August in Utah is Pacific Islander Heritage month and Millcreek Common kicked off the celebration with a skate night, food, music, bounce house and real flower lei making classes.

“Millcreek has shown such great excitement in embracing all ethnicities in all communities. This is the third year we are doing this,” Analei Samasei’a said. Samasei’a is on the Millcreek planning committee.

On Aug. 1, Millcreek Common gave the first 1,000 folks free skating and rentals during the Pacific Islander Skate Night which was courtesy of Granite Credit Union, one of the sponsors.

Millcreek Councilmember Bev Uipi emceed Pacific Islander Skate Night with Big Budah. Uipi is a third generation Pacific Islander from Millcreek.

“I am the first Pacific Islander female elected to office here in Utah,” Uipi said. “In Millcreek we celebrate diversity, we have events celebrating our Latino community, our Black community and we also celebrate the Pacific Islander community.”

Uipi’s parents moved to Millcreek in 1982 and her father, Filla “Phil” Uipi was in the House of Representatives in Utah. “It is important for kids and younger generations to see people that look like them and they say, ‘I can do this, if they can do it then I can do it too,’” Uipi said.

“It’s a fun event, everyone in the family can participate, even our elders. It is a blending of community,” Uipi said.

The celebrations included a bounce house for kids that promoted jump therapy. This was sponsored by Jump 4 Autism. Viliami Paipa is the founder who has personal experience with autism and wanted to include awareness of autism with the Pacific Islander festival. “At Jump 4 Autism we promote physical activity including jiu-jitsu, soccer and basketball. This is allowing better relationships with kids and parents,” Paipa said. 

Music was provided by Robby Lee, who plays a ukulele and is from Hawaii. “I have 15 years of solo ukulele experience, and I build the music. So I start out with nothing then build my own harmonies, my own drums then I will sing for three hours for an event,”  Lee said. “This is my first time performing at Millcreek Common.” Lee’s most requested song is “Somewhere over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World” by Israel Kamakawiwoʻole.

Touch of Polynesia provided food to set the mood for the Pacific Islander Skate night. “Our signature food is a Polynesian drink called Otai and it is fresh fruit. We sell mango pineapple Otai and we also have Polynesian doughnuts,” owner Paea Finau said. They have been working festivals for over 20 years.

Families attended the skate night, with many enjoying the free skating and rentals provided. The atmosphere was filled with laughter and the joy of shared cultural experience.