 2025 Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AANHPI) is “A Legacy of Leadership Resilience." This year's theme honors the hard work of AANHPI leaders who established a foundation for future generations to thrive and adapt to change and adversity.
Come Learn About Our Community
Ancestral Provers: "Our Voice is our liberation." West Papuan dancers