CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq - Dance is a form of cultural expression. Like visual art, sculpture or architecture, dance encapsulates, reinforces and transmits cultural traditions and values.
At Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Iraq, the diversity of Asian Pacific American culture was on display as a group of more than 30 Task Force Wings' Soldiers and other volunteers celebrated Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (APAHM) with a performance of traditional dance, song and food, May 28.
APAHM is celebrated in May to commemorate the contributions of people of Asian Pacific Islander descent in the United States. In 1978, Congress passed a joint Congressional Resolution to commemorate Asian American Heritage Week during the first week of May. This date was chosen to coincide with two significant anniversaries: the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants in America on May 7, 1843, and the completion of the transcontinental railroad by mostly Chinese laborers on May 10, 1869. Congress later voted to expand Asian American Heritage Week in 1990 to a month long celebration. In 1992, the month of May was permanently designated as "Asian Pacific American Heritage Month."
Task Force Wings' luau-themed APAHM celebration was replete with Hawaiian dAfAcor, traditional kalua pig, among other savories, and a variety of traditional Polynesian music and dance. It also featured a dance from the far corner of the Asian continent, India, performed by1st Lt. Puja Ghosh, chemical officer and medical platoon leader, Headquarters and Support Company, 209th Aviation Support Battalion, Task Force Lobos.
According to Sgt. Taimi Ta'ala, a native of Samoa and human resource specialist with Headquarters and Support Company, 209th ASB, TF Lobos, the APAHM performers hailed from several Polynesian Islands. 'Polynesian ' is a term commonly used to describe a large grouping of over 1,000 islands scattered throughout the central and southern Pacific Ocean that share similar traits including culture, language and beliefs.
"The performers [hail] from all over Polynesia and, as a result, we performed several different dances from several different Island cultures," said Sgt. Ta'ala. "Some of those dances were the Haka, a traditional dance form of the Maori of New Zealand, the Tahitian O'Tea, and the Sasa and Fa'ataupati, both traditional Samoan dances.
"This was our way of showing how important tradition and family is to us," continued Sgt. Ta'ala. "Where we are from, family is everything and we are always doing everything as a family. This event hopefully helps others understand that about Pacific Island culture."
Captain Marie Slack, battalion adjutant, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, Task Force Diamond Head, and Sergeant 1st Class Punipuao Tuato'o, petroleum supply specialist and distribution platoon sergeant, Company E, 2-25 AVN, TF Diamond Head, both performed at the celebration. Both Soldiers hoped to convey a sense of family and fun to those in attendance.
"I love sharing my culture with people," said Capt. Slack, a native of Hawaii with family originating from Samoa. "The whole spirit of Polynesia is about family, being happy and sharing that happiness with others. I hope that when people see us celebrate our culture they take away the spirit of Polynesia. They see the joy and the fun atmosphere that we carry with us wherever we go."
Sergeant 1st Class Tuato'o, a native of American Samoa, agreed and added, "We Polynesians love to entertain. I enjoy seeing fellow Soldiers participate in our celebration with a curiosity to learn about our culture, and hopefully they left understanding how important our culture and our family traditions are to us."
More than two hundred Soldiers, Airmen, civilian contractors and others attended Task Force Wing's celebration and, by all accounts, it was an experience they will not soon forget.
"I really enjoyed today's celebration, especially all of the different types of dances," said Private First Class Tiffany Gordon, paralegal specialist, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, TF Wings. "The Army is so diverse and for that reason it's especially important to host these types of events.
"Before today, I really knew nothing of the Island culture. I have never been to a luau or experienced traditional dance. I didn't realize they had so much fun with it all. For me, what I will take-away from this event is just how important it is to celebrate culture wherever you're from and to have fun with it."
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