They wrapped up Samoan Heritage Week in grand style yesterday at Ke'ehi Lagoon Park.

Thousands of people turned out to honor their trans-Pacific community with relentless, flourishing oratory, dancing, music, food, and recognition for people of distinction.

Iva Tiave, a teacher and counselor at Farrington High School, filmed the parade led by the Marine Corps Band. Miss Samoa USA waved to the crowd. Cricket and rugby clubs from O'ahu and a basketball team from Samoa all proudly marched to cheers from the throng. Children and babies with tuiga flower wreaths in their hair and lei around their necks waved palm fronds. Strapping young men brandished weed eaters and chain saws. Floats bore canoes and happy people waving paddles.

Church floats abounded, bearing names and slogans: Bring God back to Samoa; Central Samoan Assembly of God; Agape Bible College. Singing people wore T-shirts that said "Rock and Soul" or "Look What the Lord Has Done."

"It's been a very successful week," Tiave said, "it's brought the community together — one united Samoan community."

There were 20 food booths, offering such items as banana pancakes, pineapple pie, taro, turkey tails, lumpia, crab, chop suey and steaks.

One booth featured a drawing for a free tattoo.

Ministers, community leaders, teachers and other kupuna sat under long, white awnings as the Royal Hawaiian Band blared by.

Tiave said, "Look, it's the alumni from Fagaitua High School in Samoa. It was the first place I taught after graduating from Farrington and UH."

A choir from Samoan Wesleyan Methodist Church of Nanakuli performed before master of ceremonies Gus Hannemann introduced Togiola Tulafono, governor of American Samoa.

It was Tulafono who first approached Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann with the idea of a shared festival for Samoa and Hawai'i.

Those who came before them, he told the crowd, those courageous souls who crossed the sea to Hawai'i, "did not leave us a birthright of gold and silver. Our parents left us a precious culture of respect, sharing, love, unity and kindness. Our culture is our gold, silver, our pearls and diamonds."

Mayor Hannemann praised the Samoan community for its patriotism and sharing spirit.

Then, calling himself a proud Polynesian, he sang for the crowd:

Samoa is for me, home across the sea,
that's where I'll always love to be,
Pray someday I will come back to you.

One veteran honored at the awards ceremony was Tusiofo Tavui, 87, the last surviving member of a Navy unit of 200 Samoans known as the Fita Fita, stationed in Samoa during World War II.

Tavui, a signalman, served in the Navy from 1941 to 1951, reaching the rank of petty officer first class. He lives in Mililani with his family.

"We were expecting the Japanese after Wake Island fell but they never came," he said with a grin. "A Japanese sub shelled us in 1942 but it didn't hurt us."

Tusisaleia Hope Pomele, 22, who grew up in Kalihi, was crowned Miss Samoa USA in Utah two weeks ago. In September she heads for Samoa, where she was born, to compete for the world title.

Pomele is a medic in the Army Reserve, a dancer for Tihati Productions, a student at Kapi'olani Community College and hopes to become a nurse. "I try my best, with a lot of prayer," she said. She is a member of Word of Life Church.

"It's a blessing," she said of the festival, calling it a way for young people to stay in touch with the old ways and "preserve our culture."