If there is one musical group that has become synonymous with community festivals, harbor celebrations, charity concerts, and long evenings beside the lagoon, it is The Passage Band..
Named after the narrow channel that connects Boralani’s sheltered harbor to the open Pacific, the band has spent more than a decade blending traditional island influences with contemporary music. Their sound is difficult to classify neatly. Some describe it as island folk-rock, others call it Pacific soft rock, while younger listeners simply refer to it as “Boralani music.”
The group first came together in 2013 when several local musicians found themselves repeatedly performing at the same community events. After an Independence Day celebration in Nalikai, they decided to form a permanent band rather than continue as occasional collaborators.
Their early performances consisted mainly of traditional songs, church harmonies, and acoustic arrangements of popular Pacific Island music. Over time, they began writing original material inspired by life in Boralani: fishing boats leaving before dawn, family gatherings, tropical storms, paddle races, and the quiet beauty of island evenings.
Today, The Passage Band performs a mixture of original songs and carefully selected covers. Their influences range from Polynesian and Melanesian vocal traditions to folk music, soft rock, reggae, and contemporary Pacific artists. Their concerts are known for audience participation, with crowds often joining in during the choruses.
The band members insist they are not trying to become famous beyond the islands.
“We just want people to have a good evening and remember where they come from,” is a phrase often attributed to them.
Meet the Band
Leilani Tavake — Lead Vocals
Leilani’s warm, expressive voice has become one of the most recognizable sounds in Boralani. Raised in a family of church singers, she began performing publicly at age twelve and remains active in community music programs that encourage young singers.
Mako Ariki — Drums
Mako provides the steady rhythm that anchors the band’s sound. Before joining The Passage Band, he spent years performing traditional canoe-race drumming and is known for incorporating island percussion techniques into modern arrangements.
Tane Voro — Bass Guitar
Tane is the band’s principal songwriter and one of its founding members. His lyrics often focus on everyday island life, and many of the group’s most popular songs began as melodies he composed while fishing or working around the harbor.
Josaia Naliko — Guitar
Josaia specializes in melodic lead guitar lines that give many Passage Band songs their distinctive character. A former school music teacher, he is widely respected for mentoring young musicians throughout the islands.
Pita Maro — Keyboards
Pita’s keyboard work adds depth and atmosphere to the band’s arrangements. Fascinated by both traditional and modern music, he often experiments with sounds that evoke ocean swells, tropical rain, and harbor life.
More Than a Band
Over the years, The Passage Band has become something of a cultural institution. They perform regularly at Independence Day festivities, Christmas celebrations, harbor festivals, and charity events. Their music can often be heard drifting from community halls and waterfront gatherings throughout the year.
In a nation that values tradition while cautiously embracing modernity, The Passage Band occupies a unique place. They are neither a museum piece nor a commercial pop act. Instead, they serve as a reminder that Boralani’s culture continues to evolve while remaining rooted in the rhythms of island life.
For many residents, a festival does not truly begin until The Passage Band takes the stage and the first familiar chords echo across the water.
