CULTURE
"Oceania"
Our Pan-Islands
Oceania is home to 14 countries and more than 10,000 islands—each with its own customs, traditions, and stories. Can you imagine the care it takes to thoughtfully incorporate the spirit of so many islands into one ceremonial project?
While our Pasifika cultures share common values—deep hospitality, respect for our elders, strong family bonds, and pride in who we are—each island carries traditions that are uniquely its own. These differences are what make our communities so rich and beautiful.
At Island Grad Village, we acknowledge that honoring all Pasifika islands within our programs can be challenging. There are countless stories, practices, and cultural elements we wish to uplift, and often this requires extensive research to ensure they are represented with respect and accuracy. In every ceremony and community outreach effort, our intentions are humble and guided by care, as we strive to honor all island cultures to the best of our ability.
Your journey to this moment has required strength, perseverance, and resilience. Everything we share with you is intentionally woven with meaning—honoring your journey, your heritage(s), your accomplishments, your future endeavors, and most importantly, your island identity.
Tatau design by Tawshlav
How we preserve our customs & traditions
New Paragraph
How we honor our Island Grads
Graduating from your academic institution is an important milestone. It took a great deal of strength and perseverance to get to where you are today, so we want you to remember that everything that we share with you has a beautiful message dedicated to the spirit of your journey, your heritage(s), your culture, accomplishments, and future endeavors.
We vow to honor you!
- We honor your traditions.
- We incorporate as many customs from the islands into our events and workshops.
- We ask our elders to bless all of our events and gifts that are for you.
- We celebrate the "authentic you!"
We honor your heritage(s)
We do our best to create an intentional ceremony that includes as many island customs, and honorable presentations that are specifically dedicated to you!
Ti Leaf Grad Leis
Leis are symbols for celebrating your accomplishments and honoring you as an individual. Our ribbon leis are crafted by community members with love and blessed by our elders so that you can take something home that will remind you of your journey.
"Island Grad Village is rooted in faith, family, and Kuleana—our shared responsibility to uplift, guide, and support the next generation."
