Heritage of Asian Pacific IslandERS (HAPI) Fest NJ
Festival celebration honoring the AAPI Heritage Month in May by the South Orange and Maplewood (SOMA) Cross Cultural Works.
HAPI Fest NJ 2022
Thank you so much to everyone who supported, performed, and joined us at HAPI Fest NJ on May 21, 2022, at The Woodland! 🌺
The SOMA Cross Cultural Works is happy to share our love and aloha to the South Orange and Maplewood community and beyond!
Look out for the next upcoming Cross Cultural Works events!
Performances at HAPI Fest NJ 2022
Check out PIMA Academy, the Filipino martial arts demo of Doce Pares and Eskrima
Watch Pua Aliʻi ʻIlima o Nūioka share Kahiko (traditional) and Auana (modern) hula traditional dance
Watch Pua Aliʻi ʻIlima o Nūioka share Kahiko (traditional) and Auana (modern) hula traditional dance
PIMA (Philippine Integrated Martial Arts) Academy from Jersey City will be doing a demonstration of Filipino Martial Arts (Doce Pares) and Eskrima, a Filipino martial art known for lighting fast movements utilizing weapons (sticks, knives, swords, and daggers) as well as empty hand trapping and striking techniques, including takedowns and locks. Learn more about this type of martial arts.
Watch Pua Aliʻi ʻIlima o Nūioka share Kahiko (traditional) and Auana (modern) hula traditional dance
Watch Pua Aliʻi ʻIlima o Nūioka share Kahiko (traditional) and Auana (modern) hula traditional dance
Watch Pua Aliʻi ʻIlima o Nūioka share Kahiko (traditional) and Auana (modern) hula traditional dance
Pua Aliʻi ʻIlima o Nūioka with live music from PAʻI Trio will be performing at HAPI Fest NJ to celebrate the AAPI Heritage Month in May to spread some aloha! Carol Lau and Roberta Uno lead the New York City extension of the hālau hula (school of traditional Hawaiian dance) founded by Kumu Hula Vicky Holt Takamine. Learn more about the mele (poetry/song) and about this hula tradition.
Experience the great live Hawai'ian music with the PA'I Trio
Kinding Sindaw will share the traditions of dance and music from the indigenous people of Mindanao
Kinding Sindaw will share the traditions of dance and music from the indigenous people of Mindanao
The PAʻI Trio will perform live and share Hawaii’s unique acoustic guitar style, slack key, ʻukulele stylings, and rich storytelling that transport audiences to Hawaii at HAPI Fest NJ to celebrate the AAPI Heritage Month in May. The PA'I Trio, Claudia Goddard, Chris Davis, and Andy Wang will accompany the halau hula (school of traditional dance), Pua Aliʻi ʻIlima o Nūioka.
Kinding Sindaw will share the traditions of dance and music from the indigenous people of Mindanao
Kinding Sindaw will share the traditions of dance and music from the indigenous people of Mindanao
Kinding Sindaw will share the traditions of dance and music from the indigenous people of Mindanao
Kinding Sindaw is an NYC-based nonprofit dance theater company composed of indigenous tradition-bearers, Filipino American artists, and educators from all backgrounds founded in 1992 by Potri Ranka Manis. Kinding Sindaw exists to assert, preserve, reclaim, and re-create the traditions of dance, music, martial arts, storytelling, and orature of the indigenous peoples of Mindanao, Southern Philippines.
Thanks to our HAPI Fest NJ 2022 Sponsors
PAST EVENTS
HAPI Fest NJ 2022 | The Woodland, Maplewood, NJ
HAPI Fest NJ 2021 | Spiotta Park, South Orange, NJ
HAPI Fest NJ 2022 | The Woodland, Maplewood, NJ
In honor of the Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI) Heritage Month in May, we brought back in its third year — HAPI Fest NJ! For 2022, we will be celebrating it at The Woodland in Maplewood, New Jersey. We commemorate the festival with programming that celebrates AAPI cultures and their rich cultural traditions with Asian dance and music performers, activities, and food.
Holi Festival of Colors | Maplewood Park
HAPI Fest NJ 2021 | Spiotta Park, South Orange, NJ
HAPI Fest NJ 2022 | The Woodland, Maplewood, NJ
Holi is an ancient Indian festival that celebrates Spring and New Life, the victory of good over evil, and above all LOVE in all its forms and expressions. During the festival, people throw colored powder at each other and participate freely in all the resulting fun and frolic. In these pandemic times, we will celebrate the festival with caution and social distancing, and limited number of attendees.
HAPI Fest NJ 2021 | Spiotta Park, South Orange, NJ
HAPI Fest NJ 2021 | Spiotta Park, South Orange, NJ
New York Chinese Freemasons Athletic Club's Lion Dance 2021 | Maplewood, NJ
Pua Aliʻi ʻIlima o Nūioka with live music from PAʻI Trio performed at HAPI Fest NJ to celebrate the AAPI Heritage Month in May 2021 to spread some aloha! Learn more about the mele and learn more about this hula tradition.
New York Chinese Freemasons Athletic Club's Lion Dance 2021 | Maplewood, NJ
New York Chinese Freemasons Athletic Club's Lion Dance 2021 | Maplewood, NJ
New York Chinese Freemasons Athletic Club's Lion Dance 2021 | Maplewood, NJ
What better way to kick off the AAPI Heritage Month in 2021 than see the Lion Dance known to bring good luck and happiness? The New York Chinese Freemasons Athletic Club performed the lion dance, an important ritual in Chinese tradition believed to bring good luck and drive away evil spirits on auspicious occasions.
SOMA Justice’s Preschool Book Club Story Time | Orchard Park, Maplewood
New York Chinese Freemasons Athletic Club's Lion Dance 2021 | Maplewood, NJ
SOMA Justice’s Preschool Book Club Story Time | Orchard Park, Maplewood
Preschool Book Club Story Time is a read-aloud and gathering for kids and families and a curated list of picture books that feature AAPI characters for families to add to their home libraries. This event is a collaboration of SOMA Justice’s Preschool Book Club and SOMA Cross-Cultural Works.
Sake Tasting | Virtual
New York Chinese Freemasons Athletic Club's Lion Dance 2021 | Maplewood, NJ
SOMA Justice’s Preschool Book Club Story Time | Orchard Park, Maplewood
Embrace this icy (or warm) spirit from Japan to celebrate AAPI Heritage month on your way to becoming a Sake Master! Sake will be delivered to your home by The Neighborhood Wine Shop of South Orange.
Candlelight Vigil | Maplewood Memorial Duck Pond | March 2021
Candlelight Vigil | Maplewood Memorial Duck Pond | March 2021
Candlelight Vigil | Maplewood Memorial Duck Pond | March 2021
The Asian American community of South Orange and Maplewood are gathering around the Memorial Park Duck Pond in Maplewood, NJ for a moment of silence and candlelight vigil to mourn the victims of the senseless murders in Atlanta. Join us to mourn the lives lost and stand against racism and violence against AAPI. We ask families to light a candle and pray for the victims and their families. United against racism!
HAPI FEST 2019 | The Woodland, Maplewood, NJ
Candlelight Vigil | Maplewood Memorial Duck Pond | March 2021
Candlelight Vigil | Maplewood Memorial Duck Pond | March 2021
There will be performances from the Philippines, Tahiti, India, China, and more. Which Asian cuisine will you be trying at HAPI Fest? From Japanese sushi to Vietnamese Bahn mi or pho ba soup, Indian chicken tikka masala or dosas, and Thai drunken noodles or satay. And drink it all with Kung Fu bubble tea!
About Us
OUR TEAM
OUR HISTORY
OUR HISTORY
SOMA Cross-Cultural Works brings HAPI Fest NJ, an annual celebration honoring the AAPI Heritage Month in May at Maplewood and South Orange, New Jersey community and beyond. With this festival, we are celebrating the rich traditions and heritage of Asian culture through dance and music performances, poetry, food, crafts, martial arts, and more.
OUR HISTORY
OUR HISTORY
OUR HISTORY
Seeing a need to share our diverse culture in New Jersey, SOMA Cross-Cultural Works formed a non-profit organization to provide community festivals — Diwali Fest, celebrating the festival of lights; Lunar Fest, celebrating Lunar New Year; Hola Fest, celebrating Hispanic Heritage month; and HAPI Fest, celebrating Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
OUR MISSION
OUR HISTORY
OUR MISSION
Thanks to all the helping hands of our amazing community that help us put together and join us in these events! Our amazing team of volunteers works on initiatives and partners with the other local cultural institutions, elementary schools, and public libraries. Get in touch for more information!
Help Our Cause
$20.00
Your support and contributions will enable us to bring Asian Pacific Island cultural festivities. Your generous donation will fund our mission.