By Jenna Beresheim Staff Writer
Western students will have a chance to break away from the drab Oregon weather, entering a cultural snapshot of Polynesia and beyond at the Hawai’i Club’s ninth annual Lu’au, Saturday, May 16.
The event spans over five hours, with doors opening at 4:30 p.m., dinner beginning by 5:30 p.m., and rounding out the evening with a reggae concert by Steadyriots at 9 p.m. The main attraction, the dance show, will take place between these two events, starting at 6:30 p.m.
“There will be Tahitian dancing, Samoan dancing, Maori dancing, and Hula dancing,” said Hawai’i club president, Kamaluhiaakauanani Kauahi-Daniels, a second year communications major. “It will be filled with lots of fun, and you can experience a whole lot of different cultures of the Pacific.”
If none of these dances are familiar to you, or you have never experienced the culinary culture of Polynesia, this event may be for you. Do not be fooled that this event will only focus around Hawaiian culture — the variety of dances show that many cultures will be exhibited in this fun-filled night.
“We put on the Lu’au so we can show and teach the world of the many Polynesian cultures that run through our islands,” said Alyssa Carvalho, a senior business major and vice president of the Hawai’i club. “The dances we dance have meaning and history behind it. It’s the stories of our ancestors and islands. It’s not all about grass skirts, palm trees and bright colors.”
Students should also expect to engage in games, a photo booth, and even a bake sale outside of the main show. These events will be going on during the breaks before dinner and in between the dance presentation.
“For this year, we hope to reach out to others and teach them of our cultures and get them wanting to come back to our future Lu’aus,” Carvalho said.
Tickets are still available for pre-sale through Friday, and start at $5 for students and $15 for non-students. At the door on Saturday, they will raise by $2 each. Kauahi-Daniels heavily encourages students to attend “to learn more about the Polynesian culture. There will be lots to do there!”
If you are interested and wish to purchase your tickets, contact the Hawaii Club at hawaiiclub@wou.edu.
