Chief Sielu

Chief Sielu Avea (Chief Sielu in short) is a Samoan-born comedian and ambassador of Polynesian culture. Since 2012 he has been the producer and host of Chief's Luau, a Hawaiian Lūʻau on Oahu.

In 1993, Chief Sielu became the first World Fireknife Dance Champion, a title given to the winner of the World Fireknife Championships held annually in Laie, Hawaii. Since then, he has performed fire-knife in dozens of countries and started at Sea Life Park luau which is now Aloha Kai Luau. Chief Sielu has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Tonight Show, MTV, BBC Television, Drunk History, Impractical Jokers, and the Miss Universe Pageant. In 2002, he threw the flaming spear that ignited the ceremonial torch at the Stadium of Fire event prior to the opening ceremony of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

Chief Sielu's formal title, awarded to him by the Head of the Independent State of Samoa, is Malietoatauasa Faamoetauloa.

Early life In 1981, Chief Sielu moved to Oahu to attend Brigham Young University-Hawaii. While studying there to major in mathematics, he worked part time at a nearby cultural museum, where he honed his entertainment skills. The experience changed the direction of his life.

At 25, he was tapped by the elders of Samoa to return to endure a weeklong tattooing ceremony, after which he was awarded the esteemed title of High Chief. The title was bestowed upon him by the Head of the Independent State of Samoa.

BYU Magazine observed that Chief Sielu was a born comedian whose entertainment skills are "so captivating, his audiences do not realize how much they are learning". The writer described how he climbed a coconut tree barefoot with only a loop of cloth to aid him after starting a fire with the aid of just two wooden sticks and some coconut fiber, striking poses for photos on his way up to a steady stream of laughter. In 2014, Chief Sielu took a one-week hiatus from his Honolulu luau to headline Samoa's 24th annual Teuila Festival accompanied by his group of 20 luau performers at an invitation from the nation's Prime Minister.

Chief's Luau The foundation for Chief's Luau was laid in the late 1980s when Chief Sielu was performing daytime cultural demonstrations. During that time, he was approached by Eddie Sax and Charlotte Sax, founders of the Honolulu Comedy Club (now operating as the Waikiki Comedy Club at the Hilton Waikiki Beach).

After seeing Chief Sielu's comedy coconut husking and fire making presentations, the Saxes asked him to appear at their comedy club alongside the stand-up comedians they brought to Hawaii from Los Angeles and New York including George Wallace, Jeff Foxworthy, Brad Garrett, Jeff Dunham, and George Lopez.

In a 2018 television interview on KHON-TV, Chief Sielu noted that as the creator, producer, and host of Chief's Luau, the motivation behind how he designed the new space, which is located in a secluded section inside the Wet’n’Wild facility, was based on creating a feeling. He explained that he wanted to make the experience of Chief's Luau more than just a show - he wanted to make it for the people and the feeling he wants them to experience. From May 2012 through December 2017, Chief's Luau operated its luau at Sea Life Park until moving to its permanent venue at Wet’n’Wild.

Chief Sielu credits his mother and father with instilling him with the desire to share his Polynesian culture with people from all walks of life. Chief Sielu explains that there is no script for the show, and that everything is conveyed through feelings and spirit. He advocates sharing the Aloha spirit with everybody who comes to the islands. Compared to the other Oahu luaus, he believes his vision has been achieved in Chief's Luau.

Actor Chief Sielu made his cinematic debut in Brett Wagner's short film Chief, an award-winning piece at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. The film follows the character Semu Fatutoa, played by Chief Sielu, who drives a taxi in Honolulu. He had previously been a village chief in Samoa, but tragedy compelled him to flee his home and cover his tattoos. The plot of the movie features Fatutoa driving in circles, trying to forget about his old life and coming upon a young Hawaiian girl in desperate need of his help.

Chief was the first Hawaii-made short film ever to be featured at the Sundance Film Festival. It also won the Best Dramatic Short Award at the Los Angeles International Short Film Festival (a.k.a. LA Shorts Fest), an honor that qualified it for Oscar consideration.

Author In 1994, Chief Sielu published a book on the Samoan tattoo titled Tatau: The art of the Samoan tattoo. Siela is an all-star high school volleyball player.