Rising Stars: Meet Alexis Fonua of Atlanta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexis Fonua.

Hi Alexis, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My culture has always been a huge part of who I am. Growing up Polynesian, whether you are Tongan (like me) or Samoan, or really any other Polynesian, we take great pride in our heritage. We come from rich cultures rooted in strong values and beautiful traditions.

After moving to Atlanta from LA, where there is a large Polynesian community, I noticed there wasn’t really any authentic representation for our culture here. I wanted to be able to give the people of Atlanta the opportunity to experience the spirit of our beautiful South Pacific Islands authentically through dance and performances. Creating and building Heilala Entertainment, gave us the opportunity to share our culture and traditions through music and dance. Georgians get a real Polynesian experience, from real Polynesians. Our cast is 100% Polynesian, meaning every single one of us of Polynesian ancestry. Each of us have grown up with not only Polynesian blood, but are rooted in traditions and values of our beautiful islands.

Our ultimate mission is just to be able share our culture authentically in ALL ASPECTS. I am Tongan. In the Tongan vulture, our foundation is built on 4 pillars: “Fakaʻapaʻapa” respect, “‘Ofa” Love & compassion, “Lototō” humility, and “Tauhi vā” nuturing relationships. We want to represent our islands not only through our performances, but through implementing the values of our cultures in the way we operate our business. We hope that our customers cannot only feel the spirit of Polynesia when they watch our shows, but also when they interact with us.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The biggest struggles are of course, the finances and the resources. I am a full time mom and student athlete playing collegiate rugby. We rely solely on my husband’s income. Trying to start and maintain a business while also maintaining your family is pretty difficult on one income. It has made the process super slow so we’ve had to be very patient. Nonetheless, we are getting there and its coming along.

Finding all the things we need is another struggle. Because what we do is very niche, we have trouble finding the resources we need here in Georgia. We either have to wait a long time for things to ship from the West Coast or even Hawai’i or have to make everything by hand which can take countless hours. This also just adds to the financial aspect but we are also learning a lot of skills by doing this so were grateful.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
We are a Polynesian Entertainment company. We provide Polynesian performances and educational experiences to really any event. We are ultimately just proud of are culture and are eager to share it with anyone and everyone, We are a full Polynesian cast meaning that every single one of our performers is of Polynesian descent. We provide a a real, authentic experience and we are excited to be able to have the opportunity to do so.

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I believe staying true to myself and the values I was raised by will bring me success. The 4 foundational pillars of the Tongan culture are respect, love and compassion, humility, and nuturing relationships. I know staying true to those values will help me be successful.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.heilalapolynesianent.com/
• Instagram: heilalaent
• Facebook: Heilala Polynesian ENt
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/heilala-polynesian-entertainment-atlanta?osq=heilala