April 12, 2012
Ke Alaka i Volume 99: Issue 12
RE CULTU NIGHT E L ISSU SPECIA
THE LEADER
Ke Alaka i
Table of Contents
April 12, 2012 • Volume 99: Issue 12 Kent carollo
LEEANN LAMBERT
ed i t or -i n - ch i e f
advis o r
DEWEY KEITHLY hea d p hot og ra p h e r COPY EDITORS
VIDEO PRODUCTION
Amy Ca rl s to n , M a r i s s a E l d er, Tay l o r R i p py
L in ds ay B an c ro ft, Jame s C h o i, A lex L e n g, Jas o n B row n , C h r is Wo rk man .
PHOTOGRAPHERS
ART & GRAPHICS
M ei Y i n Ba r t Jol l ey
Mic h ae l Gulde n Ste ph an ie T s e
MULTIMEDIA JOURNALISTS Na t ha n Pa cke r, E l l e n Wyn n , A n drew Lyo n , Ca m ron S t o ck f o rd , G i s e lle Ramire z , Make n zi e Head , N a t a l i e D rewe r y, C ame ro n Ko b e r, Ab i gayl e B u tl e r, K a s h a N ah o o lewa, Mo rgan Bouwhu i s , A a ro n C o f f ey, Ma. V is Tagub a, L i sa Tut tl e INTERNS S uza nne T u t tl e Phi l l i p A n d r u s
AD MANAGER A aro n Knuds e n
CONTACT
E-mail: kealakai@byuh.edu Ad Information: kealakaiads@gmail.com Phone: (808) 675-3694 Fax: (808) 675-3491 Office: Campus, Aloha Center 134
NEWS CENTER
Publisher
Box 1920 BYUH Laie, HI 96762
P r in t Se r vic e s
E d i t o r i a l , p h o to s u bmis s io n s & dis tr ibut i on i n qu i r i e s : ke a l a k ai@ byuh .e du. To sub scr i be t o th e R S S FEED o r to view a d d i t i o n a l a r ti cl e s , go to ke alak ai.byuh . ed u.
ON THE COVER
Culture Night performers pictured from Cook Islands, Taiwan, Kiwi, Indian, Japanese, and Fiji Clubs. Photos by Bart Jolley.
Taiwan Chapter with traditional masked dancer at their performance at BYU-Hawaii’s Culture Night. Photo by Mei Yin
[page 4]
[page 13]
A quic k recap of t he 20 1 2 Cu l t u re Ni ght .
[page 10]
Mi ddl e East Chapt er makes i ts d ebut.
[page 14]
Japan e s e Cl u b per f or ms i n memor y of t he 2011 ts u nami .
Tongan Cl u b commemorate s th e p a ssi n g o f Ki ng Si aosi Topou V.
Robert R. Holland D.C., L.M.T.
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Ke Alaka‘i
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april
CALENDAR
Graduation Celebration begins at 7 p.m. in the CAC. 13 The The event includes dinner, student performances and
april
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More than 450 BYU-Hawaii students are scheduled to graduate at the April 2012 Commencement. Please be in your seats by 9 a.m., services start at 9:15 a.m. The guest speaker is Elaine S. Dalton, president of the Young Women’s Organization of the LDS Church. Sister Elaine S. Dalton, General Young Women’s president, will speak to all Aaronic Priesthood and Young Women (ages 12 to 18) at the Laie Hawaii Stake Center (next to Kamehameha Highway in Laie) beginning at 6 p.m. Dress is Sunday Best.
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remarks from President Wheelwright. Graduates who wish to attend must RSVP in person at the Alumni Office by April 12. Family and staff may purchase tickets at the Cashier’s Office for $10 per person and pick them up in the Alumni Office. For more information, call 675-3648.
the week in
QUOTES
“ My message is a ple a , a wa r ning, a nd a p rom is e : I pl ea d with you to d o t h e s im p le t h ing s t h a t will m ove you f orward spir itua lly. S t a r t wit h re m em be r ing H i m . You will remember wha t yo u kn ow a nd wh a t yo u l ove. T he Savior gave us t he s cr ip t u res , p a id f o r by p ro p h et s at a pr ice we cann o t m ea s u re, s o t h a t we coul d know Him. Lose yours elf in t h e m . D e cid e n ow t o re a d more, and more ef f e ct ive ly t ha n yo u have eve r do n e b ef o re.” -Pres ident Henr y B. E y r ing s a id d u r ing t h e E a s t e r sea son. “ We have worked to p u t t oget h e r a wom en ’s co n f e r enc e that will br ing s p ea ke rs from No r t h A m er ic a a nd our own islands of H awa ii who will t e a ch a n d enl i ghten and empower t ho s e wo m en wh o a t t e n d t o re ach beyond the bo u nd a r ies o f ou r own lim it e d spi r itual knowledge,” s ay s M a rga ret W h e e lwr ig h t , one of the keynote s p e a ke rs of t he 2012 Wom en ’s C onf erence. -Ma rgaret Wheelwr ig h t , on e o f t he key no t e s p e a ke r s of the upcoming 20 12 B YU H Wom en ’s Con f ere n ce “ On behalf of the 6 m illion p e o p le o f t he s t a t e o f Mi ss our i, I’d like to ex p res s o u r a p p re cia t ion a t you r church’s comm it m en t t o bu ild in g a p la ce o f su c h physical and i ns p ira t ion a l s ig n if ica nce. We a re pl ea s ed and honore d t ha t yo u have d o n e s o. I t ’s a t r u ly histor ic mome nt ...T h e p e o p le o f M is s o u r i h ave not always treated you r p e o p le a s t h ey s ho u ld h ave. T hi s is not only a trem en d o u s a ccom p lis hm en t f o r you , but is a time of he a lin g f o r u s .” -Mi ssour i Gover nor Jay Nix on s p e a k ing a t a V I P t o ur of the newly built Ka ns a s Cit y Tem p le.
Month XX, 2012
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CULTURE
NIGHT Over 400 performers and 20 clubs make 2012 Culture Night memorable
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fter long months of practice and anticipation, Culture Night brought the nations of BYU-Hawaii together in song and dance. Friday, April 6 has come and gone, and with it BYUH’s annual Culture Night presentation. Students, faculty and community members filled the Cannon Activities Center to capacity to experience a night bathed in the cultural expressions of representatives from countries around the world. There were 20 student alumni chapters or clubs on campus that participated one of the highlights in the Winter Semester 2012. The night began with the members of the African Chapter, clothed in zebra stripes, who danced to music from Broadway’s “The Lion King.” The Middle Eastern Chapter followed and entertained the crowd with colorful costumes and belly dancing. The Mongolian Chapter displayed Mongolian cultural expression with a truly spectacle with their hula-hoops and exciting acrobatics. Kelsey Badger, junior in social work from Washington, said, “I liked the whole unique experience of seeing all the cultures on the same stage. In other places, you might see one or two of these cultures represented, but here we have the opportunity to see all these different cultures on the same stage. It was great to see our fellow students as the actual performers too.” Members of the Indian Chapter presented themselves in colorful traditional saris and danced, with the theme “We are one” displayed on the screen behind them. Next, students from the Thai Club told a story through unified dance in their blue, gold, and maroon costumes. The Taiwan Chapter excited the crowd with the guest appearances of Po, from “Kung Fu Panda,” and traditionally masked dancers during their group numbers. (continued on page 6) 4
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Vaianui Iro performs the Haka with the Tahitian Club. Photo by Monique Saenz Month AprilXX, 12, 2012
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Oh, what a
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NIGHT
The Kiribati Chapter performed to a capella drums and a slideshow. The Kiwi Chapter honored its past with poi balls and the Haka. The Filipino Chapter detailed a day in the life of a Filipino, ranging from the fishing class to royalty. The Tahiti Chapter, which is comprised of over 60 performers, danced the synchronized dance of their island home. Somberly, the Tonga Chapter began their performance with a moment of silence to commemorate the passing of King Siaosi Topou V. Tade Karratti, a junior in biology from Utah who served a mission in Tonga, said the Tongan chapter presentation “was actually like a story of sacrifice and making covenants.“ Although Karratti didn’t perform this year because of a hefty school schedule, he said, if his schedule permits next year, he’ll be found among the lineup of culture night 2013. During the night, a member of the Tongan Club passed out and was taken by ambulance to the hospital. He reportedly has some heart issues but was released from the hospital that night and will be fine. Following Tonga, the China Chapter portrayed the beautiful story of two butterfly lovers and their journey from sadness to joy. The Malaysia Singapore Club followed, portraying their traditional dance in synchronization with a video presentation. The Cook Islands Chapter danced in their vibrant pink and blue costumes to native drum styles. Tim Chow, sophomore in hospitality from Hong Kong, said, “I enjoyed watching Hong Kong, Korean, and Tahitian Clubs. The most. Hong Kong club danced to a song in Cantonese. I felt like it took me back home. The Korean club was good because it made the crowd put their hands up together. The Tahitian club was very cool; lots of muscles. The Hong Kong Chapter displayed synchronized martial arts to music from Disney’s “Mulan.” The Korean Chapter
“...here we have the opportunity to progressed through time, beginning with an ancient traditional dance solo and transitioning into a more modern dance group number that got the audience on their feet, dancing. The Fiji Chapter displayed the Indian and island influences of their home through costume and dance. Alex Harker, a senior in biology from California, helped Emcee the event. “I love how you don’t have to be from the culture to dance with them. There was a good mixture of students in each club.” The Japan Chapter danced in blue and gold to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the tragic earthquake tsunami disaster. The Indonesian Club worked in sync to bring the audience alive with applause. Last, but certainly not least, the Samoan Chapter brought down the house with their traditional cultural expressions, ending it all with the audience members rushing to the stage to participate in the dance with their performing friends. Tanya Tanuvasa, a Samoan performer from Long Beach, Calif., explained how good it was to see performers from all the cultures. “People were there to show their culture and have fun. I was impressed how all cultures came together in the production. We represented the Samoan culture well. Through this performance, I got to know about my own culture. It was the best opportunity I have ever had to speak and dance Samoan.” - M a c kenzie Hea d a n d P h i l l i p A n d r u s Above Left: Vanessa Cummings is all smiles as she dances with the Cook Island Club. Below Left: Orr Brown performs in Samoan Club, the final club of the night. Right: Jayson Meha, Conway Kaka, Beau Solomon, Kaanaana Kapeliela and Brian Neave. dance the haka for Kiwi Club. Photos by Bart Jolley.
see all these different cultures on the same stage...” -Kelsey Badger
April 12, 2012
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CULTURE
NIGHT2012
DANCING TO REMEMBER Japanese Club performs in memory of 2011 tsunami
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ore than 90 BYU-Hawaii Japanese Club members performed a dance called Yosakoi for the Winter Semester 2012 Culture Night. The night’s performance was choreographed and performed in memory of the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on March 11, 2011. Yosakoi is a modern take on a traditional summer dance known as Awa Odori. The style of dance often combines traditional dance with modern music. Kei Nakatsuka, an undeclared freshman from Japan, said, “The dance is very famous. I have seen it performed by many schools.” Yosakoi is performed by large groups and is practiced in schools ranging from elementary schools to high schools. Men and women of all ages participate in this dance, and it is often performed for various festivals in Japan. Maki Imano, a freshman from Japan majoring in business management, said, “You can perform this dance anytime. If you wanted to celebrate something, every year in my area we have a big festival with Yosakoi.” Some performers wore costumes in the style of Yukata, which is a casual cotton dress style kimono rather than more formal silk kimonos. Others sported simply kimono-style blue and yellow jackets. Each performer also had a pair of fans, used as
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Kurumi Tsuji performs with a traditional Japanese dance. Photo by Bart Jolley by.
accessories in their dance routine, which means nearly 200 fans were filled the Cannon Activities Center floor. The night before their performance, the Japanese Club had the chance to practice their dance and enjoy each other’s company. Adrienne Cardoza, a sophomore from Ohio majoring in TESOL, explained, “We have practiced this dance twice a week in preparation for Culture Night.” The group practiced alongside other clubs outside the CAC snacking on mochi and kinako, a powder that is made from soybeans. They practiced well into the night perfecting their dance, and on the night of the event, their hard work showed as they received applause for their performance. -MOR G AN B OU W H UIS Above Right: Members of the Japanese Club perform a dance called Yosakoi. Below Right: Yasuko Nakamatsu and Chris Workman perform in honor of the 2011 tsunami. Photos by Bart Jolley Center Spread pages 8 and 9: Top Left to Bottom Right: Kiwi, Taiwan, India, Tongan, Korean, Africa, Hong Kong, Samoa, Japan, Mongolia, Thai, China, Middle East, Malaysia/Singapore, Tahiti, Kiribati, Indonesia, Filipino, Cook Island and Fiji Clubs. Photos by Bart Jolley and Mei Yin
Month XX, 2012
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MIDDLE EAST CLUB makes Culture Night Debut
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YU-Hawaii’s newest cultural student chapter, the Middle East Chapter, made its debut. The performance demonstrated a routine that focused on the traditional Middle Eastern practice of belly dancing. Barbara Shelton, a junior in political science from Saudi Arabia, serves as the club’s president. According to Shelton, belly dancing originated as a sort of primitive Lamaze class for pregnant women. As it matured, two genres of belly dancing evolved: entertainment and traditional. Both genres were incorporated into the Culture Night event. “We really became a close unit,” said Shelton. “Without the club members bringing their genuine spirits to practice, Culture Night would not have been the same.” For Shelton, one of the biggest difficulties of preparing for Culture Night was finding costumes that stay true to Middle Eastern tradition, which generally utilizes relatively revealing outfits, while still being appropriate within BYUH Honor Code stan-
dards. “It was frustrating trying to find something that was modest and still keeping with the authenticity of belly dancing. We decided as a group that keeping with the standards of the church was more important than keeping with culture.” Josh Mason, a sophomore majoring in both music and psychology from Oklahoma, joined the Middle East Club because of his experiences with his Muslim friends in high school. “I learned to really have a love for their religion, and their culture, because of the fact that they are so persecuted.” He added, “People have such a wrong idea of what Islam is. When I noticed that we had a club, I wanted to be a part of it.” As for the dancing, Mason was enthusiastic about the “human helicopter,” a much practiced stunt that involved himself, and another student swinging from the shoulders of JJ Hansen, a senior in TESOL from Pennsylvania. “[The human helicopter] was a big part of the performance, and that was the best one we had done.” Hansen added, “The most unexpected part was when
in the end. Josh and Martin flew off. We were so dizzy that we went tumbling off to the ground. I don’t know if the audience was laughing, but we sure were!” For Hansen, the greatest benefits that came from dancing with the Middle East Club were the relationships, and the sense of camaraderie that developed out of the practices and performances. “The friendships that we made were definitely the best part of being in the Middle East Club,” said Hansen. “It felt like a family. I enjoyed getting to know individuals in the club more closely than I otherwise would have.” -AARON COFFEY
Far left: Jessica Enos belly dances. Below Left: The ladies of the Middle East Club perform for their first time. Below Middle: Nephira O. Damiles and Mason Albert partner dance. Below Right: Members of the Middle East Club perform the human helicopter. Photos by Bart Jolley.
APRIL 12, 2012
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TONGAN VALUES
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Honoring King and country
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ongan Club was hard at work for months planning and rehearsing their performance for Culture Night. The day of culture night was incredibly busy. Ana Niutupuivaha, a senior majoring in political science from Tonga, spent the entire day braiding tea leaves. She said, “I got the tea leaves this morning from my brother’s house. They are all over, so they aren’t hard to find. Then I spent a very long time braiding them to make our costumes. We’ve spent about 3 days on these costumes. I also had to cut strips of paper for our hair to look like feathers.” Dwhite Latu, a junior majoring in computer technology from Tonga, said, “I made 10 tea leave costumes. I woke up this morning and picked them and braided them. Also we had to twist a bunch of twine for our hair.” Costumes were not the only focus of the day and not everyone made them. Billy Graham, a sophomore majoring in Hospitality and Tourism management from New Mexico, said, “I don’t know how to braid the tea leaves. I kept messing up. But I’ve been practicing all day at work, whenever I have a free moment to spare. I just do the hand
motions and stuff.” Graham continued, “It’s been such a blast. It was really different than what I’m used to and really fun.” Tongan club began rehearsing their dance in January. Siale Totau, Tongan club president, said, “As we started our preparation we had a story line where we wanted to portray our Tongan Values and who we are: Covenant People. However, with the passing away of our beloved King George Tupou V, changes were made and our production became a tribute to his life.” Even with this sudden change of plans and choreography, the show went on without a hitch. Totau attributes the flawless performance to the hard work of the club members. “We had a lot of helping hands from our Tongan community too. For the culture night committee, we had assigned teams for costumes, assigned teams for media, which included slides and music, and we had an assigned team for food and refreshments. I know that with these helping hands, Tongan Chapter’s culture night has come to reality.” Before the show, words of encouragement were offered to the performers from their advisers and presidency. They were left
“It’s been such a blast. It was really different than what I’m used to and really fun.” -Billy Graham
with this advice, “Just have fun. Remember to start strong and make it loud. All the hard work and preparation you put into this is for tonight. Do your best, not for you or me, but for Tonga.” - Ab igayle Bu tle r
Left: Yuto Inamori and Silvenusi To’a perform in the Tongan Club. Above: Chardonnay Fatani, Ta’ahine Kaufusi, Siale Totau, Tu’i Ha’alaufuli and Karl Mauai. Right: Filisia Iketau is carried by members of the Tongan Club. Photos by Bart Jolley and Mei Yin. April 12, 2012
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CULTURE
NIGHT
QUIZ
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Match the club to their Photo A. Africa
_____
B. Middle East
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C. Mongolia
_____
D. India
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E. Thai
_____
G. Kiribati
_____
_____
I. Filipino
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J. Tahiti
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K. Tonga
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12 13
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F. Taiwan
H. Kiwi
2
4
5
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M. Malaysia/ Singapore
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N. Cook Island
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O. Hong Kong
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P. Korea
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15 6
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L. China
14
7
16
17 8
18
Q. Fiji _____ R. Japan
_____
S. Indonesia
_____
T. Samoa
_____
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19
Photos by Bart Jolley Answers: A. 13; B. 1; C. 14; D. 2; E. 15; F. 19; G. 4; H. 5; I. 18; J. 3; K. 17; L. 16; M. 20; N. 6; O. 7; P. 9; Q. 8; R. 10; S. 11; T. 12.
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