Alex Galea'i Fire Knife Ad Award

The Television Academy Foundation of North Hollywood, California, on. March 25, 2025, nominated a 60-second ad featuring PCC’s Alex Galea’i for its 44th College Television awards in the commercial PSA or promo category. In the ad, Galea’i and some of his BYU–Hawaii mates highlight the generational roots of Samoan fire knife dancing.

In a television interview announcing the award, Galea’i said he didn’t realize when his friend Daniel White, who he met while serving a mission in Auckland, New Zealand, called him to help how far-reaching the project might be.

“I just thought it was something small, I just thought it was a school project,” Galeaʻi explained in a Honolulu-based KHON-TV interview; but White and his team had entered their Manumālō (i.e., “Victory”) production in competitions and festivals nationwide.

The ad features Galea’i, and some of his BYU–Hawaii mates, highlighting the generational roots of Samoan fire knife dancing.

“My last name is Galeaʻi and that is a pretty big name in the fire knife world. Started with my grandfather. He started the World Fire Knife Competition at the Polynesian Cultural Center.” His father, uncle, and cousins went on to hold world championship titles.

“We’re a family of champions and I’m proud of it. We grew up all together, fire knife dancing. Fire knife has been in our family for a very, very long time,” Galeaʻi said.

Even if the film doesn’t win an award, Galea’i said he’s still grateful to represent where he comes from. “Just the opportunity to even be considered or nominated, it’s no greater feeling. To me, not many local opportunities are offered like this, especially in our own communities, in our own islands, and so it is an awesome experience.”

Galea’i said he plans to attend the College Television Awards program in Los Angeles on April 5, 2025. He will then graduate with a bachelor’s degree in business management from BYU–Hawaii, with an emphasis in economics and minors in political science and Pacific Island studies.