Polynesian culture showcased at luau
The Polynesian Student Union will be showcasing their heritage Friday at the Kent Concert Hall, with dancing from five different countries.
Bri Maualauvao, sophomore in aviation, is the PR officer of PSU. She said the objective of the evening is to share the students’ legacy with other students and members of the community.
“Many of us don’t know everything about our heritage,” Maualauvao said. “We’re learning, and we want to share what we learn, and what our ancestors have taught us, with you.”
There are many students in the luau, including some who aren’t Polynesian. Madison Milligan, sophomore in dietetics, is one of these students.
“I know the president of PSU, and I’d never danced before, so I thought I’d give it a shot,” Milligan said.
Milligan and 10 others will perform a Tahiti dance about a couple who are no longer together. She and the other girls have been practicing all semester, twice a week for two hours to learn the dance.
Nancy Leon, senior in social work, said the story of the two is a romantic but sad one.
“It’s about how the mountains remind him of his girl holding their baby,” she said. “It’s just different things that remind them about each other.”
Leon said she is doing an internship with the Multicultural Student Services (MSS) and thought getting involved in a different organization within the group would be fun and give her experience with a different culture’s background.
The luau is held every year, and Kaneala Ablao has been in three of them. Ablao goes to Eagle Gate College, but has helped to teach a dance this year for the luau.
Born and raised in Hawaii, Ablao has known the dances all his life. He said the dances were performed every year for an event called Mayday, where people get together to celebrate Hawaiian culture.
“All through school they have this celebration of Mayday, and I’ve always performed the hula,” he said.
Ablao moved to Logan a few years ago, so his wife could come to school at USU. He said he loves the luau because there’s always a feeling of happiness in the festivities.
“It’s the aloha feeling,” he said. “It’s always a feeling of great joy.”
Erika Gautavai, senior in exercise science, is a choreographer for a dance from Samoa. It’s the dance of the octopus and the mouse, she said.
“The mouse and the octopus used to be best friends, and the mouse wanted to go across the ocean,” she said. “But they’re not friends anymore, because when the mouse got off, he had left a mess on the octopus’ head.”
Josie Knight, sophomore in pre-veterinary studies, said she was in the luau last year and will be in this year’s.
“My mom is Venezuelan, so I’m involved in MSS, so I thought I’d try something different,” Knight said. “Everyone’s been really nice.”
Knight is involved in multiple dances from two different countries, but she’s not the only one involved in many different areas. Maualaivao is also in many dances, one in Hawaii, Tahiti and New Zealand.
The event begins with a dinner at 5 p.m. and continues with dancing at 7:30. Tickets are $5 for the luau and $10 for dinner.
– april.ashland@aggiemail.usu.edu