1. A method for executing very long instruction words (VLIWs) separately on individual processing elements (PEs), the method comprising: receiving a thread start (Tstart) instruction from a first instruction path in each PE of a plurality of PEs; switching in each PE from the first instruction path to a second instruction path in response to the Tstart instruction, wherein the first instruction path is used to receive single instruction multiple data (SIMD) instructions distributed to each PE and the second instruction path is used to receive instructions from a local PE instruction memory (PE Imem); fetching a PE execute VLIW (PEXV) instruction from the local PE Imem in each PE; selecting a VLIW having a plurality of slot instruction from a VLIW memory located in each PE in response to the PEXV instruction, to decode and execute the plurality of slot instructions in parallel in each PE; executing a Tstop instruction fetched from the local PE Imem that is specified to execute a PE instruction in the shadow of the Tstop instruction; and executing the PE instruction in the shadow of the Tstop instruction.