Planning a big party
At the mention of the word “Luau,” students may conjure up images of a roasted pig, bright colors, flowers and exotic Polynesian dancing.
The Utah State University Polynesian club hopes to meet and beat these expectations this Friday night in its annual Luau, said Kim Kawakami, the club’s secretary.
First, attendants at the Luau will be served a Polynesian dinner, including traditional dishes like Kalua pork, which is prepared by roasting a pig in a hot underground pit, and “Pineapple Surprise,” Kawakami said. Rice, teriyaki chicken and pasta salads are also on the menu, Kawakami said.
Following the feasting, audience members will be treated to a two-hour dance festival with traditional dances from “all the big islands” – Hawaii, Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, New Zealand and Tahiti, said Halene Honda, activities coordinator for the Polynesian club.
The quality of the show is spectacular, mostly because the dance team of 21 students have been planning and preparing it since last semester, Kawakami said. The preparations have demanded more than a few eight-hour rehearsals, Honda said.
“We’ve devoted our social lives to this since January,” Kawakami said.
The Luau feast is common in Polynesian culture, but the dances vary widely from island to island, said Polynesian club Vice President Jeff Mauga. For example, one Tongan dance will be performed by a lone female dancer. The dance is traditionally performed by Tongan princesses, Mauga said.
The Haka is a fierce Polynesian dance performed by men during times of war to intimidate their enemies, Mauga said. Another will be a Samoan “slap dance,” which is “a really coordinated way of slapping mosquitoes,” Mauga said.
“This Luau is the equivalent of a $60 show,” Kawakami said. “It is the best [Polynesian] show you will find in Cache Valley.”
The club hopes the Luau will increase student understanding and appreciation for Polynesian culture, Kawakami said.
“Wear your most festive clothing; it’s gonna be a big party,” Kawakami said.
“There will be good food, a good show, and good-lookin’ people in good-lookin’ costumes,” Honda said.
Tickets for the Luau are available in the USU ticket office or at the door – the show sold out last year, Kawakami said.
Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for students, $8 for children 12 and under.
The Luau will be held in the Ballroom of the Taggart Student Center on Friday, April 6, beginning at 6 p.m.
“[It’s] worth every cent,” Kawakami said.