The Samoan dance of taualuga was among various cultural performances students at the Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University of Japan performed last week as part of the university's spring entrance ceremony.

The ceremony was held on 1 April 2023 to welcome all new students from around the world on campus. New students were joined by their parents, guardians, and family members to celebrate the beginning of their university journey at the Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) according to a press release issued by the Oceania Student’s Association (OSA). 

The ceremony at the APU, located in the Oita Prefecture on Japan's southern island of Kyushu, featured international food booths and multicultural performances from around the world. The multicultural performances include the performance from the OSA.

In its first attempt to revive OSA after putting it on hold for a number of years, the association received a request from the APU to take part in the ceremony by showcasing Pacific culture in the art of dance.

"Our performances wrapped up the multicultural performances of the ceremony. However, without a doubt OSA blew the audiences away by performing three cultural dances starting with a mixture of Hawaiian hula and Tahitian Fa’arapu, and concluding with the Samoan Taualuga."

The audience applauded and enjoyed the OSA performances with most of its performers representing the Oceania countries of the Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Samoa, and Fiji as well as other international students (Iran, Japan, Africa) who found a home in OSA. 

The Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Samoan scholars, Faafetai Vaevaina and Gafatasi Su’a had the opportunity to perform the taulauga dance with OSA members during the Entrance Ceremony and used it to promote Samoan culture.

Currently, there are eight Samoans studying in various universities in Japan on full scholarship awards under the JICA-funded scholarship program.