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TheBuzz Erika Engle |
Hawaiian culture
and aloha open doors
in ShanghaiHAWAII'S culture and arts are the thin edge of the wedge used to drive open opportunities in Shanghai, China, said Ted Liu, director of the state Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism.
DBEDT, officials from the Hawaii International Film Festival, entertainers Amy Hanaialii Gilliom and Willie "K" Kahaialii and students from Waianae High School's Searider Productions went to Shanghai last week to capture China's attention.
They did.
China also got Hawaii's attention.
At a news conference at the Hawaii State Art Museum yesterday, the talk was that the emerging Chinese market is the heir-apparent to the best-thing-since-sliced-bread title.
The group saw widespread evidence of "wealth creation and capital available," Liu said.
The monetary lure of the emerging China market is no secret, but the downside for the arts community includes piracy and counterfeiting.
The aim of course, is to make money and not lose it, said Liu.
The ice-breaker for this mission may have been an exploratory agreement between the Hawaii International Film Festival and the Shanghai International Film Festival signed two years ago.
The pact provides for exchanges of films, programming ideas, promotional opportunities and people, said HIFF Executive Director Chuck Boller. It was renewed during the trip, which coincided with this year's Shanghai festival last week.
Meanwhile, Hawaii's entertainers received a tremendous response in China.
Warren Wyatt, who represents Gilliom and Kahaialii, said, "The people were floored," not just with the performances, but by the aloha spirit the two extended to people they met. Wyatt, president of WorldSound LLC, has booked the artists to warm up the stage for a Santana concert in Europe later this summer.
"We consider ourselves cultural entertainers," Gilliom said. "Indigenous cultures view things in similar ways," providing deeply rooted common ground for relating to the Chinese audience.
Despite the language barrier, "the communication gap crumbled," Kahaialii said. Some of his on-stage antics got him movie offers and an invitation to an opera conservatory, he laughed.
"The people there showed so much aloha," Kahaialii said.
Two versions of a video documentary on the Shanghai trip are being produced by Searider Productions. Adviser Candy Suiso and three students attended with underwriting help from Ko Olina Resort and Hawaii Medical Service Association. Several minutes of student-shot video were played at yesterday's news conference, a sort of what-I-did-on-my-summer-vacation preamble.
A bigger, three-pronged trip to Shanghai next month will include a block party in an upscale nightlife district. Gilliom, Kahaialii, Kapena, Na Leo, Makana, Raiatea Helm and Halau Hula Olana are to perform.
A coinciding state Department of Agriculture trade show will feature Hawaii products, services and destinations at up to 24 booths. Booths are $1,500, but "we're being flexible," because some businesses are small, Liu said.
DBEDT is also inviting individuals, since another purpose of the trip is to gain knowledge about doing business in China. The cost is $2,500 or less, Liu said.
The July 23 to 31 mission will cost the state between $120,000 and $130,000, though DBEDT has obtained sponsorships from companies including Castle & Cooke, Ko Olina and Japan Airlines. DBEDT provides seed capital, Liu said, but it depends on private-sector partnerships to pull off such ventures. Liu believes the Shanghai community will want the Hawaii block party and trade mission to be an annual event along the lines of Oktoberfest.
Kahaialii has another prediction, "I have a feeling this thing is gonna go crazy huge."
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Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin. Call 529-4302, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210, Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached at: eengle@starbulletin.com