1-Minute Interview with Fifita Unga

This week’s Polynesian Cultural Center’s 1-minute Interview is with Fifita Unga, Vice President of the Polynesian Cultural Center who has served many years in the Food & Beverage Department. A native of Tonga, Fifita has actually worked 37 years at the Center. Her first position here was as a demo guide in the Tonga Village. She and her husband, Livingston has a son, a daughter and 9 grandchildren.

1. How are you filling your days?

I’m in the senior age category, so I was asked to work from home to be safe

2. What do you do to keep your spirits up?

My husband and I plan out our focus for the week and we pretty much follow that. Our schedule is full. There’s no down time and it’s fulfilling and rewarding. Even our menu is planned. We keep our meals nutritious and balanced by using our home storage sparingly. It is a challenging time, but I have much to be grateful for.

We can still live the law of sharing but on a higher level now – which is an inheritance from our Polynesian heritage.

3. Can you tell us about another time in your life where you may have utilized your Polynesian cultural and practices to guide you through challenges?

My upbringing and growing up was very simple and basic. We ate off the land and the ocean. Early in life I learned to budget what little money we had to be frugal.

Sharing was a natural part of our life with the families, our neighbors and community. My lifestyle is still very much the same. One of my greatest blessings in this life is that my 9 grandkids all live within walking distance from my house. We do practice the social distance so we miss our hugs n kisses however.

4. What are you looking most forward to doing once the Polynesian Cultural Center reopens?

I am looking forward to getting to unfinished projects that were placed on hold. My heart is overfilled with gratitude for the Board of Directors, President Grace and his President’s Council. I am not aware of any other company that made such a brave and miraculous decision. The facilitation of it demonstrates to our Ohana what true caring and faith looks like. I look forward to celebrating the reunion of all of us coming back together.

Malo aupito