From Alaska to Maine and points in between, public television viewers across the country will get an insider's look at Pacific Islander music, culture and issues on Pacific Heartbeat.

Hula, Language of the Heart (image)

Hula, Language of the Heart
Thursday, September 12 at 8:00 pm

The Merrie Monarch Hula Festival is a four day competition and exhibition that portrays the elegance, power and rich storytelling of this ancient art form. This program highlights the 2012 festival winners and presents a look at hula's role in the past, present and future of Hawaii's people.

Pacific Heartbeat Logo (image)

Co-produced by Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC) and PBS Hawaii, the series presents real stories about real people in the Pacific Region.

"Many mainland people think of Hawaii as just a sunny vacation destination, but Pacific Heartbeat brings something new to the table," said PBS Hawaii President and CEO Leslie Wilcox. "This is an opportunity to present the authentic culture of Pacific islands, whether it's sharing Hawaiian music, reawakening traditional navigation on a journey to Tahiti, or seeing an island community adapt to climactic change."

For more information and to
view program trailers, please visit www.pacificheartbeat.org