Spicing it up with colours

By Vatapuia Maiava 05 September 2016, 12:00AM

It was a colourful Saturday morning for all those down at the Samoa Tourism Authority (S.T.A.) village where Samoa’s first ever Colour Run was held.

The event saw a whole lot of laughter and a heap of fun while still retaining that healthy concept of a normal fun run. The beautiful contestants of the Miss Samoa 2016 also got in on all the action joining a horde of participants in what one can only be described as a colour-filled start to the Teuila Festival.

But what exactly is a Colour Run?

“The colour-run is your usual 5km run but with a bit of colour,” event organizer and reigning Miss Samoa, Ariana Taufao, told the Samoa Observer.

“But along the way we have volunteers throwing this coloured powder to make you all colourful. At the end you have this community disco where everyone can just throw up the colours.

“So that’s just the basics of it and it’s not that different. When we say Colour Run then it’s literally just colour that’s added.”

Miss Taufao also added that it is a Western concept that she has always wanted to bring to Samoa. “The Colour Run was really just something I’d seen overseas in Australia and other western countries,” she said.

“We wanted do a general fun run and then with the Samoa Tourism Authorities Events, we came up with bringing the first colour run to Samoa. “It was just something different to make it a bit more fun than usual. Our main goal was to raise funds for Mapuifagalele.

“I have been volunteering there for a few months over the course of my reign and that’s why I really felt in my heart that I should give back to them and just support them in a way that I knew that they needed.

“This was in support of the staff of Mapuifagalele and the renovations they’re doing for the elderly residents.” Aside from Miss Taufao’s big heart for Mapuifagalele, this was also a way to promote health in Samoa.

“This also does well to support the healthy life campaign that’s going on in Samoa pioneered by the Ministry of Health,” she said.

“This really mixes well with W.H.O, B.S.L. Nobesity and other sports organizations who are really pushing for our youth to turn to a healthier lifestyle. “We also wanted to show that exercising can be fun and not all hard work.”

According to Miss Taufao, the morning’s turnout exceeded all expectations with participants ranging from the very young to the elderly. With 250 pre-registrations and 100 more joining in on all the fun on the actual morning, it was a real colour party for all who came. “God was so good to allow the Samoan community to open their hearts to this event,” Miss Taufao said.

With one of Samoa’s key events, the Teuila Festival, just around the corner, Miss Taufao wanted to bring this event to Samoa to spice everything up.

“I thank God he was with me every step of the way in bringing this to Samoa,” she said.

“I wouldn’t say this is bringing something different but it’s really just bringing something with a little spice to Samoa especially with the Teuila festival. “This is our biggest time of the year where we get a lot of tourists so it’s great to showcase how our culture can adapt to the outside world.”

Miss Taufao concluded by acknowledging all those who helped make the event possible.

“I would just like thank everyone who was part of,” she said.

“Our sponsors, our volunteers, the Miss Samoa pageant committee for letting the girls come and be a part of this; it was a great icebreaker for the community to see the girls in that kind of environment.

“I just want to thank all of Samoa who live the day to day life who don’t wait for a big event like this to give back. This goes out to all those who give back to their community out of the goodness of their heart.

“This is all for those unsung heroes out there.”

In the end, no one left the same colour they arrived.

By Vatapuia Maiava 05 September 2016, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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