Sharing Island love, life and laughter

Coco Gallery

MOTHERLAND SAMOA

A bit of rain & a touch of thunder storms didn't dampen the spirits of a record breaking crowd at Apia Park, Samoa on the 3rd of June.

The home of Manu Samoa and host to a number of sporting events this time played host to the inaugural Motherland Samoa festival headlined by the king of island reggae George 'Fiji' Veikoso and supported by internationally renowned Samoan artists such as J Boog & Savage as well as local Samoan artists like Zipso, Mautoatasi and Matalena.

The festival was made possible through a collaboration between overseas & local Samoan businesses, as well as the Government of Samoa through the Samoa Tourism Authority.

The invaluable support extended by the governments of Australia & NZ, through their respective embassies, played a significant role in bringing the historic event to fruition. 

PacifiCast Founder, Julius Tuigamala stated that the success of the Motherland Samoa Festival  had laid the foundation for a promising future and their organisation would continue to build strong  relations and collaborate with governments in the region, local businesses and communities.  

“Moving forward, PacifiCast remains steadfast in its dedication to showcasing & uplifting Pacific Islander culture & talent on a global scale.

Our mission is not only to unite the Pacific Islands but  also to establish enduring partnerships with prominent nations such as Australia, New Zealand, and others. Through these initiatives, we actively contribute to the preservation and celebration of Pacific Island diaspora cultures residing in these nations” he said.

Watch some of the performance highlights from the night here, Lani Alo's powerful performance of 'Alo ia faiva' here & Fiji's beautiful rendition of 'Sosefina' here.

Plus check out some of the photographs from the night in the gallery below.

Scroll down and click on the Menu Bars below to go to different artists and click on the images to bring them up full size ...

Photographer:  Penina Momoiseā

Public Interest Journalism funded by NZ on Air 

Loading photos...
  • All
  • BINA BUTTA

    "Motherland 2023 was a dream come true! So humbled to have performed for my very own people right here in Samoa.

    I can’t wait to share more but I’m still processing.

    Thank you God for this moment. And thank you to PacifiCast and Samoa Tourism for making this happen and everyone behind the scenes" - Bina Butta via her social media 

  • BTS, CROWD, DR TUA & YOUNG SEFA

    “The successful outcome of the Motherland Samoa Concert underscores the strength and  effectiveness of partnerships forged among various local and international stakeholders.

    It is through these collaborative efforts that we have witnessed the realisation of an event that has captivated hearts and minds, leaving a lasting impact on our beloved Samoa” - Julius Tuigamala, PacifiCast Founder  pictured below 3rd from left.

    "Doing what I do in the Mother Land was always a dream and now that has been completed" - Dr Tua via his instagram  

    -

    - 

  • FIJI

    “O le fa’amoemoe ua taunu’u - Fa’afetai tele Samoa.  It’s been an honour & a privilege to be a part of such an amazing festival back in our beautiful country of Samoa

    We are truly blessed & grateful to have backed our usos & legends Fiji, J Boog &  Wayno in Samoa.

    Massive love to our usos Julius Tuigamala, Tana Tupa'i & the team at PacifiCast for creating history in Samoa & letting us be a part of such a memorable event!" - Brownhill the Band via instagram 

    - 

    "We usually kinda chill and go on call time, do our job and dip out back to accommodation but this time we were all there side of stage from the start for each other, hyping each other up and supporting each others sets.

    It wasn't just us either, our influencer fam, the media, the security, we were all serving food, helping out, it didn't just bring so many people together, it brought us together as a people in sound, arts and music" - Tree Vaifale-Manu 

  • HP BOYZ

    Eliorah Malifa had moved to Samoa recently from Australia to lecture at the University of Samoa and was also part of the core PacifiCast team involved in bringing the festival to life.

    "The inspiration for an event like this in Samoa is to demonstrate the depth of Pacific talent; and the capacity of the islands to facilitate world class experiences such as Motherland.

    Secondary but perhaps just as or more important, is to see our communities enjoy themselves on such a scale, which I found really heartwarming as a Pacific person, and more importantly as a Samoan." - Eliorah Malifa 

  • J BOOG

    "Just landed in the Motherland, grateful for the opportunity" - J Boog via instagram 

    - 

    "A highlight for me was working with local vendors and businesses. Security, stage building, catering, printing, bars etc.

    All of these major elements of the festival were able to be sourced locally and achieved at such a high quality. I was proud" - Eliorah Malifa, PacifiCast team 

  • KENNYON BROWN & DONNELL LEWIS

    "Still on a high from last Saturday night (3rd June). My first time performing in Samoa and turning that corner for me ... was a life changing experience.

    Been years in the making but what a blessing to finally step foot back on the motherland, being apart of a crazy line up with my whole Future Now Music family, and give our people a festival of a lifetime. Did this for my parents, my ancestors, and our people.

    Love you Samoa!  Thank you PacifiCast for putting this together." - Kennyon Brown via Instagram 

    - 

    "Samoa, I asked and pleaded to get on this festival, to give y’all the vibes and proper usosound experience.

    Thank you for receiving me with open arms and letting me know that I’m supposed to be here.  My parents home country, and my heritage.

    I’ll now always remember performing here for the first time!! Shoutout our whole label for killing it." - Donnell Lewis via instagram 

  • LANI ALO, MAUTOATASI & MATALENA

    “The Motherland Samoa Concert provided a platform for the young generation to witness the talents  of their favorite Pacific artists.

    We believe this experience will have a profound and positive impact  on them.  We are confident that this event will inspire them to strive for excellence and pursue their artistic aspirations, drawing upon the resilience and determination that has been the hallmark of our people for countless generations.” - Tana Tupa'i, Festival Director, Motherland

    - 

  • LISI

    Minister of Tourism, Honourable Toeolesulusulu Cedric Schuster said the concert's achievements highlight the power of collaboration between businesses, organizations, and governments, driving  economic growth and cultural enrichment. 

    “The collaboration between businesses, organizations, and governments has proven to be a powerful catalyst for success, creating opportunities and driving positive change in our  communities.

    The outstanding success of the Motherland Samoa Festival further solidifies Samoa's status as a premier destination for hosting world-class events" - Minister of Tourism, Hon. Toeolesulusulu Cedric Schuster

  • SAVAGE

    “Blood is thicker than beats. His Dedication knows no bounds. Much love to Savage for honoring his late brother 🕊️ in a truly epic & powerful set.” - PacifiCast 

  • TOMORROW PEOPLE

    "During our performance we experienced extreme wet weather conditions, but to see the spirit of our people in the audience who continued to brave the elements and give us all their energy and support till the last act was very humbling and it will be a moment that we as a band will never forget." - Tomorrow People spokesperson and musician Tana Tupa'i

    " Another highlight from the festival was, I was running around, so I didnt get to see this happen from close to the stage, but hearing the crowd sing Tomorrow Peoples ‘Saili le Alofa’ back to them in harmony was legit."  - Eliorah Malifa, PacifiCast team 

  • TREE

    "Motherland was the kind of experience I'll never forget and will cherish for the rest of my life.

    We all came from different genres, different walks of life, stages, you'll only find a handful of us together on lineups but rarely all together, then not to mention the locals from Samoa - some of us perform all over the world yet this was our first show home.

    PacifiCast allowed us this experience to come home and do what we do with and for home.

    I'm grateful!" - Tree Vaifale-Manu 

  • WAYNO

    "We are extremely proud to see the successful outcome of the inaugural Motherland Samoa Festival.

    Witnessing the event unfold and the overwhelming response of the young people, who were able to experience a world-class event in their own backyard, has filled our hearts with pride and satisfaction”  - Tana Tupa'i, Motherland Festival Director

Filtering photos...