October 17, 2013 Ke Alaka'i

October 17, 2013

Ke Alaka i Volume 105: Issue 6

THE LEADER

The Life of Emma Smith New play shares insights through silhouettes 4

Boyé dazzles the audience Concert Choir performs alongside singer 8

Hokule‘a arrives at Hukilau

Locals say it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience 14

Ke Alaka i

Photo of the Week

October 10, 2013 • Volume 105: Issue 5 Editor-in-chief

Advisor

Jef f M cLe o d

L e e an n L amb e r t

Art Director M a ke n z i e H e a d COPY EDITORs

ART & GRAPHICS

Tuc ke r G r i m s h aw A ust i n M e l d r u m Hom e r Wo l m a n

Make n z ie H e ad Mo rgan Bo uwh uis On Ki Wo o P ic h aya Sais o pa Mo n ic a Rub alc ava

PHOTOGRAPHERs

VIDEOGRAPHERS

Kyoko H a s e gawa Kel si e C a rl s o n S um i k a Yo z a Pi c haya S a i s o p a M oni ca R u ba l cava

N i Sh ipe n g Katie Bak Jame s As tle

MULTIMEDIA JOURNALISTS Rabecca Sabalones, Keryna Monson, Alyssa Walhood, Makaila Bergeson, Lisa Tuttle, Samone Isom, Matt Roberts, DeVaughn Huntoon-Jones, Samantha Spring, Lauren Steimle, Greg Erickson, Jeff Facer, Hannah Packard INTERN M a . V i s Ta g u ba

AD MANAGER Sh aro n Wo n g

E-mail: ke a l a k a i @ byuh .e du Ad Information: ke a l ak aiads @ gmail.c o m Phone: ( 8 0 8 ) 6 7 5 - 3 6 9 4 Fax: ( 8 0 8 ) 6 7 5 - 3 4 9 1 Office: C a mp u s , A l o ha C e n te r 134

Box 1920 BYUH Laie, HI 96762

Table of Contents [page 4 & 5]

CONTACT

NEWS CENTER

Photo of the week: Landon Southwick strikes the ball in BYUH’s 2-1 win over Dominican University of California on Saturday, Oct. 12. Photo by Kyoko Hasegawa

Publisher 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 o n i n qu i r i e s : ke alak ai@ byuh .e du.

To s u bs cr i be t o th e RSS 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 .

Inside the upcoming Emma Smith perf ormance

[page 10] BYUH Prof essor f eatured in ESPN’s 30 f or 30

[page 8 & 9] Alex Boye sings in BYUH’s Perf ormance Ser ies

[page 14 & 15] Hokule’a makes stop in Laie

Share with us your photo of the week and we may feature it in our next issue. e-mail us at kealakai@byuh.edu

ON THE COVER

Despite rainy weather,BYU-Hawaii student Kaimiaina Bourne and several hundred local people, including members of the BYUH ohana, welcome the Hawaiian sailing canoe Hokule’a and its crew at Hukilau Beach on Oct. 11. Photo by Kelsie Carlson

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Alex Boye jokes with the BYU-Hawaii Concert Choir before performing with them at the end of his concert on Oct. 12 in the Cannon Activities Center. Photo by Kelsie Carlson

CALENDAR

OCT

17

BYUH President Steven Wheelwright will present on “Ethical Leadership: Religious Freedom” in the Heber J. Grant Building room 275. The presentation will be from 5:30-7 p.m.

All are invited.

OCT

Come and support the BYUH men and women basketball teams as they get fans excited for the upcoming season in the Cannon Activity Center from 9-11 p.m. There will be lots of free food, free posters, free sunglasses, free t-shirts, 3-point contests and prize giveaways.

OCT

Salt Lake City Choral and Vocal Artist will perform in the McKay Building Auditorium from 7-9 p.m.

Children under the age of eight are discouraged from attending.

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the week in

QUOTES

“In moments like this, Americans like Will remind us of what our country can be at its best, a nation of citizens who look out for one another, who meet our obligations to one another not just when it’s easy, but also when it’s hard.”

-President Barack Obama says of Medal of Honor recipient, William D. Swenson.

“Just as chalk can be removed from a blackboard, with sincere repentance the effects of our transgression can be erased through the Atonement of Jesus Christ” -President Boyd K. Packard said during the 183rd

semi-annual LDS General Conference.

““There would be no Kelly Slater today if not for Eddie Aikau back then.”

-Sam George, director of ESPN’s 30 for 30 on Eddie

Aikau, said of Hawaiian hero.

news headlines

Nissan Director of EV Infrastructure Stategy, Brendan Jones, uses a charging station. Big island residents are pushing for more charging stations around the island. Photo by AP

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NOTE WORTHY

Big Island group pushes for more EV stations West Hawaii Today reported a group on the Big Island is making a push for more Electric Vehicles (EV) and charging stations on the islands. BYU-Hawaii students said they support their cause.

Students agree that more electric vehicles will benefit the environment. When asked about the subject, Brooke Butler, a junior in social work from California, said, “I absolutely would be interested in buying an electric car. I think that the money you save on gas would compensate for the cost of the car.”

Hawaii is one of the six states that sell the Leaf, an EV from Nissan, while also having the new Ford Focus Electric available.

Butler continued, “I think it is extremely important to do better for the environment too because our parents and grandparents didn’t treat it so well.”

Hawaii is an ideal spot for EVs because the islands have limited distances to drive and high gas prices. The state already relies on a variety of renewable energy resources including, wind, geothermal and solar. Bobby Poort, a senior majoring in ICS

from Nevada, said he thinks EVs are great alternatives to the current gas consumption and air pollution.

Despite being larger, there are only four charging stations for EVs on the Big Island while Oahu has 200. More charging stations could entice Big Island residents to purchase. Jessie Bott, a freshman in marine biology from Idaho, responded to the idea of giving the Big Island more charging stations, “I think in the long run it will be better for the environment.”

According to the Hawaii State Energy Office, the state is also looking to make finding charging stations easier. Its website states, “The State of Hawaii has launched a new mobile application designed to help drivers locate publicly available electric vehicle (EV) charging stations statewide.

The free EV Stations Hawaii app is available for Apple and Android smartphones and mobile devices. The app helps EV drivers locate the nearest charging station, giving them the confidence that they can recharge while they’re on the road.”

- L au re n Ste imle

october 17, 2013

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Silhouette of an Elect Lady The tale of Emma Smith performed in silhouettes

Performers act out scenes from Emma Smith’s life in the play, “Emma Smith: Silhouette of an Elect Lady.” Director Michelle Blimes said the play will help educate students, especially international, about the life of Emma Smith.

Photos by Kyoko Hasegawa

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“Emma Smith: Silhouette of an Elect Lady,” a play done with narration and silhouettes, will be performed on Thursday, Oct. 24, at 7:30 p.m. in the McKay Auditorium, with free admission. Director Michelle Blimes, a graduate finishing up her peace building certificate, felt the urge to showcase the story of Emma Smith, as well as the role of women in the church.

“This play is called ‘Emma Smith: Silhouette of an Elect Lady,’ and it tells the life story of Emma Smith,” said Blimes. “I’m doing this as my final project for the peace building certificate, and I just wanted to think about the role that women play in the church by exploring the life of Emma Smith.

I admire her strength going through the hardships that she did, and her faith. I just think it’s important for women in the church to learn about other women that have played a role in the development of the church.”

Unlike most plays, this particular production will be told through the narration of still silhouettes, showing images to represent events in Emma’s life. Blimes took part in this play just a short time ago in Orem, Utah, as part of a relief society birthday celebration. She was so “moved” by the production and said she wanted to share it with those around her. “So I asked the authors

of the script if I could use it here, and they were really excited to be able to share what they had done here in Hawaii,” said Blimes.

Blimes has been working on this production for the past six months, and in the last month she has brought in cast members and volunteers from the peace-building program to help out.

Actor Preston Squire, a senior in intercultural peace building from Utah, provided a backstage look at “Emma Smith: Silhouette of an Elect Lady.” Squire said, “What we’re doing is multiple silhouettes projected on three different screens. We have a bunch of different cast members who will be posing behind these screens with the lights shining on them.” He continued, “It’s been pretty cool. I have lots of fun backstage.

We all have fun just staring at each other, awkwardly looking at each other when we’re standing in different poses It’s not as fast paced as people may be used to, but it’s a touching story. I mean it’s Emma Smith’s story, so people should come to get a different aspect on that. It’s a different kind of art performance.”

Stage Manager Mariah Beckwith, a sophomore in intercultural peace building from Georgia, said, “Emma Smith Silhouette shows Emma’s role in the restoration. It

really shows how peaceful she was, and the impact she had with others. There has been a lot of hard work behind the scenes; especially in the set pieces and the people knowing where to go and helping the little kids get to their spots. We really put our hearts into this.”

Beckwith said students should attend the performance because, “I think it would really open peoples eyes to women’s roles in the restoration of the gospel and help them understand a little bit more about the Book of Mormon, and the gospel. It looks really cool, and this is a new take on a play that I’ve never seen before, so I think it will be really interesting to watch.”

Blimes agreed with Beckwith when she said, “I think people should come see “Emma Smith: Silhouette of an Elect Lady” because we don’t learn a whole lot about the history of women in our church. I think the story of Emma Smith is something that we haven’t learned a lot about, especially members of the international church. It’s not a familiar story, and I feel like she was a very inspiring woman that people should know more about.”

- MAk aila Be rge son

OcTober 17, 2013

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Give N’ Take undergoes changes

Give N’ Take is collecting abandoned bikes around campus and refurbishing them to rent to students for $10 per semester. Below: Les Harper helps run Give N’ Take.

Photos by Pichaya Saiposa

New bike program looks to provide bike rentals for students

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YU Hawaii’s popular exchange program, the Give N’ Take, will be leaving it’s current location and moving behind the tennis courts next to Hale 5. With the move, there are going to be some exciting changes occurring, said Eugene Ng, a senior in finance from Malaysia and one of the Give N’ Take facilitators.

Ng said, “Give N’ Take is going to be run by volunteer students only, so that will decide the hours we will be open.

The goal is to be open from 12 to 4 Monday through Friday.” Ng also informed the students that serving has benefits, “It’s a great way to gain leadership skills. It looks good on a resume, and it’s fun to make friends.”

“For those who do not know what Give N’ Take is, it’s a place where you come and give service to receive items, like clothes, household items and puzzles,” said, Mckenzie King, a senior majoring in ICS peace building from Utah.

In addition to the regular items offered, Give N’ Take will begin a new bike rental program. Les Harper, a senior missionary from Alberta, Canada, said, “We have been working with the housing and security offices to collect all of the abandoned bikes on campus and will have students get them working again. We collected 90 unclaimed 6

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bikes and will use these to make new rideable bikes.”

Harper detailed the new program, “We’ll be renting them out to students for $10 a semester, and we take care of the maintenance. We also are going to start permitting all the bikes on campus so they are safe from being collected and from being stolen.” Harper calls this a collection and recycle program that teaches skills.

Ng reminded people of the purpose of the Give N’ Take, as he said, “This is not a shop. It’s a place to do service. We invite any clubs or school organization to coordinate with us to do service.”

Josh Riboldi, a junior in finance from Utah, said, “Doing service on campus is really cool because when I went to the Salt Lake City Career Connect this semester, I was able to talk about the volunteer work in my interviews.”

- Samantha Sp ring

Religious Freedom Forum

From left to right: Rose Ram, Chad Compton, Daniel Sharp, and David Bybee educate students on the potential effects of the same-sex marriage bill. Photos by Monica Rubalcava

President Wheelwright and faculty speak out on proposed Hawaii same-sex marriage bill

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resident Steven Wheelwright, along with several faculty members, addressed students and faculty on Thursday, Oct. 10, concerning future potential attacks to campus policy should a Hawaii same-sex marriage bill become law in the near future.

If the bill is passed, they said it could have a drastic affect on the campus.

“The way that the bill is worded would make the Honor Code discriminatory if the law is passed,” said ICS Professor Chad Compton.

Many of the university’s codes and regulations could be seen as interfering with civil rights if the bill is passed into law.

“The opposition has been at work on this for years,” BYUH President Steven Wheelwright said referring to same-sex marriage. In 1998 a constitutional amendment was passed in the state of Hawaii giving power to the Legislature to define marriage between a man and a women, says an article on Oct. 12 in the Honolulu Star Advertiser.

It goes on to say, “The governor called the session in response to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in June that legally married gay couples are entitled to federal benefits.”

The meeting was set up to help people determine how they felt in regards to the topic of same-sex marriage. “We want you to decide where you stand,” said Biology

Professor David Bybee to the audience, “and to decide what you are going to do about it.”

Religion Professor Daniel Sharp said, “Prophets are telling us what needs to be done.” Sharp likened the situation to a prophet standing on a wall speaking to God on one side, and than turning around and speaking to the world on the other side of the wall. He encouraged all to get involved in the matter but cautioned those who are engaging themselves to “engage in love and kindness,” and to remember that the “people who disagree with us are not evil.”

When asked where she stood on the topic of same-sex marriage, Ashley Bramwell, a senior in ICS from California, said, “I support the church in its stand and I feel that the church and state need to be separated.” She added even though she wished the meeting could have been more thorough on part of the presenters, it still “set a good platform for people to go out and get their own information about the matter.”

Tanner Greer, a sophomore in history from Minnesota, also acknowledged his desire to learn more about the subject so he can understand “what students can do to make a difference.”

As the meeting was nearing the end, President Wheelwright said, “I feel there

is a hope for not passing because the majority of the people don’t want it to be passed.”

He urged students to study it out and be proactively engaged in the issue.

Those interested in learning more about the bill, you can visit www.governor. hawaii.gov and click on the Marriage Bill link on the website’s home page.

-J e ff Face r

ALEX BOYÉ

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LDS African singer brings BYU-Hawaii crowd to its feet

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he stands of the Cannon Activities Center rumbled on Saturday, Oct. 12, as students, staff and locals clapped and whistled for an encore from Performance Series guest Alex Boye.

Boye is of African descent but hails from England, where he takes his personal background and fuses it into his music, calling it African pop. As a convert to the LDS Church, Boye said he also uses his spiritual experiences as inspiration for his music, including boy scouts and missionary work.

However, the performer cautioned that his concerts are no fireside. He brought singing and dancing to a whole new level in the realm of Mormon musicians. Local resident Pakela Akaka was in attendance at the concert and said, “It’s awesome. He’s funny and you don’t come in here expecting it to be as entertaining as that.”

Boye emerged onto the stage in a white suit and red shoes, dancing and running from one end of the stage to the other. He did not limit his presence to the stage, frequently rushing up and down the stairs in the aisles during the first half of the show, involving the audience members who sat eating their popcorn and drinking their sodas. Margaret Southards, a freshman in psychology from California, said, “I thought it was really fun. Alex Boye is really funny and entertaining and I liked it a lot.”

Returning from the intermission, Boye slowed down the tempo of the second half of the concert with crooning ballads and heartfelt slow jams. He performed the last few songs with the BYU-Hawaii Concert Choir, allowing a handful of students to perform solos while Boye sang backing up the arrangements with his vocals. Boye and the Concert Choir received a standing ovation, but the crowd wasn’t ready to let Boye go, demanding another encore.

To match the audience’s energy, Boye mixed oldies classic “Stand by Me” with the hit song “We Are Young” by Fun, while running through the stands and inviting the audience to dance with him on stage.

Early that day, Boye began bonding with the students at a CD signing and acous-

tic performance at the BYUH Bookstore.

Students lined up to take pictures and receive an autograph.

Annett McCarty, a freshman in elementary education from Michigan, told of her anticipation of seeing and meeting the artist, “I found out about Alex Boye a long time ago and my whole family and I just fell in love with him. We would look for him in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. So when [I found out] he was coming here, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh. I have to go meet him and be like I totally knew you.’ I just wanted to say hi and meet him.”

– L au re n Ste imle Alex Boye sings and dances for students, faculty and community members in the Cannon Activities Center.

Photos by Monica Rubalcava OcTober 17, 2013

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BYU-Hawaii professor Isaiah Walker participates in ESPN special

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saiah Walker, a BYU-Hawaii history department chair and one of the leading experts on the history of surfing, was a feature part of the film titled, “Hawaiian: the Legend of Eddie Aikau.” The film made its worldwide television premiere on Oct. 1 as part of a new volume of the ESPN 30 for 30 series of independent sports documentaries. “Hawaiian: the Legend of Eddie Aikau” was directed by Sam George, a professional surfer, writer, director and screenwriter.

Walker was chosen to participate in the film because of his book, “Waves of Resistance,” a book based on a dissertation he completed in a graduate school at the University of California in Santa Barbara focusing on surfing, colonialism, and Hawaiian masculinity.

In “Waves of Resistance,” Walker criticizes the film Riding Giants, which was directed by Sam George. Walker said, “I got a call one day and a guy said, ‘Hey, this is Sam George and I wanted you to know I read your book.’” Walker laughed, and explained the awkward situation. Walker replied to George and said, “So, what did you think?”’ George then invited Walker to participate in the film about Eddie Aikau, hoping to get Walker’s help in correcting some of the mistakes about Hawaiian surf history he had made in his previous surf film.

Hawaiians love Eddie Aikau, seeing him “as a deity,” said Walker. Walker has a profound respect for Eddie and the Aikau family. When George approached Walker with the idea of focusing the movie around the life of Eddie Aikau, Walker called the Aikau

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family and asked if they were okay with it. “They said they trusted George,” he said, “so I did it.”

George was inspired by Eddie Aikau’s life, having known him as a great surfer. He said in an interview with ESPN that he had been surfing in Waikiki on March 16, 1978 and had waved at the Hokule’a because he “had heard that Eddie Aikau was one of the crew members. We may have been some of the last surfers to have seen Eddie Aikau.” Inspired by his life and the way he left life, George’s film on Eddie Aikau is meant to show “that a real hero is someone who cares, even when it’s not easy to do so. But I’d also like viewers to come away with a deeper understanding of how remarkable surfing is as a sport. Not merely a derivative of mock warfare, surfing is the original adventure sport and the most enduring vestige of the remarkable Hawaiian culture,” said George.

Gentry Bailey, a sophomore in Spanish education from Kona, Hawaii, said, “Giving his life was amazing. Eddie Aikau’s life is an inspiration because of what he stood for as a surf champion, lifeguard on the North Shore, and in the great sacrifice he gave trying to save his crew.”

“There would be no Kelly Slater today if not for Eddie Aikau back then,”said Sam George.

- Alyss a Walhood

Above Left: Isaiah Walker on the day his book, “Waves of resistance” was released. Photo courtesy of ESPN. Above right: Isaiah Walker was chosen to share insights in new film about Eddie Aikau. Photo courtesy of BYUH. Title picture courtesy of ESPN

Senior Talents Students prep for senior projects

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rom music showcases to healthy eating habits, students around the BYU-Hawaii campus prepare for their senior projects.

Academic departments on campus require seniors to prepare some sort of project that pertains to their major or their chosen career field before they can graduate. Feelings toward preparing senior projects range between grateful and excited to dread and anxiousness

Ashley Sandberg, a senior in exercise and sports science from California, did her senior project on measuring the psychological and health effects of healthy food labels. “I substituted fatty ingredients in a food item with a healthier alternative such as avocado. I wanted to see whether people preferred the healthier dessert. They were secretly the same, looking at what people thought versus what they tasted.” Sandberg hopes to become a registered dietitian after graduation.

Since this is the type of thing she will actually be using in her chosen career field, she was happy to do the senior project, and she said this project will give her a little bit of a leg up in the field.

While conducting her research, Sandberg said she was really happy at how excited and willing people were to volunteer for her research.

“It really had to do with my major and what I want to do with my life. I know obesity is becoming a big problem so this is just showing some little ways of how you can make people feel better about themselves and establish a healthy lifestyle. I’m really grateful that it was required for my major. It was a really great learning experience. I loved it and I have something to show in starting my professional career,” said Sandberg.

Some seniors have already created and finished their projects while others have saved them for their last semester. Addison Kirk, a senior in music from Idaho, said, “As a music major with an emphasis in composition, my senior recital will be focused less on instrumental performance proficiency and more on showcasing pieces I have written or arranged. I’ve got a lot of work to do to be ready, and its always a challenge for me to open myself up enough to share my music, but it will be a good growing experience for sure.”

Other students are more excited about their projects and to see what their research shows. Alyssa Moncur, a senior majoring in EXS from Idaho, said, “For my senior project I am doing a study on the effects of baking soda on oral hygiene, and to see if it can be a good natural substitution to help with dental needs.”

Students will be presenting senior projects on campus throughout the semester.

-K e r y na Mo n so n

OcTober 17, 2013

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get to learn from my peers, the BYUHSA leadership team. In respect to both of these groups, I get to teach and inspire individuals to become their very best. I think this part is the most exciting. I get to help students know that they can accomplish great things here at the school, as well as back in their home countries.

Employment, and Admissions), events that will be put together based on your student feedback (dances, balls, service projects, etc), an increased opportunity to be in leadership positions that boost resumes, and [students can look forward to the] BYUHSA student elections process to be simplified and improved.

Q A

Q A

What would you say has been BYUHSA’s greatest accomplishment thus

How can students get involved with BYUHSA? Anyone can come and speak with me far?

We have Student Advisory Council or a member of the BYUHSA team representatives who report to President and work on one of the areas. All you have Wheelwright about the following departto do is fill out a form that is on our website, ments: Housing, Financial Aid, Student Em- and bring it to the area that you’re interested ployment, and Admissions. This has been a in, and they will put you to work as a volunhuge opportunity to empower our students to teer program director. If you want to lead an voice their opinions and provide solutions for event, you can apply to be an executive dicommon issues that occur on campus. This rector (ED). There are currently four EDs in enables our students to create a legacy of each area of BYUHSA. If you want to move BYUHSA President John Fisihetau encourages new up in BYUHSA, you can apply to become a students to get involved with clubs and cultural change that will better the customer service chapters on campus. Photo courtesy of John to our primary customers, the students. junior vice president of the area of interest.

Fisihetau You will be interviewed and then selected to What do you find as the most chalserve two semesters in that position. lenging aspect of your position?

It has been the challenge of continuWhat advice do you have for new ing to focus on our most important students?

BYUHSA President I would have them get involved with goal, which is to achieve student potential.

John Fisihetau shares both a cultural chapter on campus and With so many things to do, and needed time experiences and goals a club that is in their major or emphasis. for school, my wife, and BYUHSA, this can This will provide them with a rich experience In April 2013, senior John Fisihetau, a busi- be difficult. That is why I’m grateful for a ness major from Utah, and his running mate hardworking team who supports me. Thanks of making friends with people from around the world [and help them to] prepare for to my two Executive VP’s Raife Campbell Raife Campbell, a senior in business from their future careers. and Sephra Kinikini, and my area leaders, Australia, were elected as president and vice Jesse Oliva (SAC), Alice Pollock (Publicity), president of the BYUH student body. Now, What is BYUHSA’s biggest goal movsix months later, Fisihetau looks back on the Tim Lee (Special Events), Trenton Rehak ing forward? progress made while offering students an idea (Social Activities), Tommy Wong (Clubs and Our purpose is to achieve student Organizations), and Brooke Amnuaychoke of the exciting things to come. potential through seeking their needs, (Service), we have been able to improve the empowering them through leadership and professionalism of our department, while What has been the most exciting providing more quality events and increased service learning opportunities, and representthing about serving as president of ing them to faculty and staff in transparency. student involvement.

BYU-Hawaii over the past six months?

It has been my opportunity to teach What should students look forward to and learn simultaneously. I have in the next six months of your term? a unique opportunity to learn from the Improvement of student services BYU-Hawaii Administration. As such, I learn (Housing, Financial Aid, Student – gre g e rickson what their vision is for the school. I also

Midterm Reflections

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Q A Q A

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Chinese pop-culture icon Yue-Sai Kan returns to her alma mater to share her story and encourage students to lead better lives.

Photo by Kyoko Hasegawa

A rags to riches story Chinese celebrity shares experiences winning Emmys and uniting nations

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YU-Hawaii alumna and dignitary, Yue-Sai Kan, shared her “10 Points to Success” and elaborated on how she, a music student, became one of the most recognizable faces in Chinese popular culture with students and faculty on Friday, Oct. 11, in the Aloha Center Ballroom.

After a piano introduction by Lily Asunama, a sophomore studying music from Japan, BYUH President Steven Wheelwright introduced Kan as “one of, if not our most, distinguished and successful alumnus.” Yue-Sai Kan graduated from BYUH with a degree in music and proceeded to garner an impressive resume after moving to New York with “only $150 in [her] pocket,” as she described.

A short video was played before her speech, detailing how after graduating she went on to work as a television news host, a humanitarian, a fashion icon, and an author, among several other endeavors. Her work in public relations garnered her an Emmy award for her work on “China Walls and Bridges.” She is largely credited with joining the East and West through television journalism.

In addition to her professional work, Kan has amassed fame for her humanitarian efforts, an accolade that she credits to her lifestyle. She instructed listeners during her talk to, “Learn to love and give. Always be generous.” She is the only Chinese “Say Yes” ambassador for the non-profit UNICEF and has raised enough money to support 12 hospitals in urban areas of China. Additionally, she established the China Beauty Charity Fund, which supports women and children in health and education.

Yue-Sai Kan described her time at BYUH as helpful in her musical education and exposure to world cultures. She described how she traveled to Samoa and met Tongan dignitaries, learned to cook new foods, and met wonderful people. She described, “It was a great thing to see all the lights and hear the sounds.” She relates to most students, citing her small budget through college. She recalled, “I missed a lot at that time.”

Throughout the speech, Kan instructed students on various tips and lifestyle choices that would lead them to an easier, more profitable lifestyle, using facets of her past as examples and references.

She described how learning more languages “opens a window to a new world.” She speaks Mandarin, Cantonese and English fluently, and is teaching herself French and Spanish. She additionally emphasized gaining international exposure, encouraging students to travel and meet new people.

The reoccurring theme throughout her speech was to realize the importance of one's choices. “Life is made of choices,” she described, “Making the right choice is determining if you walk the right road.”

- d ev augh n hu ntoon-jone s

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Right: A participant in the event looks out from Hukilau Beach towards the Hokule’a voyaging canoe that will start its journey around the world in 2014. Opposite page top: Children participate in the welcoming of the crew to Laie. Middle top: People wait in the rain for the once-in-a-lifetime experience to have the canoe stop in Laie.

Middle bottom: Crew members wade on shore to be welcomed by the community.

Bottom: Students from BYU-Hawaii’s Hawaiian Studies class take part in the welcoming ceremony. Photos by Kelsie Carlson

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Ke Alaka‘i

Hokule’ a sails to Laie shores World-renowned canoe visits the Laie community ven through pouring rain, members of E the community and students from the university stood on Hukilau Beach waiting

for the arrival of the Hokule’a. The voyaging canoe arrived late because of the storm, but the crew members worked through it to arrive on Laie’s shores on Friday, Oct.11.

According to Hokulea.org, The Hokule’a, or “The Star of Gladness,” is scheduled to travel across the world within the next few years, making stops in several countries, including Tahiti, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, South America and the mainland United States. So far, it has been welcomed by several communities around the Hawaiian islands and will continue to visit several on O’ahu and the other islands before starting it’s voyage to Tahiti in 2014.

“This event is once in a lifetime,” said Carrie Kahawai’i, a resident of Laie and a member of the welcoming committee for the Hokule’a. “The Hokule’a coming to Laie is something that the Hawaiians are really proud of. We want to honor them. So we’ll stand in rain, snow, sun, or whatever it is to be here to accept them and welcome them to our village,” said Kahawai’i.

Herb Kawainui Kane, a founder of The Polynesian Voyaging Society, designed the canoe. The project started in 1973, when a renewal of traditional Hawaiian culture was

under way. On March 8, 1975, the Hokule’a was launched for the first time from the sacred Hakipu’u-Kualoa Beach in Kaneohe Bay, and the Hokule’a has been making trips to various islands since then.

“I actually was there when they first did their trip to Tahiti,” said Kahawai’i. “It was such a celebration. It was awesome, and so that’s why we’re here and waiting in the rain for them.”

Sean Dacuycuy from Hau’ula said, “My kids are a part of the oli [the chant]. It’s a good experience for my sons, since it’s part of our heritage.”

The launching of the canoe is a way to bring back the old traditions of Hawaii and has succeeded in traveling the way that the ancient Polynesians did over 600 years ago. When they arrived in Laie, students taking the Hawaiian Studies class chanted and guarded the area where the crew members would come to shore, keeping the area safe and sacred for the traditional welcome by the community members.

One of the students, Koa Garcia, a sophomore in exercise sports science from Laie, commented, “This is what our ancestors did a long time ago and just to have it being done today is still a sacred thing and that’s why it’s such a big deal, just to keep the legacy going and the culture pure.”

- Rebec c a Sabalo n es OcTober 17, 2013

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