2017 September Issuu

S E PT E M B E R 2 017 ¡ Vo l u m e 118 : I s s u e 1

Pa g e 1 2 T ES O L c e le brate s 5 0 - y ea r a n ni ve rsary

Page 38 M i ssio naries revitaliz e Kal au papa c hapel, s ee H o kulea

THE LEAD ER

Page 54 Pato a Benio ni rec o g n i z ed a t annual kupuna lun cheo n

SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOLUME 118 • ISSUE 1

ADVISOR Le e A n n Lam ber t MULTIMEDIA JOURNALISTS Patrick Campbell

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kev i n Brown COPY EDITORS Kevin Brown

Brooklyn Redd

Danna Osumo

Antoniette Yee

Joshua Mason

VIDEOGRAPHERS Khoon An

PHOTOGRAPHERS O l iv i a Tsan

A . Jare d Gonzal ez

Al v i n Vi ncent Dy

ART DIRECTOR

ART & GRAPHICS

Lo r in Vi l ayvong

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NEW S CE N T ER BOX 1920 BYUH LAIE, HI 96762 PUBLISHER P r int Ser vi ces Editorial, photo submissions & distribution inquiries: ke a l a k a i @ by u h . e d u .

To s u b s c r i b e t o t h e R S S F E E D o r t o v i e w a d d i t i o n a l a r t i c l e s , go t o ke a l a k a i . by u h . e d u

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Members of the Cook Islands National Arts Theatre group pause for a photo during their sixweek expo at the Polynesian Cultural Center. See the story on Page 50. Photo by Olivia Tsan

ABO UT US

The Ke Alaka‘i began publishing the same year the university, then called Church College of Hawaii, opened. It has continued printing for more than 60 years. The name means “the leader” in Hawaiian. It began as a monthly newsletter, evolved into a weekly newspaper, then a weekly magazine, and is now a monthly news magazine with a website and a social media presence. Today a staff of about 25 students works to provide information for BYU-Hawaii’s campus ohana and Laie’s community.

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PH OTO SUBMISSIO N The halo effect caused by a total eclipse of the sun on Aug. 21 that was seen across parts of the U.S. mainland. See the story on Page 58.

This image was taken in Wyoming by BYU-Hawaii Religion Professor Keith Lane.

Share your photo with us and we may feature it in our next issue. E-mail us your high-resolution photo with a caption at kealakai@byuh.edu

F O L LO W U S AR O U ND THE WE B

KEA LA KA I.B YUH .EDU Instagram: @KEALAKAINEWS Snapchat: @KEALAKAINEWS Facebook: KE ALAKA‘I YouTube: KE ALAKA‘I NEWS

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SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOLUME 118 • ISSUE 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CAMPUS LIFE

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A day in the life of Eugene Lucerna PCC tour guide says job is like being a missionary, build connections with people

12 TESOL 50th Anniversary

Department chair says program creation was inspired, jubilee celebration in September

15 Campus Comment Students answer the question: What have you done during the summer?

16 Holomua College Prep

BYU-Hawaii’s top recruiting program wins hearts of prospective students

22 I-WORK students inspire couple Missionaries say feeding and loving students helps build trust, makes them successful

LIFESTYLE

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Ho’omaluhia Botanical Gardens List of simple, free things to do at the Kaneohe conservatory rainforest

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28 Food trucks in Kahuku Wide selection of food available just a bike ride from Laie

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Abandoning cars in paradise Local tow companies struggle to find space for cars left on public roads

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Hot Dogs from the world Creative and cheap hot dogs using food from common BYUH cultures

FEATURE

38 Visiting Kalaupapa Missionaries say patients gained from gospel more than what they lost from leprosy

42 Iolani: America’s only palace Royal Hawaiian sovereign’s dwelling turned into museum to remember legacy

46 James Byun of the United Nations Korean alumnus helps displaced refugees adjust to their new lives in Jordan

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COMMUNITY

50 Cook Islands Village Government-sponsored dance team promotes country in six-week expo

54 Patoa Benioni recognized

Founding member of Polynesian Institute honored at annual Kupuna Luncheon

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58 Eclipse darkens day, brightens faces Alumni among millions to witness lunar event, say experience was worth it

C A L E N D A R

SEPTEMBER 6

WEDNESDAY Fall Semester begins.

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FRIDAY Farmer’s Market from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Aloha Center Mall.

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SUNDAY Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults with Elder Bednar at 7 p.m. in CAC.

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TUESDAY First devotional of the semester with President and Sister Tanner at 11 a.m. in CAC.

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SATURDAY Women’s Conference Broadcast at 6 p.m. on campus stake center.

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SATURDAY General Conference weekend begins. Live streams will be shown at 6 a.m. in HGB.

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Three keys to reading well in college B Y E RI C D. RACK L E Y AS S I STAN T P R O F E SSO R I N TH E SCH O O L O F E D U CATI O N

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s college students, reading is less about the letters and sounds we learned as children and more about learning new information. This can be difficult, especially when trying to learn abstract concepts and unfamiliar vocabulary embedded in long and complex texts. Luckily, there are specific things you can do to address these challenges.

READ THE ‘RIGHT WAY’

Reading is not generic. Because we should not read everything the same way, there are right ways and wrong ways to read. Reading the “right way” means that in a physics course you read as a physicist, in a mathematics course you read as a mathematician, and in a poetry course you read as a poet. Imagine reading a biology textbook like you read a novel for English. You are likely to miss (and misunderstand) much of the content because reading in each course is highly specialized.

In a history course, for example, you may be required to read primary source documents. To read them correctly, the professor might ask you to corroborate evidence across the documents, examine the origins of the documents, or scrutinize the credibility of the authors. In a science course you might be required to draw heavily on mathematical thinking to interpret data displayed in tables, charts, and figures, and learn specialized vocabulary.

These specific ways of reading can be difficult to recognize, but your professors can help. They will often give you hints about how to read course material. Once you learn what it means to read the “right way” in each of your courses, you may be surprised by how much more you understand.

ATTEND TO YOUR THOUGHTS

We have all read an entire page without remembering what it was about. This is an example of reading without thinking. This is a problem because reading is thinking. If your mind is not engaged with the material, then you will not understand it. It is that simple. The solution is to pay attention to your thoughts. As you read, you might ask yourself:

• What am I thinking about?

• Which thoughts are improving my understanding?

• Which thoughts are hindering my understanding?

Attending to your thoughts also helps you recognize when you are confused. Confusion is nothing to worry about unless you do not realize you are confused. Think about what would happen if you kept reading without realizing or caring that the words were not making sense. How much are you likely to learn?

The good news is that recognizing confusion signals that you can monitor your thinking, which means you can fix it when it goes awry. When confusion sets in, it helps to reread, take a break, talk to a friend about the material, think about what you already know, or adjust your reading speed. Repairing reading confusion and understanding course material are more likely to occur when you pay attention to your thoughts.

WONDER

Good readers are constantly curious. They ask themselves why things happen, what might happen next, and why authors say what they say. Reading without wonder is like eating without taste buds. We may be going through the motions, but we don’t really get what we are looking for and we lose the adventure. If you want to understand your course material, then wonder. Specifically:

• Ask yourself questions.

• Imagine conversations with professors and classmates, or have actual ones.

• Interrogate the author.

• Puzzle over interesting ideas or phrases.

And if you are not interested in the material? Fake it.

Pretend you are interested just for this reading assignment, or just for today, or just for this week. How would you approach this reading assignment if you really were interested? What questions would you ask? What might someone who was curious wonder about this chapter? If you cannot muster genuine interest, faking it can still help you read better and learn more. The former First Lady of the United States, Eleanor Roosevelt, is reported to have said, “If a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow [her child] with the most useful gift, that gift would be curiosity.”

The same may be said of readers. The most useful tool for improving your reading may be a healthy dose of curiosity... real, or imagined.

In the end, reading remains a complex, time-consuming activity. There is no golden ticket for reading well, but practicing the three keys suggested here can help you develop the skills to read well in college and beyond.

D r. Ra c k ley i s a n a ssi st a nt p ro f esso r i n t h e S c h o o l o f E d uc at i o n at BY U Ha wa i i . Hi s resea rc h a nd t ea c h i ng f o c us o n a c a d emi c a nd reli g i o us li t era c i es. H e c a n b e rea c h ed at er i c . ra c k ley @ b y uh . ed u.

Professor Eric Rackley says people have all read a page without remembering what it was about and gives three tips to improve your reading experience, Photo by Olivia Tsan S EP T EMBER

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Laie Shopping Center O p e n eve r y day but S unday

Shopping

Food

“No One Out Pizzas The Hut”

Services

“Express Your Style”

“Priority:You”

“Fashion Happens for Less” “Live Mas”

“Something to Smile About”

“The Helpful Place” “Home of the Angel’s Halo”

“Napa Know How”

Medical

“More than just a Meal”

“Your Professional Stylist since 1988”

“Eat Fresh”

“Honoring the Past...

Building the Future”

“Licensed Optometrist” “The Comfort Food of Hawaii”

“Caring for Women”

“Together Inspired”

“Put Your Family’s Health in Good Hands” 8

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Banking “Welcome to Tomorrow”

“Serving the North Shore community since 1983”

Entertainment “Proudly Serving the North Shore of Oahu”

“It all Starts with Yes”

“We Open our Doors to Everyone”

campus life

in this section A day in the life of PCC Tour Guide Eugene Lucerna TESOL Department celebrates 50-year anniversary

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Campus Comment: What have youz done during the summer?

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Holomua recruiting program wins hearts of high school students, creates prospective students

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Senior missionary couple make I-WORK Office inviting with food and love to build trust

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PCC tour guide B Y AN TO N I E TTE YE E Eugene Rey Lucerna says being a tour guide is a lot like missionary work because he builds connections with people everyday.

Photo by Olivia Tsan

Eugene Rey Lucerna, a freshman from the Philippines majoring in international cultural studies, said his favorite part about being a Polynesian Cultural Center tour guide is the people.

“I get to connect with them and relive my experiences as a missionary. And I can say, ‘Aloha,’ to cute people,” he said.

What made you decide to apply for this job?

“I loved my mission so much. It reminds me whenever I interact with people, but this time it’s not about God. It’s about the cultural center. I really wanted to make that connection with people.”

Describe a typical day “We start with a prayer to have our day [go well].Then, it’s followed by a training.We have many announcements, we’re told how many people will be there in each tour group, and we are divided into different language groups.We take different people to shows and sometimes we follow our own plans.”

What makes your job unique?

Pros

“We are the face of the Polynesian Cultural Center, and we are the first people who represent the center itself.”

“I get to experience things and see it as an experience more than a job. I don’t want to call it a job. Rather, I want to call it an experience because I feel like I’m on a vacation, every day.”

Favorite part of your job?

Cons

“I’m able to work with my friends, and, at the same time, I’m able to meet different people from different parts of the world.”

“The sun. I come from the Philippines, and we all know how much we value our skin. I got way tanner when I started as a tour guide.”

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In the 1967 back-to-school issue of the Ke Alaka‘i, an article talks about the creation of a new English as a second language major.

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TESOL celebrates 50 years of ser ving students and the church Professor Mark James says creation of major in 1967 was inspired B Y AN TO N I E TTE YE E

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he TESOL Department is celebrating its jubilee on the first week of September. Along with the TESOL Jubilee is the booklet entitled “Celebrating 50 years of Achievement” by Mark James, associate dean of the College of Human Development. It summarizes how the major began.

James said, “The printed version of the historical lecture will be distributed to faculty in the department and to TESOL majors during the first week of school and an electronic version will soon be posted in a couple days on our department website.”

“Exactly 50 years ago, it was announced in the back-toschool issue of Ke Alaka‘i about the new degree on campus – the TESOL major. We’re looking forward to this year’s jubilee not only to celebrate, but also promote the TESOL major as well,” James continued.

James have been teaching in the TESOL Department since 1981. He said, “The role of English as a Second Language (ESL) on campus is prophetically inspired in the sense that President David O. McKay had a significant role in establishing the program here.”

According to James, the original view of ESL is for teachers to go into church schools in the Pacific and be prepared to teach English.

“We just don’t teach TESOL because every other university in the planet does. It was divinely inspired. There’s a real reason for the establishment of TESOL here. In fact, there are only about a dozen universities in North America that has TESOL major,” James explained.

The rarity of the bachelor’s degree in TESOL makes it special and perhaps the first program in North America in 1967, said James. “The program and faculty have been a great service to the church ever since it began.”

He continued, “Right from the very beginning, the faculty has been developing ESL materials for church leaders and members particularly in Asia. And I think another reason the program began is the school saw that this could be a way to serve the church as mission.”

About the contributions of the program, Neil J. Anderson, chair for Department of English Language Teaching and Learning and director of Center for English Language Learning, said one of its greatest contributions to the professional world of English language teaching and learning is the publication of the TESOL Reporter journal.

According to the TESOL booklet, TESOL Reporter was first envisioned as a way to promote the program and share useful ideas with teachers throughout the church’s educational system and beyond. It begun in 1967 by Alice Pack and Bill Conway, and is also celebrating its jubilee year. The journal recently went online, saving the university thousands of dollars in printing and mailing costs, and increasing its visibility in the profession.

Anderson said the journal has always been focused on successful pedagogical applications and many have benefitted from the articles that have been published over the years.

Another thing that makes the TESOL program special is its close tie and impact on the church’s effort to grow and develop its leadership particularly in the Pacific, according to James. “Related to that, a year ago, the Center for English Language Learning (CELL) was created on campus.”

James said CELL was a natural outgrowth of TESOL’s long history of serving the church’s needs and it seemed like a natural place to create a center to learn and teach English.

CELL is a key element in the new international pathways program [of the church,] James added. “CELL is here because of what we’ve been doing for 50 years. We’re playing this key role in the church’s educational future,” he said.

James explained the two centers on campus namely the Center for Language and Teaching and CELL are to improve instructions on campus and impact the church’s online courses.

Anderson said, “The program now is contributing in a major way to the church’s global education initiative. Because of the large numbers of international students enrolled in our campus and the expertise of the faculty, we are able to contribute S EP T EMBER

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“We just don’t teach TESOL because every other university in the planet does, it was divinely inspired...In fact, there are only about a dozen universities in North America that has TESOL major.” language skills in order to achieve greater goals, both educational and professional. We are working in collaboration with the BYU Provo and the BYU-Idaho campuses on the project.

This collaborative project also involves the Missionary Department and Self-Reliance Services.”

Leola Solis, assistant professor for the Department of English Language Teaching and Learning, said “My mother, Ana Kahililani Labarre, graduated with a TESOL degree from the Church College of Hawaii when the TESOL program was still in its infancy.”

“Interestingly enough, I did not know what her degree was until after I had decided to minor in TESOL. I had always thought my mother majored in English literature because of all the books she had on her book shelf: The complete works of Shakespeare, classics like Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer, poetry, etc. She died when I was 8, so I never had the opportunity to ask and never thought to ask my Dad either,” continued Solis.

Solis said she decided to major in English because she thought she was following her mother’s footsteps. “I chose TESOL as a minor because TESOL would give me the skills I needed to teach English at Liahona High School in Tonga.”

Solis shared an incident that made her realize her mom had applied many of the same principles she was learning in TESOL class. “It wasn’t until I was in Mark James’ linguistics class, as an undergrad, that I learned not only did my mother major in TESOL, but she was also one of the first graduates of TESOL when TESOL was first offered at the Church College of Hawaii.”

According to Solis, Mark James had been looking for her mom for about a year to ask if she would [want to] speak at the 30th anniversary of TESOL on campus. “He had been looking for her under her maiden name, Labarre. Only after finding out that she had married Siaosi ‘Etika Moleni, was he able to find her and make the connection to someone (myself) who was currently taking his class. He asked me in class if she

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would like to speak at TESOL’s 30-year celebration, and I told him she would have loved to but that she had died 11 years ago.”

Looking back at the legacy Solis’ mother, Solis said she is grateful her mom taught her to speak English because English opened the door to countless opportunities.

“Opportunities such as: attending and graduating from BYUH, serving an English-speaking mission in California, meeting and marrying my husband from Colorado, finding part-time work at BYUH teaching in the English Department and the English as an International language (EIL) department, acquiring a master’s degree from HPU, and finally, 50 years later, being hired by my mother’s alma mater as a full-time professor to teach in the same department where my mother received her TESOL degree,” explained Solis.

The TESOL minor or certificate is a perfect pairing with other programs of study for students on our campus, said Anderson. He shared some tips in pairing programs of study like TESOL and entrepreneurship and TESOL and peace education.

“There are many individuals who want to start a school and have the entrepreneurship skills to do so but lack the knowledge of what it takes to teach and learn another language,” Anderson explained. “Anyone with a strong foundation in TESOL will always be able to find employment anywhere in the world. We encourage students to come learn more about what TESOL has to offer them in their academic training at BYU-Hawaii,” added Anderson.

James said, “We’re celebrating the past 50, but we’re also looking forward to the future contributions were going to make not just in our fields, but in the lives of our students and the church.”

There will be an open house on Nov. 16 at the Aloha Center where the entire campus will be invited to come and learn about the department and the history of the program.

Campus Comment

What have you done during the summer?

B Y D O ROTH Y CH I U

Mary Rose Lupisan Philippines, TESOL Education, Sophomore “I got to conquer my fear. I went to Koko Head.

It was a steep hike, but I got to conquer it.”

Kuyo Ulii Laie, Associates of Art & Sciences “Besides working... hanging out with friends, going to dances and getting food were the funniest thing I have done.”

Jacqueline Nguyen Hong Kong, TESOL Education, Junior “I went to Waikiki and tried to be like a tourist.”

Hamoni Akau Tonga, Information Technology, Senior “I am just relaxing and enjoying the breeze.”

Joshua Chow Taiwan, Business Management, Freshman “I went to beaches.”

Spencer Tobias Philippines, Music, Senior “I got out a lot. Through going out, I am able to write a lot of songs because I can get different ideas.”

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Holomua 2017 The university’s recruiting program wins over the hearts of prospective students

BY PAT RI C K CAM P B E L L & AN TO N I ETTE YE E

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Holomua participants are shown the grounds of the Laie Hawaii Temple on their first day. Photo by Olivia Tsan

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Students participate in a Holomua devotional at the Laie Hawaii Temple Visitors’ Center. Photo by Olivia Tsan

B EGINS WIT H S P I R I T UAL AN D S C H O L AR LY F O CU S

More than 100 high school students attended BYU-Hawaii’s Holomua college prep program that helps them acquire the knowledge, skills, and information needed to succeed at the university. Holomua camp directors and mentors spent the first day introducing the camp members to each other and to Laie to set the tone for the week.

“This program is amazing because it shows them a path and gives them a goal to work towards,” said Camp Mentor Julia Maiava, a sophomore from Washington majoring in international cultural studies.

According to Arapata Meha, camp director and organizer, the goal of the work is a college education, hopefully at BYU-Hawaii.

The Holomua team used a variety of recruiting tools including a link on the school website, announcements sent out to local high schools and seminary teachers, and social media campaigns. Meha said four enrolled students were non-members living in Hawaii.

Mahina Halvorsen, a camp member from Kaneohe, said she wanted to attend after hearing her friends talk about their experiences. “My friends said they had felt something special throughout the week and I wanted to experience that.”

After students arrived and were checked into their dorms, the camp opening session kicked off in the Aloha Center. The camp members then walked to the Joseph F. Smith Library to take a Strong Inventory Assessment meant to give the students more direction as they explore potential career paths, according to Meha.

The camp members then hurried to the Old Gym to participate in team-building activities in their individual groups randomly assigned by the camp leadership.

“We wanted to mix up the groups so they could meet new people,” said Dylan-Sage Wilcox, a student outreach coordinator.

Meha said, “When you go to college, it’s all new, and so we wanted to simulate that in a way by creating random groups where the camp members are forced to meet new people.”

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Ema Reardon, a camp member from Hawaii Kai, explained, “I’m glad we were assigned to groups because I probably would have just hung around the people I know. It forced me to meet new people.” Jarom Lopez, a camp member from Utah whose older brother attends BYUH, said it was beneficial because it moved them out of their comfort zones.

Wilcox explained his main goal for the mentors was for them to help their students feel comfortable. For Maiava, a Holomua alumna, being a mentor brings a lot of responsibility. She said, “There will always be hiccups when you do a camp like this, but I feel as a mentor it’s my job to make sure the activities are as smooth and useful to the students as possible.”

She explained she found out about the ICS major while attending Holomua, which was helpful to know about.

After an ACT workshop where the camp members were introduced to the test, the camp members made the trek from campus to the Laie Temple Visitors’ Center for a devotional from guest speaker Seamus Fitzgerald, a BYUH alumnus and director of talent management at the Polynesian Cultural Center.

Reardon said the best part of the first day was the devotional because it “set the tone for the week.” Fitzgerald spoke about his journey that led him to Laie to attend BYUH. His message, “Whatever your situation, this is a very important place,” resonated with the students.

Before the devotional, the entire camp, including students, mentors, and directors, gathered in front of the steps of the temple to take a camp photo. “We wanted to start off our week with this photo,” said Meha. He explained the trip was part of the camp’s mission to introduce the camp members to the temple and the school.

At the conclusion of the first day, the camp gathered together for a planned Family Home Evening.

PA RT ICIPA NT S GAT H E R I N F O R M AT I O N D URI N G M AJO RS FAI R

Professors from different departments set up booths at the HGB on June 20 to introduce themselves and promote their department to the prospective students.

The fair allowed the students to choose areas of studies and majors they find interesting and connect them with possible jobs, said Maurice Mo`o, BYUH admissions officer and one of the Holomua organizers. “This is an awesome experience because a lot of these students are wondering what they want to be and what they want to study.”

When asked about the highlight of the fair, Mo`o explained how it is very different from other fairs they go to. “The participants are juniors going on seniors and they’ve attended a lot of fairs, but those were college fairs. Those fairs have representatives from different colleges,” he said. “These kids are at BYUH and I think this is a more specific fair that allows them to decide which major they want.”

With the new curriculum starting this September, students can choose three areas of study, he said. “They may not know which one of those three they want to major in, but they can start it and decide what they want to do.

“They can take their first semester, select three areas of interest, and decide after that what they want to major in. It will be very helpful and it will help them save time and money,” he continued.

Students should select a major they are passionate about, he said, as well as a career. “It will help them grow and progress, not just academically but also spiritually,” he added.

Kiran Vidinhar, a Holomua participant from Hawaii, said she was never interested in BYUH until after the fair. “It’s cool to have us all here and get us interested in the school,” she added.

Vidinhar expressed her love of Holomua. “It is a good opportunity and program because it gives me a chance to see how colleges work. I’m able to see and get more ideas of what I want to do.”

The fair is a good opportunity because it gives options to students for their academic futures, especially at BYUH, said Ileana Nii, a participant of Holomua from Oahu. She continued, “Everything that I’m kind of interested in is here and I’m happy about that.”

Nii said the fair is a great reminder to get the information first before going into the major. “I feel like there’s a good variety of majors here. The flyers that they gave us will really help us in the major we are interested in,” she said.

She said, “I like Holomua. We get to stay in the dorms and we experience college life for the first time. It’s a good experience after all.”

Holomua helps a lot of students who are considered to be on the edge about their decisions to attend BYUH and it is an introduction to the school, she added.

Haley Ellen, a participant of Holomua from Georgia, said she was kind of lost before and did not know the steps she needed to take to be a part of the field she wants.

“This fair really helped me look into a school that I can go to and it’s great to help me decide what I want to go into. I know exactly what I want to pursue now.”

Ellen continued, “I like how it gives me a deep, solid feel of what this campus is and I was able to [figure out] the exact steps to take for my interest.”

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Holomua participants ask BYUH professors about their departments. Photo by Olivia Tsan

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High school juniors becoming seniors attend Holomua to learn more about what college life is all about. Photo by Olivia Tsan Continued from Page 19

EN DS WIT H T EST, B E AC H , AN D D E VOT I O NAL

High school junior students said they made lasting friendships and memories. “The best part of the week has been getting to know new people. The mentors are amazing,” said Trianna Talbot from California. She said she plans to attend BYUH during the Fall 2018 Semester primarily because of her Holomua experience.

The last day of the program was busy as students took the ACT exam in the morning and then had activities at Hukilau Beach Park, which was the first time they were able to go to the beach during the week-long event.

Meha explained, “The schedule was varied and kept the students engaged. We intentionally did not build in much free time.”

While several of the Holomua mentors said the students were a little disgruntled by the beach restrictions, they felt the program helped to show students what real college life is like. “One hidden thing students learn is that there is a time to study and there is a time to play,” said Honu Lindsey, lead mentor and BYUH graduate.

The students took the ACT college entrance exam in two large groups. One was placed in the HGB while the other was in the BYUH Testing Center. The air conditioning in the Testing Center wasn’t working and wasn’t fixed during the three-hour exam.

The students participated in ACT workshops taught by BYUH students throughout the week to prepare for it.

“[Teaching] was a good learning experience,” said Rebecca Foster, a Spring 2017 graduate from California. “We practiced tests and discussions, and we taught them reading discussions.”

The first classes were difficult as students felt the toll of the busy schedule, said Foster. “It looked like the students were about to fall asleep. We were just lecturing, and other teachers and I realized this wasn’t working as well as we wanted.” She said the prep instructors decided to change course by creating different teams and groups and using small classroom competitions to prepare for the test.

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“We taught what we thought was important, but also in a way that the students would appreciate,” Foster added.

After the test, the students walked to Hukilau Beach through the Temple Beach entrance. The Holomua support staff had a barbecue ready for the students once they arrived and set up a volleyball net.

Haley Durden, a high school junior from Georgia, said Holomua had been a great experience for her. She said, “I really wanted to go to Provo’s SOAR program, but then I went and toured the campus, and BYU-Idaho’s campus, and felt like they weren’t the best fit.”

After talking with her mother about her feelings, Durden came across Holomua. She said, “I didn’t even know about the ACT prep.

The thing that attracted me to the program was the opportunity to get a feel for college and the experience it would give me. I wanted to see it for myself.”

The program concluded the following Saturday morning. A short devotional was held before parents came to pick up their students. Each mentor was asked to select a student from their group to come up and share their feelings about their experience during the week.

Almost every student said they were either going to apply to BYUH or hadn’t wanted to attend before and were now seriously considering it. Wilcox said, “I could see how tired my team was after each day. I knew that we worked hard so that the kids could have an awesome experience, but I feel that we did even more than that. We helped a lot of our kids to decide on coming to BYU-Hawaii after high school.”

Wilcox said his vision for the students who attended this year was like a kalo stalk, which is planted in the lo`i, and “then the next generation takes their place.” He added, “Holomua has the potential to do a lot of good in building up the university.”

Wilcox said he has “full confidence the students this year will have an influence on the direction and reach of this program in the future, whether they become mentors or coordinators of the program.”

‘ SAILS F ORWA RD ’

“In the five years I’ve been directly involved in coordinating Holomua, I have particularly enjoyed preparing for this group to visit campus,” said Meha. “I’m especially excited because this is our primary campus recruiting program. Holomua has a bright future.”

Wilcox said, “For me, Holomua, as a program, is the literal and metaphorical meaning of the Hawaiian word meaning ‘to sail forward’ or ‘to progress.’” He emphasized, “It’s not a boot camp. It’s not a vacation. It’s, at least for me and evidently for many of [the students], a life-changing experience.

“[Holomua] is a college prep program designed to help high school students acquire the knowledge, skills, and information needed to succeed at BYU-Hawaii. The feedback from the Holomua participants, as well as their parents, has been overwhelmingly positive.”

He told of a mother whose daughter had been wondering what to do for school and “found her path” at Holomua. Another attendee told a story of being unable to describe her emotions fully to her parents about how amazing the week was.

Reflecting on the week, Wilcox felt the temple attendance was one of the biggest differences from previous Holomuas. Both Wilcox and Lindsey were members of the original Holomua in 2011.

Lindsey said, “One change has been the bigger spiritual aspect.

These kids have gone to the temple, and…we prayed a lot. We prayed before the beginning of each new activity block.

“When I was here, we just prayed in class, like what we do in school here. It ended up being a really good thing.”

Wilcox said during the first Holomua, participants weren’t able to visit the temple. This time, the students performed approximately 400 baptisms and confirmations at the temple, according to Meha.

“President Kealoha was very appreciative of this effort and contribu-

tion in the temple. Several students commented their visit to the temple was the highlight of their experience.”

Lindsey believed the spiritual change improved the attitudes of the students. “At the beginning, there were some kids where you looked into their eyes and you could see the teenage defiance, but as the week went on, everyone pulled together like a family,” she said. “I think a lot of that is because of the increased spiritual focus.”

While Holomua is often compared to BYU’s SOAR (Summer Of Academic Refinement), Wilcox said he felt the comparison isn’t quite the same.

“Holomua is a program meant to include all youth from all around the world,” he said. If the program receives more funding, he said he believes it will have students from the South Pacific and Asia in the near future.

“My goal is for Holomua to be not just BYUH’s major source of recruiting students to come to this university, but it should be greatly sought after as a crucial post-high school educational experience for Latter-day Saint youth in Hawaii and elsewhere,” Wilcox explained.

Lindsey reminisced, “When my parents signed me up for Holomua in 2011, I didn’t want to go. It was going to be their first one.

Holomua made me want to go to BYUH.”

Lindsey explained how she had to get special permission to participate since she had just graduated. She also gave up her regular summer job back home on the Big Island where she instructs visiting groups on Hawaiian culture. “I wanted to give back. For me, it feels like I’ve gone full circle,” she said.

Wilcox said Food Services, IT, and Housing Departments helped make Holomua 2017 possible by providing food, housing and logistics for all of the attendees.

Holomua staff handing out necessary items for the week. Photo by Olivia Tsan

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C ampus L i fe

Top: Elder and Sister Card are retired educators who serve I-WORK students at PCC. Above: Feeding students physically, spiritually and emotionally will make them more successful, say missionary couple. Photos by Olivia Tsan

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I-WORK students inspire couple Missionaries say feeding and loving students helps build trust and students succeed B Y AN TO N I E TTE YE E

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tudents are coming to the I-WORK Office more now, according to senior missionary couple William and Mary Jane Card, because they have treated the students as their own to build trust.

“They thought you [only] come to the I-WORK Office if you’re in trouble, and we didn’t want that. So we knew we had to make an environment where they feel comfortable.

That’s when we started introducing food so we could get them in there and talk to them,” said Elder Card.

He said they knew they needed students to be able to trust them in order to have them come in, and “so if we were going to spend some time with them, it would be great to have something to offer them like a piece of bread. From there, we get an opportunity to talk to them.”

Sister Card added, “How can you ask a student to do a great job at work if he’s hungry?

And so I said, ‘We got to feed these kids.’ I don’t want anybody to be hungry, ever. As long as I’m here in the Lord’s errand of work, there’s no kid who’s going to get hungry.”

To help make decisions about how they can help students, Elder Card said they think of each student’s situation as if that student was their very own daughter. He said, “We would want to know that somebody is taking care of her.”

Some students are somewhat embarrassed to be in the I-WORK program, according to Elder Card. “So I said we got to turn that little dial a little bit. That’s why we instituted the student of the week where students get featured in the PCC newspaper. Through that, they can develop a sense of pride that they’re I-WORK students.

“It’s fun too being on this mission because of our ward back home. The student of the week gets a McDonald’s gift card and we told our ward at home about it. They rallied and

they gave us enough gift cards to accomplish our mission.”

The couple’s responsibility is to help I-WORK students with whatever problems they might have, according to Sister Card.

She said, “Our real calling is to do anything we can to help the students succeed whether it’s academic, physical, a problem at church or [their] job. That’s what the I-WORK Office is. It doesn’t matter if it’s academic or anything, we want to be there for the kids. Our job is to make sure we are there as much as we can be so they can be successful here and go back to their country.”

Elder Card explained part of the IWORK Program is to bring out the academic and church leadership potential in the students.

“By coming here, it helps them build their testimonies and develop [into] future church leaders besides contributors to the community,” he added.

After they retired as educators, the Cards thought it was time to go on a mission, said Sister Card. “We didn’t want to go on a proselyting mission because we’ve already been on that. We also thought to do a CES position, but we were looking for something different.” She continued, “We were [then] called as program specialists for the I-WORK Program and assigned at PCC.”

With a huge love for young people, Sister Card said this mission was and is perfect for them.

She said, “Every single day is different.

We are so lucky to have the best calling at PCC because we get to know kids from all over the world, their culture, and their background.”

Lara Cobing, a freshman with an undeclared major from the Philippines, said the Cards are like her parents here in Hawaii and the people she looks up to. “They are a living reminder of why I came here in the first place,” she said. “From the conversations I have with

them, I admire their love for the Lord and for us I-WORK students. They take care of us and make sure we are being responsible for ourselves.”

When asked to describe the Cards, Cobing explained, “They are true disciples of Christ. I remember one general authority saying that a hallmark of a true disciple of Christ is charity. They demonstrate their love through action and through words as well.”

Elder Card shared how their mission is a testimony builder for them. “We know we’ve been called of the Lord and that we receive personal revelation. It’s amazing to get answers from the Spirit on how we can help the kids.”

One thing they’ve learned during their mission is they don’t have to have material things to be happy, said Sister Card. “That’s not really what it’s all about. Most of the kids come with very little material things, but they’re always happy,” she added.

“I told Elder Card that because I’ve had a blessed life, I never had to worry about my needs. I’ve learned that Heavenly Father expects me to give to the students because I’ve been blessed. When I give a piece of bread to the kids, they would be grateful and humble 10 times over for the person doing it for them.”

She also shared how she’s marveled at the work ethic of students. “They carry a full school load, work for 19 hours, and many of them get up at 5 a.m. on a Saturday morning to volunteer in the temple. That’s the only day they get to sleep in and do whatever they want until they have to go to work, but they choose to spend it at the temple.”

“The kids came here with big dreams and I know they can achieve every single one of them. They inspire me to be a better person everyday. Through hard work and staying close to the gospel, they can do anything they want,” continued Sister Card.

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Chart Your Course Set Your Sail It’s your

Holokai

Anciently, Pacific Islanders sailed to new lands in voyaging canoes using the stars and waves for navigation. The Hawaiians call this voyage Holokai.

Today, students at BYU-Hawaii embark on their own academic voyage. As part of a new modular curriculum being, students select courses offered within the following three categories: Arts & Humanities, Math & Sciences, and Professional Studies. As they explore these areas, students will then have the opportunity to select a program that interests them for their major and two minors and/or certificates from each of the two remaining categories and from different departments.

Explore your options and plan your academic voyage. See an Academic Advisor to learn more.

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lifestyle

in this section Free and simple activities available at the Kaneohe-based botanical gardens List of foods and purchasing information on food trucks located in Kahuku

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Tow companies struggle to find space for abandoned cars left on public roads

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Creative hot dog recipes featuring foods from cultures represented at BYUH

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The Ho’omaluhia Botanical Gardens A l i s t o f s i m p l e, f r e e t h i n g s t o d o a t t h e K a n e o h e c o n s e r va t o r y r a i n f o r e s t Set against the Koolau mountains, the gardens are a great place to visit to enjoy nature.

Photo By Olivia Tsan

B Y J O S HUA MA S O N , K E V I N B R O W N , A N D DA NNA O S U M A

The Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden is a 400acre rainforest garden in Kaneohe featuring free outdoor activities and isn’t well known to BYU-Hawaii students.

Established in 1982, it was built by the United States Army Corps of Engineers as flood protection for Kaneohe and specializes in conserving plants native to Hawaii and Polynesia. The rainforest garden houses plants from tropical regions around the world, such as Malaysia, Melanesia, the Philippines, Africa, Sri Lanka, and North America, according to the official website.

The staff provides several different activities: CAMPING

There are eight campsites that can be reserved for camping over the weekend (Friday to Monday). To reserve, interested guests must purchase a $33 permit online at least two weeks before the desired camp date, though park staff recommended reserving earlier due to high demand. Each permit guarantees only three cars/ parking spots, 10 people, and two tents.

FISHING

Every Saturday and Sunday, the park provides free bamboo fishing rods for those wanting to fish in the 42-acre reservoir, Loko Waimaluhia.

Fishing rods are handed out from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and fishing time goes from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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Participants have to bring white bread as bait, but there are no other costs. It has a catch and release policy, and the most common fish caught is carp. The fishing rods are picked up at the Visitor’s Center and the fishing spot is about a 20-minute walk down an informative trail of trees and plants.

ART EXHIBIT

GROUP EVENTS

Bicycles are allowed but only on designated roads and paved parking areas. Pets are not allowed as well as any ball playing (sports). Loud speakers are not allowed anywhere in the park.

The Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden is located at 45-680 Luluku Road, about a mile south of the Likelike Highway (Route 63) merger. Students can arrive by bus by taking the Route 55 bus (which runs along all of Kamehameha Highway on the windward side of Oahu) to the Kam. Hwy + Luluku Rd stop at the Windward City Shopping Center. The bus ride is approximately an hour and 15 minutes, according to Google Transit. From there, walk south for about two minutes to Luluku Rd. and turn right. Then walk approximately 20 minutes to the park entrance.

The park is open every day of the year from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except for Christmas and New Year’s Day. For group scheduling or information on events or permits, call the Visitor’s Center at 808-233-7323. Visit the Department of Parks and Recreation website for details on all five botanical garden sites on the island at honolulu.gov/parks/hbg.

Whether for a picnic or other outdoors event, the sites can be reserved for group events.

Only 50 people are allowed for each event.

Wedding ceremonies are permitted, however receptions are not.

COMMUNITY EVENTS AND CLASSES

Students are allowed to participate in the community classes offered. Some are offered every week, such as the self-directed Botanical Drawing and Painting class every Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Plants, flowers, and seeds are provided. There are garden meditation sessions every first Sunday of the month from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. (reservation required).

Upcoming limited events include a Frog and Garden Critter Art Exhibit on Nov. 26 that features three-dimensional artwork made out of recycled materials, and there is the Holiday Ornaments from Natural and Recycled Materials on Dec. 2 (reservation required), where dried plant materials, shells, and recycled items will be provided to make holiday ornaments.

Every month, there is a new theme for the art exhibit. Located next to the Visitor’s Center, its hours are the same as the rest of the garden and features anything from landscape paintings to animal photography.

RESTRICTIONS AND DIRECTIONS

FALL 22001177 S EP T EMBER

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Lifestyle

Food trucks in Kahuku Just a bike ride from Laie is flavor galore B Y A LV IN V INCENT DY & KE V IN BRO WN

Da Bald Guy Food truck fare found down the road in Kahuku.

Photos by Alvin Vincent Dy and Olivia Tsan

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Kai’s Island Corn

Ono Yo

Kalena’s Hut

Kampuchea Kitchen

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Da Bald Guy

In business since 2017

Kai’s Island Corn In business since 2011

Most common item:

Fried Ahi Poke Plate or the Braised Boneless Kalbi. Both of these combinations come with a special sauce.

Plain Grilled and Buttered Corn. This one is lightly buttered to perfection with sea salt and black pepper.

Most unique item:

Chili Omelette or a breakfast plate of shrimp, vegetables, and eggs.

Baja Corn. This corn gives a Southwest style of seasoning, drizzled with a lemon lime squeeze giving it an island taste.

For students on a budget:

The entire menu is very reasonable, with the breakfast options being cheaper.

Plain Grilled and Buttered Corn.

Hours:

Monday - Saturday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Monday - Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Payment:

Cash only Photos by Alvin Vincent Dy and Olivia Tsan

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Cash only

Ono Yo

In business since 2010

Kalena’s Hut

In business since 2008

Kampuchea Kitchen

Fruit Bowl-choice of yogurt, strawberries or pomegranate seeds, pineapple, kiwi, and honey.

Island Mix Plate. It consists of chicken, Kailua pork, and fries.

Orange Chicken. It is complimented

by Kikkoman orange sauce because it doesn’t use as much vinegar and soy sauce found in other orange chicken plates around the island. Children especially love this plate.

All Nuts - choice of yogurt, granola, sliced almonds, macadamia nuts, and caramel.

New Zealand Sausage with pork/ lamb.

Fish and Chips.

Prices vary on the size and toppings you create. You can also check out its website at http://www.onoyohawaii. com/prices/.

Any of the other plate lunches.

Vegetable Curry Chicken.

Monday - Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Cash/ Card

Monday - Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Cash only

In business since 2012

Tuesday - Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Cash only

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Abandoning cars in paradise Local tow companies say they struggle to find space for cars left on public roads B Y K E V I N B RO W N

Those visiting the islands of Hawaii expect to find pristine beaches and picturesque mountains, but along Kamehameha Highway people can see one of the problems plaguing public roads−abandoned vehicles.

The City and County of Honolulu said around 300 abandoned vehicles are currently on the lot of Ace Towing belong to military personal who have since left the island.

In a report from KHON2 News, Randy Leong, the deputy director of the city’s Department of Customer Services, said, “CSD has engaged in ongoing discussions with the military leaders to identity vehicles and disseminate information to their service members regarding the available manner to dispose of the vehicles.”

More vehicles may be left on the streets until the city finds more space for the abandoned vehicles, according to Hawaii News Now. A common place for people to abandon these vehicles is on the windward side of Oahu, one of the least populated areas of the island, reported Hawaii News Now.

Sheri Kajiwara, director of the Department of Customer Services, said the process of removing vehicles on the island is complicated because the vehicles must go through federal screening procedures to protect the rights of the vehicle owners. This process gives the public false expectations of the city’s ability to remove these vehicles, she added.

Cars can be harder to tow when they have been stripped of their wheels and other parts, according to contracted tow companies in the area. The drop in the price of scrap metal also doesn’t motivate companies to collect cars.

Hawaii News Now reported the typical order of events when someone abandons a vehicle: the car is left in a less-populated area of the island, begins to be stripped for parts

during the night, and then stays put until the City and County of Honolulu schedules a pickup from a contracted towing company.

To clarify which vehicles are eligible to be towed, the Department of Customer Services said any vehicle left unattended “on public roadways that has not been attended to for more than 24 hours” is considered abandoned.

The State of Hawaii asks those who see abandoned vehicles on public roadways to report them to the Department of Customer Services on its webpage and include the location and vehicle information.

If the car is traced back to an individual, the price tag can be hefty. According to the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, the “maximum amount that can be charged for towing an unattended vehicle is $65, or $75 for a tow using a dolly.

“In addition, the towing company may charge a mileage charge of $7.50 per mile towed and $25 per day or fraction of a day for

storage for the first seven days, and $20 per day, thereafter.”

The car may also not have been intentionally left on a public roadway and still be towed. A representative from the Honolulu Police Department said, “Officers can investigate, and if the vehicle poses a safety risk, or it has an expired safety check decal or expired tax decal, the vehicle may be towed.”

According to Hawaii News Now, the problem not only persists on Oahu, but also on the islands of Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island.

To relieve some space at tow yards, the City of Honolulu holds an auction for abandoned vehicles every month. However, KHON2 News states federal law prohibits the city from auctioning cars belonging to military personal.

The website of Integrity Towing, a tow company located in Aiea, also says it offers up to $200 for collecting abandoned vehicles and taking them to be recycled.

Officials say cars are often abandoned on the windward side of Oahu because it is less populated.

People can report abandoned cars to the Department of Consumer Services. Photo by Kevin Brown 32

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Facts about Abandoned Cars on Oahu:

x100

Oahu

300 abandoned vehicles currently on the lot of Ace Towing belong to military personal who have since left the island

A common place for people to abandon these vehicles is on the windward side of Oahu

1. The car is left in a less-populated area of the island.

2. It begins to be stripped for parts during the night.

3. It stays put until the City and County of Honolulu schedules a pickup from a contracted towing company.

$$

Cost to Tow

$$

•Towing charge for an unattended vehicle is $65, or $75 •It costs $7.50 per mile towed •$25 per day or fraction of a day for storage for the first seven days, and $20 per day, thereafter.

A company in Aiea offers up to $200 for collecting abandoned vehicles and taking them to be recycled

Payment for Collection

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Lifestyle

Hot Dogs from around the world

Creative and cheap hot dog dishes use foods common to cultures represented at BYUH

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Hot dogs can be purchased on sale for less than $2 and can be a great way to eat protein and use leftovers in a different, multicultural way. Photos by Olivia Tsan

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Ingredients 1. Lumpia Dog (Philippines)

•lumpia wrap •frying oil Wrap the dog in the lumpia wrap, use water to seal it, then fry for a crunchy adventure.

4. Taco Dog (Mexico)

2. Musubi Dog (Hawaii)

3. Baked Potato Dog (Idaho)

5. Churro Dog (U.S.A)

6. Ramen Dog (Japan)

•rice •rice vinegar •nori Season rice with vinegar and spread a layer on top of nori. Add cooked hot dog and roll.

•corn tortilla •pico de gallo Mix avocado, cilantro, tomatoes, onions and spices to make your pico perfecto.

•churro •long john donut •cherries •ice cream (optional) The perfect dessert, the churro dog puts the “mmm” in ‘Murica.

7. Pizza Dog (Italy)

8. The Utah Dog (Utah)

•baguette •mozzarella cheese •pepperoni •tomato sauce Put all the ingredients in the baguette and bake it.

•fry sauce There are different recipes for fry sauce, but the most basic is mixing mayo and ketchup.

•potato •cheese •sour cream Simply bake a potato, cut it open, add a hot dog and your favorite toppings.

•ramen •egg Mix the egg with the ramen while boiling for taste and texture, then add it to a hot dog.

9. Curry Dog (Fiji/India)

•Fijian curry (recipe on Page 36) Take all those veggies and spices sitting around and make them useful for this multi-ethnic dish.

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CHICKEN AND POTATO CURRY INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp. oil 1 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 tsp. grated ginger or ½ tsp. ground ginger 1 tsp. ground cumin 1 1/2 tsp. ground mustard 1 tsp. turmeric 2 Tbsp. curry powder ¼ tsp. chili flakes Salt and pepper to taste 1 1/2 cups water ½ cup coconut milk 2 large potatoes, cubed ½ pound of skinless chicken, thighs or your choice of cut Directions: 1. Heat the oil to medium in a large pot. Add onion and garlic then cook for 3 or 4 minutes until soft. Add ginger, cumin, mustard, turmeric, curry and chili. Stir until fragrant — about 2 minutes. Add water, coconut milk and potatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Add chicken with 10 minutes left in the cooking time.

2. Cook until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are soft. Serves 2 to 4.

Chicken curry is a favorite dish in the islands and can be used to spice up an ordinary hot dog. Photos by Olivia Tsan

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feature

in this section Missionaries revitalize LDS chapel in Kalaupapa, witness unexpected visit from the Hokulea

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Iolani Palace the only one in America, stands as museum for legacy of Hawaiian sovereigns

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Korean alumnus works for United Nations as Refugee Status Determination Officer in Jordan

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C a Fe m pa ut us rLe i f e

A rare look inside Kalaupapa Senior missionaries say what patients lost from leprosy, they gained from living the gospel

BY K EVI N B R O W N

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A look at Kalaupapa from the top of the cliff trail.

Photo by Elder Coleman

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Fe ature

A

group of Laie senior missionaries visited Molokai’s historical land of exile for patients suffering from Hansen’s Disease, known as leprosy, with the task of upkeeping the LDS Church’s historical sites and connecting with survivors.

Elder and Sister Decker, a senior couple from Iowa, said they became interested in Kalaupapa after hearing a devotional from Fred Woods and reading his book, “Kalaupapa: The Mormon Experience in an Exiled Community.”

Sister Decker said, “You would think it would be a gloom and doom kind of place.

Over 8,000 people are buried there. It’s really not though. It’s hallowed ground.You feel the presence of those who had died there.”

Elder and Sister Coleman, a senior couple from Utah, said they became interested in the history of how it all began. Elder Coleman said in 1865, King Kamehameha V passed a ruling which banished those plagued with leprosy to hospitals and eventually to the peninsula of Kalaupapa.

He said, “[The king’s] last-ditch effort was to send anyone with leprosy, or any sign of it, into exile at Kalaupapa. They were sent there knowing that they weren’t [coming back].”

The area of Kalaupapa was a natural enclosure surrounded by some of the highest sea cliffs in the world, according to Sister Long, a senior missionary from Utah.

In order to minimize their contact with the diseased, those transporting patients from local hospitals would sometimes have the patients swim to shore if the break was too dangerous or if there weren’t any small harbor boats to meet them, according to Sister Long.

Elder Coleman said, “Many of them didn’t make it [to shore] because they were already quite sick from the disease.”

Years later, the exportation of the diseased to Kalaupapa dramatically increased after the attack on Pearl Harbor, said Long, because the hospital in Honolulu was afraid of another attack.

“They decided to send everyone to Kalaupapa,” said Long.

Long, a mother herself, said she could imagine how devastating the farewell must 40

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have been. “Families were able to come say goodbye but not touch [the patients],” she said.

Long said her missionary group arrived by special charter plane to the peninsula; the only other means of entering the colony is by ship or scaling down a steep cliff trail.

With guards at the top of the cliff trail, Elder Coleman said the exiles were effectively cut off from the rest of the world, having little to no contact at all from their family members.

At the beginning of the gathering of exiles, Sister Decker said people were “just dumped off and had to fend for themselves” until the arrival of a Catholic priest named Father Damien and a Latter-day Saint convert, Jonathon Napela.

“When [they] got there, they organized it into a little community,” she added. Damien and Napela eventually succumbed to the disease themselves after many years of faithful service; she said Damien had specific orders from his hierarchy to not touch or hug anyone, but he did just the opposite.

“When Father Damien died, his body was taken back and buried in Belgium. However, the Catholic hierarchy said he should really be in Kalaupapa,” she said. It’s what patients wanted too.

A portion of Father Damien’s body—his hand—made it back to Kalaupapa and lies buried there with thousands of other patients he helped throughout his life, she added.

What some would have considered to be a prison of desolation, Long said the patients made the most of their new circumstances and bonded based on their common disease. This is what the missionaries said transformed the area into an ohana community.

Long stated, “Since they weren’t able to have their families visit, they became each other’s family. They fulfilled each other’s spiritual needs as well. It didn’t matter what religion you were.” She said the patients at Kalaupapa, though having different religious backgrounds, found common ground in their need of faith.

Sister Kelson, a senior missionary from Oregon, said, “What happened on Sundays was everybody went to all of the churches. We went to all the churches, too.

“[At] the LDS chapel, it was just us and Sister Davis, and we just had a testimony meeting.” Sister Davis, who sponsored the group’s arrival, is the only LDS volunteer left at Kalaupapa, according to Sister Decker.

For the construction of the chapel, Sister Coleman said more non-members of faith participated in its construction than members, which was a testament to the massive amounts of communal service provided by the Kalaupapa patients. The LDS Church in Kalaupapa grew fast due in large part to the missionary efforts of Napela, who moved to the colony when his wife, Kitty, contracted the disease, said Elder Coleman.

Six missionaries were able to visit Kalaupapa to help maintain the LDS Church buildings in the infamous leper colony on Molokai. Photo by Elder Decker

Left: Father Damien’s grave. Middle: The LDS chapel in Kalaupapa with two alters: one for visitors, one for patients. Top Right: The Hokulea visited Kalaupapa towards the end of its three-year voyage. Bottom Right: The outhouse (bathroom) at one of the churches in Kalaupapa. Photos by Elder Decker.

“Harold B. Lee wrote in his journal that some of the people who wrote testimonies to him…said they would rather have the disease and have the gospel then to have never come there and learned about the gospel of Jesus Christ,” he said.

In the LDS chapel, Long said there were two pulpits; one for the visitors and one for the patients. She also said it was a similar situation with the bathrooms as well.

Although the chapel has fallen into disrepair, suffered severe termite damage and holds no scheduled meetings, Long said the church has not turned the property over to the National Park Service because they are worried it will not be properly maintained.

“They do have a group of LDS people who are assigned to go take care of the properties,” she said. Volunteers at the Polynesian Cultural Center are carving new doors to replace the old ones on the chapel.

TH E S ECRET A RRIVAL OF THE HOK ULEA

Before its momentous return to Waikiki from its three-year expedition at sea, the voyaging canoe, Hokulea, made an unpublicized visit to Kalaupapa at the same time the missionaries were there.

Sister Decker explained, “We were at the right place at the right time. No one else had

that experience but us.” She said the group of missionaries were invited by the community to help make leis for their arrival. When the canoe came, she said those on board exchanged chants with their hosts on shore.

Long said, “They didn’t tell the press. We didn’t even know about it. I guess the crew needed their rest.”

Upon their arrival, Kelson said she was amazed at how the crew prepared and served dinner for those in the community. “It’s usually the other way around, especially after being gone at sea for that long,” she said.

The crew also participated in a local talent show hosted by volunteers and residents of Kalaupapa and were treated to a local luau.

Sister Coleman said of their visit, “We had a few people greeting them, as opposed to the thousands of people in Honolulu. So it was pretty personal.”

L I F E I N KAL AU PAPA TO DAY

Only six patient survivors call Kalaupapa their home today, according to CNN. Elder Decker said, “When they found out the people weren’t contagious anymore, they allowed them to go back in 1965.

“But some of the ones that were there for a long time chose not to go back. Some of those people are still there today. They could leave, but they choose not to. It is their home now.”

Kalaupapa has one general store, according to Elder Decker, where residents are allowed one soda and one candy bar or bag of chips. He said these supplies are extremely limited as the entire peninsula relies on shipments of food and gas.

He said, “One of the sisters [at the store] was a patient. She wouldn’t take our money.

She said, ‘I want to have the blessings.’” Sister Long also said the owner of the car they were borrowing didn’t allow them to fill it with gas after they were done, as she said it would have “robbed her of her blessings.”

Sister Decker added, “That’s the caliber of people. They are just giving people.”

In terms of visiting the colony, Elder Coleman said unauthorized groups of visitors are not permitted for long stays, only those who have been sponsored by a worker can stay past tour group visiting hours.

“Currently, the National Park Service will only allow space for 100 permits a day at Kalaupapa,” he said. Elder Decker added, “Most groups can only stay for four hours, and then they have to go back up the cliff.”

Elder Decker and the other senior missionaries were allowed to stay for five days.

Kelson concluded, “It just gets in your soul.You hear about it and you want to go over there and feel it and experience that. We got to do exactly that.”

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Iolani: America’s only palace The royal place of Hawaiian sovereigns is now a museum to its legacy

BY A NTONIET T E Y E E AN D K E V I N B R O WN

A front view of Iolani Palace from the main gate. Photo by Olivia Tsan

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olani Palace remained a royal residence up until the reign of Queen Lili´uokalani, said Hardy Spoehr, a palace tour guide. Originally constructed in 1882 by King Kalakaua, the last king of Hawaii built the palace at a cost of about $330,000, a figure Spoehr said would be equivalent to millions of dollars today.

“At the time of its completion, you could see ships coming into the harbor. Buildings have now since been built up in front of the palace on landfill,” he said.

Also on palace grounds stands the Hale Koa Barracks, which Spoehr said housed approximately 60 royal guards for the kingdom.

“If you were a main guest, you would have been challenged by a palace guard where you would have been asked for the secret password in order to enter the palace,” said Spoehr.

Spoehr told of two unique features of the palace, one of them being the entrance doors. “It’s one of the oddities of the palace.

The glass is crystal made in England and etched in San Francisco,” he said. A recent break-in damaged two of these windows, and for the palace to be in the original form, Spoehr said the windows will have to be ordered through the same places.

The second oddity is the palace lighting.

“You notice how there aren’t any light switches?

It’s a comprehensive direct light system through the palace. All of the lights are on, or all of the lights are off,” he said.

“King Kalakaua met with Thomas Edison in his lab in New Jersey, and they diagramed a schematic for the electrification of the palace,” he said. According to Hawaii-Nation.org, Iolani Palace had electricity and telephones installed several years before the White House.

The Dining Room of the palace was used for formal dining like other royal palaces, added Spoehr. “In those days, there was no radio, television, or cell phones. The major means of communication was oral.”

Spoehr explained, “The king would always place himself in the middle of the table because if you were invited to partake of a meal here, he expected a conversation.”

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The Dining Room where the king sat in the middle of the table. Photo by Olivia Tsan Continued from Page 43

monarchy and international nobility, including that of French King Louis Philippe, who made of himself the largest painting in the palace’s collection and presented it to King Kamehameha III. Spoehr said it was for the commemoration of the Kingdom’s first treaty with France.

“It took up almost the whole wall of the original palace,” said Spoehr.

The Music Room, often called the Gold Room, served as an important room for social gatherings, as all the monarchs were very much involved with music, said Spoehr. In the Music Room rests the original throne of the Kingdom of Hawaii used by Kamehameha III, IV, and V.

In order to ascend the koa wood Grand Hall staircase, Spoehr said guests had to receive special invitations to visit the top floor of the palace where the monarchs lived.

The doorknobs inside the palace are also low. “Nobody really knows why,” explained Spoehr. “The most possible reason is when people open the door, they are forced to bow to the royalty.”

When Queen Lili´uokalani was unlawfully overthrown in 1893 on suspicions of trying

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to restore her kingdom’s sovereignty, Spoehr said she was eventually quarantined to a corner room in the palace for eight months.

He said she received flowers wrapped in newspapers from her supporters. “For that reason, she was able to read what was going on in the community.”

As for the originality of the palace today, Spoehr said it is a work in progress. “After the king died, a lot of the furniture was taken by his wife, the queen. She auctioned off a lot of the items to support herself because she was no longer the queen.

“The government also was able to auction some of it off. Now, throughout the years, it has been making its way back to the palace. We are about 60 percent complete, the other 40 percent of items, including the king’s bed, are still out there.”

Spoehr said he encourages people to look in antique shops around the islands, and even the world, for A.H. Davenport consignments, the manufacturer in Boston that supplied most of the palace’s furniture.

In part of the restoration process, he said vol-

unteers use black and white photos taken in that era to try and best fit the original rugs and furniture.

Spoehr said of his experience as a tour guide, “I have been working here for a year, and it has been an excellent experience. I feel like I’m a part of continuing legacy.”

Alysa Natarte, a tourist from California visiting the palace, said, “I absolutely love the historical elements of the tour. It teaches someone like me, who is not Hawaiian and doesn’t know much about Hawaii, a massive amount of culture and a great appreciation for the islands.”

Every second Sunday of the month is Kama´aina Sunday at Iolani Palace, and the entrance fee is free for locals, said Spoehr.

“All students of BYU-Hawaii, please come on the second Sunday, or if there are classes that want to come, contact us. We’d love to help you folks,” he said.

For visitors wanting a taste of music, Spoehr said The Royal Hawaiian Band, started

by King Kamehameha III, also performs every Friday afternoon on the palace grounds. The band is the oldest municipal band in the nation, according to Hawaii Magazine.

Top left: the Grand Hall staircase leading up to the royal residence. Middle left: Upstairs in the family residence. Top right: sheet music covers from royal compositions in the Music Room. Bottom: military and royal collections on display in the Throne Room. Photos by Olivia Tsan S EP T EMBER

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James Byun of the United Nations Korean alumnus helps displaced refugees adjust to their new lives in Jordan B Y K E VI N B RO W N

James Byun stands in front of the United Nations Office at Geneva.. Photo from James Byun

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Byun holds an infant at a refugee camp in Thailand. Photo from James Byun

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ames Byun, a 2011 BYU-Hawaii alumnus from South Korea, said he’s taken the university’s motto to heart by dedicating his life to serving people from around the world in his work with the United Nations, most currently refugees fleeing for their lives.

LIFE IN KO REA

After Byun attended grad school in Costa Rica, he returned to Korea to intern with the Office of the United Nations Commissioner for Refugees, or UNHCR.

He then took a job at a Korean government institute for a few months until he was offered a job with UNHCR and worked there for three and a half years as a national staff member.

Byun worked with the UNHCR Protection Unit in Seoul.

He said, “The nature of my work was advocacy. I often met with various partners such as lawyers, NGOs, government officials and parliamentarians in efforts to ensure refugees’ rights are protected through legislations, government policies and regulations.

“I would also meet with asylum-seekers who visit the office for counseling services and conduct visits to their homes and other places, such as detention centers and refugee reception centers.”

Byun said he monitored situations to see if government intervention was necessary.

LIFE IN J ORDAN

Since April of this year, Byun accepted another job with the United Nations where he works as a Refugee Status Determination (RSD) Officer. He lives in Amman, Jordan with his wife and three boys,

He said, “I often conduct interviews, which usually takes many hours, with asylum-seekers from various countries [and] conduct legal analysis based on information gathered. I also work on policy issues and internal strategies with regards to RSD by analyzing the trends of asylum in Jordan.”

Byun said the legal definition of a refugee the UNHCR uses is “someone, owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, who is outside the country of their nationality and is unable or unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country.”

His responsibility allows him to make key decisions on whether or not a person deserves international protection as a refugee by considering the legal definition.

Byun said his work allows him to connect with people fleeing war-torn and corrupt nations like Syria, Iraq,Yemen, and Sudan, and the stories they tell him are heartbreaking.

“Very often, I hear terrible experiences refugees had to suffer, and it is often challenging to absorb the information of horrible things that have happened to them.

“Many refugees almost always become very emotional when they start talking about their separated or deceased families and children due to conflicts.”

A hard part of his position is realizing families will never be the same again, something Byun said he thinks about every day on the job. “As a father of three kids, it is not difficult to empathize with their emotional pains Continues on Page 48

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James Byun at church with his wife and three kids. Photo from James Byun Continued from Page 47

and heartaches. It has influenced me in many ways, mostly to focus on the things that matter most in this life,” he said.

Refugees just need a listening ear, said Byun, to comfort them through their times of despair. “As it is not easy to share sensitive information to a stranger, I try and build a good rapport with refugees in the beginning of the interviews, and when interviews are finished, they always leave with smiles expressing appreciation.”

Most of the asylum-seekers in Jordan reside in the country’s major cities, said Byun, with the rest scattered in camps. He said those living in urban areas enjoy freedom–at a price.

“Often times they are at risk of exploitation, abuse, deportation, and detention because their legal rights, such as rights to work and to access basic services, are limited,” he said.

Despite all of the hardships the refugees have been through and continue to endure, Byun said almost all of them show a desire to seek a better life. “[They] have shown a great level of resilience and commitment. Refugees are very resilient people, and almost everyone hopes to return back home,” he said.

Steven Tueller, vice president of Administration and Byun’s former bishop, has stayed in contact with Byun throughout the years during his U.N. employment. Tueller said, “James is stellar. He was the kind of student the church hopes to attract to its educational institutions.

“One could tell the depth of his character just by speaking with him, and he seemed way ahead of his years in terms of maturity. He studied and worked hard, but it was clear that he put God first in his life.”

Being a Mormon in a predominately Islamic country has had its difficulties, but Byun said the work continues to go forward even though the church has to go by a different name.

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“Our church meets under the name of ‘LDS Charities.’ We are not legally allowed to share the gospel here. However, I believe that living the gospel faithfully will help people around me feel the love and the spirit of God,” he said.

Jordan only has two small branches; an Arabic one and an English one where Byun’s family attends. He said the branch is comprised of mostly U.S. Embassy workers and their families. Unlike traditional services for Latter-day Saint congregations, the unit meets every Friday to attend church and take the sacrament. Byun said he is serving as a Sunday School teacher for the group of youth in their branch.

WO RK I N G F O R TH E U. N .

Byun said students interested in working for the United Nations should first think about what they want to achieve in their lives and in their careers to help them find the right U.N. agency to work for.

“The U.N. is huge. There are so many U.N. agencies doing so many different things in the world. [Because] I work in a humanitarian agency, one of the great benefits of being an international civil servant is the pride that you find in the value of the work that you do.

“You are not just doing the work to work, but you are doing something to contribute to building peace internationally.”

Second, he said students should start preparing. “Look for internships with agencies you are interested in. Look for U.N. volunteer programs that can help you get into the system. There are many programs you can look into and apply for, so do your homework and research.”

As far as monetary benefits go, Byun said the United Nations offers competitive benefits to staff members. He said a comprehensive list of these benefits are located on the official U.N. website.

Community

in this section Temporary Cook Islands village at PCC features Ministry of Culture’s official dance team

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Patoa Benioni recognized as a founding member of Polynesian Institute at Kupuna Luncheon

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Alumni and professors witness eclipse, say the experience was worth it

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Cook Islands Expo Island nation’s official dance group works with PCC to set up first-ever Cook Islands Village for six weeks

BY K EV IN B R O W N

The Cook Islands National Arts Theatre performs on the opening day of the Cook Islands expo. Photo by Olivia Tsan

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From left to right: David Akanoa plays the Pate drum while explaining it to the crowd; male dancers perform a traditional dance; one of the performer’s daughters does a solo; female dancers perform a women-exclusive number. Photos by Olivia Tsan

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ravelling more than 3,000 miles to show the culture of their island nation, performance group Cook Islands National Arts Theatre made a temporary village at the Polynesian Cultural Center for a six-week run from July 17 to Aug. 24.

Danny Mataroa, the main choreographer and chief for the village, said, “This is the first time that the Cook Islands has been in the PCC as a village. Most of the time we come as guest artists during break times, just 10-or-20-minute shows.

PCC Senior Manager William Mahoni worked the logistics for the group’s appearance and coordinated a temporary mini-village for the Cook Islands located between the Hawaiian and Tahitian villages. “This will be the first time we will have a group [from the Cook Islands] stay for six weeks,” he said.

Mataroa said CINAT is a government cultural dance team.

“The members always change,” he said. “Whenever there is a special event happening overseas, the Ministry of Culture picks the best dancers and drummers to come and represent the Cook Islands. We are like Olympians.” He said the government sends scouts around the island to find the best dancers for the group.

“It’s an honor,” said Mataroa. “Yesterday we had a man who was one of the foundation members of the PCC. He was sharing how they would run on the road and stop everyone on the road to come inside the PCC, 50 years ago. He has always been trying

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to get the Cook Islands to be a part of the PCC. We dedicated our whole show to him.”

Teuira Napa, one of the performers and former Miss South Pacific as well as two-time Miss Cook Islands, said, “A lot of dancers in the Cook Islands are fairly good. If you lose one day of dancing, you feel unfit for dancing the next day. We try to just deliver culture rather than making it humorous. There’s no altering or customizing our acts.

“We have perfectionist coaches. If we do a mistake today, then we have to work hard to correct it for tomorrow.”

Mataroa said, “When the men dance, they give it all they have because they have got to impress the women.”

The dancing also conveys symbolism shared throughout the Cook Islands, Mataroa added. Napa said much of the dancing is similar to Tahitian and Hawaiian styles in regards to movements associated with the wind and the sea. However, she said the drumming segregates the island nations, even the different islands of the Cook Islands.

“A higher pitch sound means it is coming from the northern islands. Every island has its own unique style,” said Napa.

Spencer Haynie, a tourist from California at the PCC and 2008 alumnus of BYU-Hawaii, spent a portion of the day at the village with his family. He said, “I was really impressed with the male dancers, especially when they came out. They were doing the chanting, and you could see the energy on their faces. They were totally into it.”

His wife, Tyra Haynie, said, “I really liked the show. It was my first experience here at the PCC. The dancers put everything into it.” Spencer said his family made an extra effort to visit the PCC when he heard about the new temporary Cook Islands village.

Napa said the dancers gave their all to their first performance with hopes of someday being able to perform in a more permanent location at the PCC. “That is our hope... We hope to create some recognition for our tiny island,” she said.

“It’s been an ongoing endeavor for us,” said Mataroa.

“Former students have always been wanting the Cook Islands to come to the PCC. This has been a dream come true today.”

The expo ended on Aug. 24.

T HE CO OK IS L AN D S

According to Mataroa, 15 islands make up the Cook Islands, 12 of which are inhabited. He said the population of the island nation is approximately 15,000 people, with most of them living on the main island of Rarotonga.

Mataroa said the nation has been self-governing since 1965 with a special association with New Zealand, which has allowed them to keep and preserve their culture and pass it on to the younger generations. “Our culture is to keep that culture alive. We make sure that our children participate,” he stated.

He also shared a history of how his nation acquired the airports it uses today. “There are three airports on the Cook Islands. The airport on Rarotonga, the airport on Aitutaki, and the airport on Penrhyn.

“These three airports were built originally by the Americans during the Second World War as ammunition depots in case the war had to come down that far in the Pacific. That didn’t happen, so we ended up with three airports. I just wanted to take this opportunity to say, ‘Thank you very much’ for the American taxpayers,” he said jokingly.

Mataroa said the journey between the northern and southern islands can take up to four and a half hours by flight. The journey from other countries is even longer.

“It takes a special breed of visitor,” he said. “We have 146,000 visitors a year. We have 20 flights a week. We have a direct flight once a week from Los Angeles and back. It’s sort of off the beaten path.

“I look at that as a plus. We regard ourselves as ‘the last heaven on Earth.’ The most beautiful thing that you have is the hardest to get to. When you arrive to the airport, we are there to say ‘kia orana.’”

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Remembering the PCC’s Origins Patoa Benioni recognized for being a founding member of the Polynesian Institute

BY J O S H MAS O N

Juanita and Patoa Tama Benioni were honored at the July 18 Kupuna Luncheon. Photo by Alvin Vincent Dy

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he Polynesian Cultural Center and Laie Community Association’s annual Kupuna Luncheon, held at the PCC’s Gateway Restaurant on July 19, honored Patoa Tama Benioni for being one of the first students from the Cook Islands at BYU-Hawaii and performers at the PCC. His wife, Juanita, said Patoa was a true pioneer who paved the way for other Pacific Island students to come to BYUH.

In order to keep him from knowing the luncheon was in honor of him, Juanita said she lied to him the day before to keep it a surprise. She said, “He wanted to go to the Cook Islands Expo, so he was here for most of the day.

“I had to make all these promises and assurances to his doctors that we’d have a rest day today, and so this [was] his rest day.”

Going to college was a dream Patoa had since he was a little boy, said Juanita.

She said he stopped going to school after sixth grade and went to work instead of continuing his education.

Uncertain about his academic future, she said it all changed when LDS missionaries came to the Cook Islands to a build a chapel, and he heard about the Church College of Samoa high school from them.

“As a Cook Islander, he didn’t speak Samoan, he didn’t have any connections, he didn’t have any money. He found his way to Samoa, no passport. I don’t know how he got through. I guess it’s his smile,” she said.

When he got to the airport, she said all he knew how to say was “the Mormon mission home.” The bus driver then dropped him off at the mission home where he met up with the mission president, Howard Stone.

“The story goes that every Sunday in their stake, the stake president would get up and say, ‘We have a young man who wants to go to school here. He has no place to live,’” said Juanita.

He was eventually taken in by Mariaha Peters, who was also present at the luncheon. She and her husband, Patrick, found him “sitting on a breadfruit tree at the mission home. They didn’t know him, had Continues on Page 56

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Kela Miller and dancers perform during the annual kupuna luncheon at PCC. Photo by Alvin Vincent Dy Continued from Page 55

never seen him before, didn’t know if he was an axe murderer or whatever, and took him home. From that moment on, he became their son,” said Juanita. “When he talks about mom, it’s Momma Peters,” she added.

Patoa was able to graduate despite having to take difficult courses. “He had to take hard classes like Algebra II, even though he never took Algebra before,” she said.

After graduation, Peters asked him what the next step in his life would be. He said he wanted to go to the Church College of Hawaii. Juanita said, “When he came here, there was no Polynesian Cultural Center.

Parts of the Church College were still under construction, so he had the opportunity of working in the pineapple fields.”

While standing in line to register for classes, a few founding faculty members, including Jerry Loveland, singled out the Polynesian students, according to Juanita. “They hand-picked young Polynesian women and men to become part of what was called the Polynesian Institute.”

She said he was selected to be one of the first dance instructors and part of the Polynesian Panorama, an experiment to see if Polynesian music and dancing could sell to tourist groups. After its success, he then helped to start the Polynesian Cultural Center.

Patoa graduated from CCH, and Juanita graduated the following year; she stayed out of school while he was a student. “He told me, ‘When I graduate, you will not work. You will go to school and you will finish.’ Sure enough, he graduated on a Friday night in 1969. That next morning at 6 a.m., he was on the job 56

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building the Rainbow Tower at the Hilton Hawaiian Village,” she said.

In 1970, Juanita completed the promise and graduated with a degree in teaching English as a second language. The couple then moved to American Samoa for 10 years where he was contracted by the Department of Education. He became the director of vocational education and she taught high school English.

They would return to BYUH in 1980 where Patoa became the assistant director at BYUH Physical Facilities. One of his projects included building the Cannon Activities Center. He also went on to serve in the Laie Community Association. They later went to Utah in 1993 so he could transfer to BYU to work at Physical Facilities.

“In 2012, it was time to come home,” said Juanita.

Patoa retired and they moved back to Laie.

She added, “Wherever we lived, my husband said, ‘We need to go home.’”

Juanita concluded her speech thanking various attendees, the PCC, and LCA for honoring her husband.

Patoa then spoke and acknowledged Mariaha Peters.

Speaking for only three minutes, he acknowledged Tony Haiku, his first boss at the PCC who sent him to cut coconut leaves so Samoan sisters in the Samoan village could make the fence around the PCC.

Patoa exemplified his humor throughout his short speech. He said, “I lied my way through college, I lied my way through high school, but I made it through Algebra II.”

Top: Patoa Benioni shares memories of his life in Laie at the luncheon. Above: Children from the Ah You family perform their own family haka in honor of Patoa Benioni. Photos by Alvin Vincent Dy

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Community

Day turns to night Alumni among millions to see total eclipse, say it was worth the effort to experience it

BY LEEA NN L AM B E RT

“Truly amazing experience. So much happens, and each aspect is intriguing, but probably my favorite thing was the 360-degree sunset effect.�

- Religion Professor Keith Lane Campers from Steamboat Springs, Colorado, observe the solar eclipse at Shadow Mountain just east of Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. Photo by AP

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atching the sun disappear during daylight, feeling the temperature drop suddenly, being surrounded by a 360-degree midday sunset, and marveling at God’s creations were some of the experiences millions had – as well as members of the BYU-Hawaii ohana - as a total solar eclipse swept across America on Aug. 21.

It was, by all accounts, the mostobserved and most-photographed eclipse in history, documented by satellites and high-altitude balloons and watched on Earth through telescopes, cameras and cardboardframe protective eyeglasses. NASA reported 4.4 million people were watching its TV coverage midway through the eclipse, the biggest livestream event in the space agency’s history.

BYUH Religion Professors Keith and Jennifer Lane traveled to Wyoming during their summer vacation to see the rare eclipse.

Keith Lane says in a Facebook post he and his wife “plunked ourselves down in Moneta, Wyoming (a place, not a town) for the eclipse” to get away from the crowds, and in the silence, hear how the birds and insects reacted to the phenomenon. He says it was a “truly amazing experience. So much happens, and each aspect is intriguing, but probably my favorite thing was the 360-degree sunset effect.”

About 7,000 people also streamed into the Nashville Zoo, reported AP, just to see the animals’ reaction and noticed how they got noisier as it got darker. The giraffes started running around crazily in circles when darkness fell, and the flamingos huddled together, though zookeepers said it wasn’t clear whether it was the eclipse or the noisy, cheering crowd that spooked them.

“I didn’t expect to get so emotionally caught up with it. I literally had chill bumps,” said zoo volunteer Stephan Foust.

It took 90 minutes for the shadow of the moon to travel across the country, reported AP. Along that path, the moon blotted out the sun for about two wondrous

minutes at any one place, eliciting oohs, aahs, whoops and shouts from people gathered in stadiums, parks and backyards.

BYUH alumnus Dustin Geddes rode his bike 30 miles from his home to the St. Paul, Oregon area where a total eclipse of the sun was visible. “The ride was spectacular and the eclipse exceeded all expectations,” he says on his Facebook post where he added a video he made of the moment totality hit and he and those around him can be heard audibly reacting to the what people call a life-changing experience.

“It went dark enough that you could see a few stars, could stare directly at the sun, which had this crazy white light behind the moon and all these solar flares,” Geddes says. “The animals were wiggin’ leading up to it. I saw a cat just staring at the sky, and someone at the LDS Home Storage Center I stumbled upon got stung by a bee during totality. There were crazy shadows everywhere, and the temperature dropped significantly. Security lights came on thinking it was night. The whole thing was like nothing I’ve ever experienced in my life.”

Video posted online of the Rexburg LDS Temple shows as the sun disappeared behind the moon the lights of the temple and the town came on and then turned off as the sun reappeared.

With 200 million people within a day’s drive of the path of totality, reported AP, towns and parks braced for monumental crowds. BYUH alumna Grace Lee drove from her home in Utah up north to see the eclipse. She said in her Facebook post, “The total eclipse was amazing. God’s creations are amazing.” A friend commented back that she was surprised she drove all that way just to see the eclipse, and Lee replied, “My dad drove. It was worth it!”

BYUH alumna Sharon Ting said on Facebook she was “lucky enough to witness a total solar eclipse back in 1995 when it happened in Malaysia. I was 10 then.” Now 21 years later, she and her family also drove from Utah to Idaho to watch the eclipse. “I guess I am pretty lucky,” she added.

Passengers aboard a cruise ship in the Caribbean watched the eclipse unfold as Bonnie Tyler sang her 1983 hit “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” reported AP. Several minor-league baseball teams — one of them, the Columbia Fireflies, outfitted for the day in glow-in-the-dark jerseys — briefly suspended play. At the White House, despite all the warnings from experts about the risk of eye damage, President Donald Trump took off his eclipse glasses and looked directly at the sun.

The path of totality, where the sun was 100 percent obscured by the moon, was just 60 to 70 miles wide, said AP. But the rest of North America was treated to a partial eclipse, as were Central America and the upper reaches of South America. The eclipse was visible in Hawaii around sunrise but was obscured by clouds.

BYUH alumnus and local resident Richie Norton posted on Facebook he saw people with eclipse glasses on while he was driving his son to seminary that morning, but he said “it was rainy and cloudy.”

English Language Teaching BYUH Professor Perry Christensen said on Facebook “the eclipse was awesome,” and that it was “a good thing there were clouds or I would have gone blind staring at the sun.

Lucky, I live in Hawaii. I saw a rainbow shortly after this. No one ever went blind from looking at a rainbow.”

The next solar eclipse visible on the U.S. mainland will be on April 8, 2024, according to cnet.com, and will cross up through Mexico and Texas and then across to New York. The longest totality will last more than 4 minutes in Nazas, Durango, Mexico, and the longest in the U.S. mainland will be in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, for nearly three minutes.

Some other U.S. cities along the total solar eclipse path include: Waco and Dallas, Texas; Poplar Bluff, Missouri; Mount Vernon, Illinois; Indianapolis and Bloomington, Indiana; Kenton and Cleveland, Ohio; Erie, Pennsylvania; and Buffalo and Rochester, New York.

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The Grand Stairway at Iolani Palace leads from the main floor to the third story where the royal family lived. Read the story on page 42. Photo by Olivia Tsan