Meki’s Tamure Polynesian Arts Group, Inc. Hula Dancer from Brooklyn, MD

**NEWS** Meki’s Tamure Polynesian Arts Group, Inc. (MTPAG) is a member of both Maryland State Arts Council’s (MSAC) Artists in Education Roster & Touring & Presenting Roster. We are eligible to apply for grants to fund our programs for schools, libraries, senior centers & other 501c3 nonprofit organizations. Contact us for details & your next event could be at no cost to you! You can also reach out to your county arts council and inquire about funding to hire us. **UPCOMING SHOWS** (public events) - 7/18 (Kent Island Elks Luau 6:30p) - 8/8 Private Party Silver Spring 6:30p - 8/29 Private Party Ashburn VA 7p - 9/17 Private Party Hunt Valley 2p - 9/19 (Pacific Fun Day Festival Catonsville 10a) - 10/1 Private Party Pasadena 5:30p **BACKGROUND** MTPAG is an award-winning Maryland based 501c3 charitable nonprofit organization whose mission is to advance the music, dance & traditions of Polynesian islands such as Fiji, Hawaii, New Zealand, Samoa, Tahiti & Tonga. Our founders (the late) Meki & JoAnn started MTPAG in 1969 & in January 2022 were awarded MSAC’s Heritage Award for lifetime achievement in the traditional arts. We perform in Maryland & surrounding states. **SERVICES** - Educational, entertaining & instructional programs with live music, drumming & dancing (tailored to budget, timeframe & goals) - Classroom talks with PowerPoint - Entertainment for any occasion - Music/dance lessons (group/private) - Oahu tour guide - Island Breeze Band for dancing music - Guest speaker - Emcee **CURRENT DIRECTOR** Meki J. served as a Commissioner appointed by Governor Larry Hogan’s Office on Asian Pacific American Affairs. Meki was the first ever Pacific Islander to serve a Maryland Governor. He also serves as Chair of Pacific Fun Day Festival, Maryland’s only Pacific Islander festival & he also heads the Island Breeze band. **HISTORY** Founders Meki & JoAnn performed in the 1960s in Baltimore at the Hawaiian Room in the posh Emerson Hotel. Meki is from Western Samoa & immigrated to California to work but also was a musician & dancer. He & some Polynesian friends were able to put together a performing group that would tour the US in places such as Los Angeles, Las Vegas & of all places…Baltimore. Co-founder JoAnn was born & raised in Locust Point in South Baltimore & was always a dancer. She loved dancing & as Hawaii became our 50th state, she discovered the dance of Hawaii - the hula! She joined a local hula dancing group & became proficient enough to begin dancing professionally. She visited the Hawaiian Room & eventually wound up dancing in Meki’s show. They fell in love & married. Meki’s contract with the hotel ended & he stayed. Their amazing love story captured local & national attention when Maryland prohibited them from marrying due to his skin color. They were forced to marry in Washington DC at the National Cathedral. You can learn more about their amazing story in the February 1966 edition of Time Magazine. Their fight eventually overturned Maryland’s law & paved the way for interracial marriages. Meki & JoAnn own a small but significant piece of Maryland history. In 1969, as a married couple they formed MTPAG & shared the cultures with anyone & everyone. JoAnn trained the neighborhood girls in Polynesian dance & the group continues to this day. Meki J. took over as director in 1992 after graduating from college. He took a work tour in Hawaii in 2011 & while there he worked with Tahiti Mana Tahitian dance group, Kalena’s Polynesian Ohana, Malu Productions as well as bands Hotline & Island Storm. He performed all over Oahu in notable places such as Turtle Bay, Hilton, Hale Koa Hotel, Diamond Head Luau, Big Kahuna Luau, Hickam Officers Club, Pro Bowl Tailgate Party, & many more venues. Meki returned to Maryland in 2016 to resume directorship of MTPAG. **THE MISSION** With such a rich history, MTPAG is looking to provide more traditional arts events in & around Maryland to further Pacific Islander presence, representation & influence. The Pacific Islander demographic is a super-minority but is gaining more spotlight thanks to our many friends, supporters & donors. Our goal is to bring our cultural programs to each county in MD. If you’d like to donate to the cause please contact us! Let’s tailor a cultural arts program your guests won’t soon forget! Aloha!

• Aloha Week Hula
• Blue Hawaii
• Drop Baby Drop
• Hanalei Moon
• Hanohano Hanalei
• Hawaiian War Chant
• Hawaiian Wedding Song
• Hoki Hoki
• Hoki Mai
• Hokulea
• Hokulea Otea
• Honolulu I’m Coming Back
• Hukilau
• Ka Pua U’i
• Kamate Haka
• Kuhio Bay
• La ‘Elima
• Manu Rere
• Margarita
• Maui Island Dream
• Mele Kalikimaka
• Nga Waka
• Otea Tane
• Pa Mai
• Pearly Shells
• Pili Me Ka’u Manu
• Samoa For Me
• Samoa Matalasi
• Somewhere Over The Rainbow
• Sophisticated Hula
• Tahiti E Mua Otea
• Take You For A Ride
• Te Tama Maohi
• Tiare
• Tiare Oe Note Tama Maohi E
• Tiare Otea
• Tiny Bubbles
• Tumatauenga
• Waikiki
• Waimanalo Blues
• Wave Rider
• White Sandy Beach of Hawai’i
• Wonderful World