Introducing – Delsa Moe 

Submitted by: Sister Kristine Saunders, Archives 

Perhaps no one knows the Polynesian Cultural Center better than Delsa Moe, Vice President for Cultural Presentations. Delsa has been an employee of the Polynesian Cultural Center in a variety of roles since she was a student. She graduated from BYU-Hawaii with a degree in Travel and Tourism Management and has been a visible part of the Polynesian Cultural Center for more than 40 years. Delsa Moe is certainly a person worth getting to know better.  

Delsa was born in Samoa and attended high school at the Church College of Western Samoa (CCWS). As a high school student, Delsa enjoyed Track and Field sports. Though she was a sprinter, she placed third in the national high school competition in the high hurdles event.  She said, “That was a surprise and a great thrill for me.”  

After graduating from BYU-Hawaii in 1983, Delsa was offered a full-time position as manager of the Guides Department at the Polynesian Cultural Center. Her goal had been to work in the travel industry after college, maybe as a flight attendant. Her family in Samoa owned a travel agency and she was familiar with the business and loved to travel. Working at the Polynesian Cultural Center has provided her the opportunity to travel, just not in the way she had originally planned. She has directed, managed, and supervised many people, young and old, as they’ve gained knowledge at BYU-Hawaii and work experience at the Polynesian Cultural Center. 

Delsa’s first job at the Polynesian Cultural Center as a student started in the fall of 1978. Through a friend, she was hired as a demonstration guide in the Maori Village for a semester. She later was a member of the Polynesian Cultural Center’s Brass Band, serving for many years as a percussionist, drum major, and music librarian. Yet, it was as a dancer with the Promo Teams that she was able to travel. Her experience as a PCC dancer and narrator/MC in the matinee show, canoe show, and evening show allowed her to learn confidence in front of an audience, a skill she has used frequently over the years.  She became part of the Polynesian Cultural Center’s Promo Team which was often used by the State of Hawaii to promote tourism. She remembers performing at the prestigious Lincoln Center in New York City before she understood how great an honor it was to perform there. Delsa continued to travel to many parts of the world with the Promo Team as a dancer and later as a member of the Center’s Sales Team. 

Delsa has met many famous people who have visited the Polynesian Cultural Center. She recalls meeting Benjamin Netanyahu, former prime minister of Israel. She was, “very impressed by his interest in Polynesian history and origins. He was very considerate and gracious to those around him, a real gentleman.” 

If she had to leave Lā’ie, Delsa would “gladly live in Samoa. I like living in Lā’ie because it reminds me a lot of Samoa.”  

The three words Delsa uses to describe herself are taro, potato, and Grandma. Taro because she is half Samoan. Potato because her mom is from Idaho, and Grandma because it is the most important job she has now.  “It is a blessing to be able to work close to home,” she said. “I work with people who share my same values, family, and faith.” She appreciates all of the cultures represented at the Polynesian Cultural Center and gained an appreciation and understanding that the “Pacific Ocean is another continent which doesn’t divide us, it unites us.”  Sometime within the next two years, she plans on visiting the last two continents on her bucket list: South America and Antarctica. 

 

“Expedition: Dinosaur – Rise of the Mammals” 

Submitted by: Milton Lafitaga, Sales Manager 

 

 

I hope all is well with you and your Ohana and staying safe! 

I wanted to update you and your staff on some exciting news about the museum’s newest exhibit that opened last weekend “Expedition: Dinosaur – Rise of the Mammals”. 

This exhibit has a special exhibit fee in addition to regular admission and is not included in the general admission passes that were created for Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) and Bishop Museum in our reciprocal program. 

PCC/BM Reciprocal Offer: 

• Free Admissions; must show PCC ID 
• 5 max. employee per day
• 1 guest per employee 

Since the opening of the dinosaur exhibit, we have had tremendous support from the public and visitors alike and hope your staff will enjoy this exciting new exhibit before it goes extinct.  Please feel free to share this information with your staff so they’re aware of the additional upcharge for the dinosaur exhibit. 

Below are the exhibit details: 

• The exhibit is on view from October 2, 2021, thru January 23, 2022  
• $4.95 special exhibit fee/person in addition to admission  
•  https://www.bishopmuseum.org/dinosaurs 

Thank you for all your support and we hope you have some time to visit the exhibit with your family – take care! 

Mahalo,
Milton Lafitaga 

 

Revisions to PCC COVID-19 Safety Requirements

Submitted by: P. Alfred Grace, President & CEO 

Aloha My PCC Ohana, 

I am very pleased to inform you over 93 percent of all PCC employees (not including keiki performers) are fully vaccinated. This significantly reduces the likelihood of COVID spread at the PCC. However, to be sure, we will continue pushing towards our goal of having 95 percent of all employees collectively, as well as by department, fully vaccinated before the end of the year. 

Because 93 percent of our Ohana are now fully vaccinated, we are in a position to relax some of our self-imposed regulations. These are regulations required by PCC and not necessarily the State or City and County of Honolulu. Listed below is a highlight of some of the changes to the Center’s regulations. A link to the complete document is at the end of this message, or can be found attached to President Grace’s email of Monday afternoon, 10/11/2021, and is entitled “PCC COVID-19 Safety Requirements as of October 11, 2021”.  

Some of the specific changes are as follows: 

1. Face masks are no longer required in employee-only offices or work areas if a six-foot distance between employees can be maintained. However, it is strongly recommended for employees who are not fully vaccinated to wear an N-95 or similar mask in these places to reduce the chance of severe illness caused by COVID-19.
2. Employees who have traveled out of state may now return to work immediately if they are fully vaccinated and have no COVID-19 symptoms. Employees who are not fully vaccinated, or have COVID-19 symptoms, must not return to work until they have tested negative for COVID-19. The test must be taken no sooner than three days after returning to Hawaii.

Please remember, social gatherings with individuals in close contact for more than 15 minutes is a leading cause of COVID-19 spread and should be avoided when possible.  If they cannot be avoided, please consider getting tested and receiving a negative result before returning to work, or let your supervisor know so they can take additional precautions if necessary.  

As always, if you have any questions regarding this message or the attached document, please see your Director, Vice President or myself. 

Mahalo, 

Alfred Grace,
President and CEO

Click here for the full revised version of the Center’s COVID-19 Safety Requirements 

 

Elder Tom Davis

 

Ergonomics 

Did you know that 1.5 million workplace injuries are reported each year, and about half are directly attributed to poor ergonomics?  

Ergonomics is a science that deals with designing the work environment for natural interaction, to reduce stress and eliminate injuries associated with the overuse of muscles, bad posture, and repeated tasks. 

Professions at risk for ergonomic injuries include assembly line workers, utility workers, and office workers, but any worker with repetitive, physical tasks is thought to be susceptible. Ergonomics aims to make the job fit the person, not the other way around. 

So that leaves the question; how do I go about being more ergonomic? 

• Your workstation should accommodate the full range of motions you need to do your job 
• Avoid awkward postures, which put a strain on joints 
• Improve work processes to reduce unnecessary reaching and lifting 
• If you will be standing for long periods of time, use anti-fatigue floor mats 
• Adjust the height of work tables 
• If you are sitting for extended periods of time, adjust chairs so that you have proper leg and back support 
• Make sure there is enough space for your knees and feet, with your feet flat on the ground and your knees at a 90-degree angle 
• If you are using a computer, make sure that the point about 2 or 3 inches down from the top of the monitor casing is at eye level 
• You also want the monitor to be about an arm’s length away from where you’re sitting 
• It’s important to make sure that your elbows are at a 90-degree angle, with your wrist parallel to the floor and resting on a desk 
• Use hand tools designed to reduce ergonomic risk factors 
• Reduce the frequency, duration, and severity of exposure to elements that may cause stress 
• Take rest breaks to interrupt ongoing repetitive movements