N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 9 · Vo l u m e 1 2 4 : I s s u e 3
THE LEADER
Food and Thanksgiving
Page 10 “Gingerbread” original musical looks at human trafficking
Page 34
Page 52
Food Fest celebrates culture Developing an attitude of gratitude from around the world during Thanksgiving
NOVEMBER 2019 • VOLUME 124 • ISSUE 3
ADVISOR
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
LeeAnn Lambert
Brooklyn Redd
MULTIMEDIA JOURNALISTS
COPY EDITORS
Haeley van der Werf Elijah Hadley Will Krueger Taffie Kwok Cody Barney Kimo Burgess Carlene Coombs Olivia Hixson Serena Ioane Michael Kraft
Dani Castro Noah Shoaf Bruno Maynez
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Ho Yin Li Chad Hsieh Keyu Xiao
NEWS CENTER
BOX 1920 BYUH LAIE, HI 96762 PRINTER
Pr int Ser vices Editorial, photo submissions & Distribution inquiries: k e 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 or to view additional ar ticles,go to k e a l a k a i . by u h . e d u
VIDEOGRAPHERS
Esther Insigne Shannon Crowley Lilinoe Gomez ART & GRAPHICS
Brad Carbine Milani Ho Ip ART DIRECTOR
Lynne Hardy MANAGING EDITOR
Kevin Brown
CONTACT
Email: kealakai@byuh.edu Phone: (808) 675-3694 Fax: (808) 675-3491 Office: BYU–Hawaii Aloha Center 134 ON THE COVER: Chinese Club members participate together in serving food to the BYUH and Laie community members during Food Fest on Nov. 9 in the Little Circle. Photo by Keyu Xiao
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. © 2019 Ke Alaka‘i BYU–Hawaii All Rights Reserved 2
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PHOTO SUBMISSIO N “The morning sunrise from Zion National Park is one of the more spectacular views on this earth.” Photo and caption by Trevor Evans, a freshman marine biology major from Orange County, California.
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 US AR O U ND THE WE B
KEA LA KA I.BYUH.EDU
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Contents November 8
Ask the Professional: Chef Spencer Tan
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The original musical “Gingerbread” focuses on human trafficking
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Students develop app to make life easier at BYUH
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Career tips from Cody Baldwin
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Oahu residents protest wind farm development in Kahuku
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How to protest effectively
Melting Pot: Food Fest Chinese Club members participate together in serving food to the BYUH and Laie community members during Food Fest
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Protests lead to arrests
Life journey of Jeremy Hawkins
Residents protest against additional wind turbines in Kahuku and seek to block equipment from entering the construction site.
BYUH sophomore shares his story of changing his life and becoming an internet sensation
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42
50
Alumnus repairs bikes for the greater good
On the cover
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Highlights
Lessons from the Chicken Farm
Thanksgiving traditions
SWATT’s goal for its Chicken Farm is to have 300 chickens laying eggs for the Farmers Market
Students share what their families do during the Thanksgiving holiday
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Kaytano Edeyaoch is from Palau
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Jeremy Hawkins is the Palagi Boi
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Sweet as Real Fruit ice cream at PCC
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Take a look inside Club Dining
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Food Fest 2019
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Recipes from Food Fest
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Binging food Videos
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SWATT’s Chicken Farm
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Meal prepping saves time, money
50
Thanksgiving in other countries
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Attitude of gratitude
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Thanksgiving Infographic
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Telling history through art
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Scripture study
Pregnancy craving turns into Potato Tornado
Campus Comment:
“What is the most interesting food you have ever tried?” By Serena Dugar Ioane
Maliyah Totten, a freshman from Nevada majoring in business management, said, “This summer, I did a humanitarian trip in South Africa and visited a tribal village. They fed us with their traditional dinner which was fried worms, beans, corn, etc. The worms were black and white colors, and short and fat. They taste like dirt.”
Jonathan Chen, a sophomore from China majoring in biochemistry, said, “I have tried many interesting foods in my life. For example, pig brain, bullfrog, crocodile, blood jelly, pig liver, etc. Among them the most interesting one is crocodile meat. It tastes like a chewy chicken.”
Bayarjargal Davaakhuu, a junior from Mongolia majoring in information technology, said, “When I was 11 years old, my friends and I had collected crickets and deracanta onos, which are insects commonly found in Mongolia, and we fried them. We fried them for [a long time] because they were jumping inside the pot. Then we tasted them. The outside was crunchy and inside tasted like grass.” Leonil Mark Mosquera, a senior
from the Philippines majoring in accounting and business management, said, “I think one of the most interesting foods I have ever tried is isaw, which is grilled chicken intestines. What makes it delicious is the sauce that is made by vinegar and various types of spices. It is street food, so if you want to try it, go to the streets in the Philippines.”
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Letter from a Videographer I grew up influenced by two vastly different cultures. My mom is Guatemalan and my dad is from the United States. The mix didn’t just include having Spanish and English spoken in the house and family residing on two different parts of the continent. The two cuisines presented in our home contrasted greatly from each other in the fact that my mom’s food had lots of spices and fresh produce, and my dad’s food was heavier on starches and baked goods. This made traditional holiday meals in our house a very interesting twist of the two food cultures that were fused into one big meal. For instance, Christmas time in our home always smells of hand-made tamales, dulces, and yam recipes, as well as baked bread rolls and cookies. Let’s just say I got the best of both worlds growing up. For those interested in reading about different cultural takes on holiday meals, go to page 50 to read about Thanksgiving in other countries. This enriching experience in my home crossed over into my time at BYU–Hawaii with Food Fest as a primary event I attended three years in a row to sample foods from different cultures. As a videographer, I understand the power of the camera and the influence it can have through inspiring people, such as with the livestream videos capturing the Kahuku Protests (pg. 16). The camera can also capture intimate first moments such as with my collaboration video on the newborn chicks at S.W.A.T.T. (pg. 42). I have witnessed and attempted to capture the emotion food brings to people in moments like Food Fest (pg. 34). The community comes together during this event, and this year, as I walked around filming, I saw people embracing each other, smiling, and sharing memories over good food. The connections people feel with each other over a meal is something beautiful and honestly challenging to portray in a film medium. I love a good challenge though just as much as I love a good meal.
Shannon Crowley -Videographer
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Community NOV EMB ER 2019
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Chef Spencer Tan
ASK THE PROFESSIONAL 8
Chef Spencer Tan said he likes to learn about other student's cultures by learning how to cook their food. Photo by Xiao Keyu
BY OLIVIA HIXSON Chef Spencer Tan has been the executive chef of The Club and Food Services at BYUH since 2007. He has a bachelor’s degree in hotel and restaurant management from BYU–Hawaii. Tan is from Malaysia and said he has been cooking since he was 17.
What made you decide to become a chef? “I had a goal when I was a kid. I told my mom I wanted to see the world. To see the world, you need to have a skill that can be used in any way in the world. Everyone in the world needs to eat, so I decided to be a chef to travel around the world. Even in Europe, you need a chef to cook your specialty, and even in Asia, you need a chef to cook Asian food. “The desire is there, and I did have a goal when I was younger that I wanted to be the best chef in the world, knowing there is no such thing as the best chef in the world. I know that when I aim high and fall, I am still good.”
What are some of your responsibilities as executive chef? “The director, manager and I put our heads together to come up with events like Fijian Club or Fiji Culture Night, for example. We plan the whole thing – the food and the decorations. We get the club involved. “In January of next year, I’ll be doing the Chinese New Year, which is a big thing because a lot of countries have a Chinese New Year. Singapore, Hong Kong, China, and Malaysia all have [a Chinese New Year]. . . We try to get the clubs involved. We can’t do it all by ourselves. And [the clubs] are proud too because they sometimes see their flag up in the cafeteria, and when they see their flag, they feel proud of it.”
What is your favorite dish or food to make? “My favorite is curry, any curry. On Fiji night, I made my own lamb curry. I eat a lot of lamb curry. I can smother it on my noodles, rice or eat it with naan bread.”
What is your goal or hope for students here when you are putting together menus and recipes?
“We try to keep every meal different. Every devotional is different. We never see a repeat meal. We also try to cook the vegetables last, so the colors stay vibrant. When we serve the salad, we have three minutes to get it out on the table. We try to keep it very fresh.”
“Honestly, it is their health I am worried about. When I first came here, I changed the oil to zero trans fat oil. Before, they used trans fat oil. In most cooking, there is a lot of oil, but now we use virgin oil while cooking stir fry. It is healthier than sunflower oil or canola oil. “Our selection is different every day. We try to make it healthier, but of course, I cannot get rid of bacon. Some people love bacon and ham. So, we give them a healthy choice, like spinach every day and kale. We offer yogurt every day so people can get their probiotic. . . We want to keep them healthy so that they can go on missions.”
Why do you feel appreciation for trying new foods helps people become more experienced and tolerant in the world?
How has being a chef blessed your life, and what have you learned the most from it? “I would thank God that I can make good food to eat. When I prep something, I can taste it first. When the President comes, I make sure to taste it a few times. I know I take it for granted, but when I see people eating poor meals, I think about how blessed I am.”
Can you tell us about the devotional lunch and the preparation that goes into the food for that? “We want to make the speaker feel special. They get to choose their food, and we want to find out if they are allergic to any foods or if they have kids or not. For every Devotional meal, I study the plate of Sister and President Tanner to see what they do and don’t like.
“The cook gets to learn a new recipe and understand the culture of other countries. For students, it’s good to know that BYU–Hawaii is a melting pot. You see the [flag] circle there? There’s all those flags. Here [on campus] can be the first time they try something like taro leaves with coconut milk. They would probably never have that in normal life. “It’s a cross-culture melting pot to learn about other cultures. People tend to adapt and try new foods and find out they like it. . . So, not only do people get to eat, they get to learn. Learning through food is very important. When [the cook] works hard, [the student] learns.”
What’s the first thing you notice in restaurants that you visit and eat at?
“Usually the ambiance. When you step into the restaurant, you look for ambiance. Sometimes it’s musty, and the furniture is smelly. I want to smell the food more than the furniture. I want to go and pay money to enjoy the ambiance more than even the scenery. When the ambiance is bad, I want to chew my food fast so that I can get out of there as soon as possible. The ambiance is what makes you want to come back to that place.” NOV EMB ER 2019
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“Gingerbread” cast members sing one of the original songs written by Dr. Melissa Glenn, who wrote the musical with Dr. John Bell. Photo by Lilinoe Gomez
‘Gingerbread’: A deeper meaning The behind-the-scenes people of BYUH workshop musical “Gingerbread” discuss the show’s messages about human trafficking and more BY ELI HADLEY & CODY BRUCE BARNEY The latest BYUH original musical may have seemed like a simple story about parents trying to get their children back, but beyond the music and lighting design, there existed an intent by the creators to comment on real-life issues. The writers and lyricists of “Gingerbread,” as well as one of the production crew, commented on these themes, and where the inspiration for the messages came from for the musical. For example, the following scene portrays dialogue on the kidnapping of a child and the pain of the child’s mother. “What if it was your daughter on that side of the gate and I was the
one who controlled her fate?” Nalani Matthias sings, playing the character Kandaja, whose child was taken from her, and she cannot search outside her village in the city because she does not have a city ID. She is barred by a tall grey wall. “Is it not enough [pain]?” The gatekeepers, played by Sarah Knight, Taylor Schlutsmeyer, Jimmy Westergard, and Rachel Howden, who guard the wall and gate out of the village, responded, “We must protect our own.” They continue to barrage her to calm down. A heartbroken Kandaja responds, “Is it
not enough? Who ... are you to tell me not to care?” The commentary of ‘Gingerbread’ The play is called “Gingerbread,” but it is not a Christmas story, nor is it related to the game Candyland. It is not a comedy. It is a social commentary of a dystopian future that hits topics close to home. It has “a lot of political themes pressing on a lot of modern-day issues,” said Alexia Kaley, a sophomore history major who was the lighting Graphics by Lynne Hardy
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designer and a stagehand coordinator for the play. “The political theme the play mainly deals with is the issue of child trafficking, but also the themes of border security and the exploitation of vulnerable persons.” According to Dr. Melissa Glenn, a voice professor who wrote the music and lyrics, the theme of human trafficking is prevalent in the scene in which the character Silo, played by Logan Sprouse, offers Hansel and Gretel a high-paying job of being in a movie. “Typically, the way trafficking happens, is there’s an offer way too good to be true. And a lot of times, that comes from the entertainment industry or offers to be a nanny somewhere else. “I will say there’s also a commentary about immigration,” Glenn continued. “I wouldn’t say so much that I’m taking a political stance, because immigration is a complicated and nuanced topic for each country, but what I did want to do was put ourselves in the place of someone who doesn’t have a situation that would allow them to flourish or prosper, by no fault of their own.” Her favorite song she wrote for the show was “Grant Us Peace,” which was written seven years ago, and not originally intended for “Gingerbread.” Glenn wrote the song after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012. “I feel like a lot of times, my songs don’t come easily, but that was a song where I had the verse and chorus come to me by inspiration, as I was trying to process through being a new mother at the time, and process through the school shooting.” Glenn added how she wanted the audience to have compassion for people who were born into circumstances that were less desirable.
Glenn said she always “thought ‘Hansel and Gretel’ was a flawed story.” It did not feel right to her that a parent would tell their children to go into the woods alone. As she wondered about the play, she said, it never sat well with her. She realized it was “because the real danger to children in poverty isn’t a fictional character in the woods.” She said the real danger to children in poverty now, to a large extent, is human trafficking. Human trafficking The Oxford Dictionary defines human trafficking as “the action or practice of illegally transporting people from one country or area to another, typically for the purposes of forced labor or sexual exploitation.” Dr. John Bell, the vice president for Academics and the writer of the play, explained he hopes this play “will lead to a desire to take action to help eliminate this widespread, but often hidden, problem. “Issues like child trafficking affects the entire world, and while it is a relevant topic on any campus, our international focus here at BYUH provides a venue for the conversation on a much broader scale.” An actor playing John Laurens, a founding father of the United States who abhorred slavery and was featured in the critically acclaimed play “Hamilton” (2015), sang “We’ll never be free until we end slavery.” Child trafficking and slavery can be found throughout the world. Operation Underground Railroad, a nonprofit that works with law enforcement to take down child trafficking rings, has statistics on human trafficking. It states says there are 40.3 million modern-day slaves. One in four are children, it says, and 71 percent are girls and women. “The United States was listed
as the most common destination for victims,” says Operation Underground Railroad information. Though “Gingerbread” is a musical drama, its stories of families broken apart and children abused and enslaved mirror real life. How can people help? After watching the musical, J. Eston Dunn, a conservation biology senior from Tennessee, said for him it was difficult “to walk away with any actionable plan. And again, maybe the point of the play is not necessarily to tell you what to do. Maybe that’s for you to decide as an audience member.” He said he was concerned other people may want to help but not know where or how to start. Glenn said the U.S. Department of State has information about how people can help fight human trafficking. The site lists some indicators of trafficking: Living with employer; poor living conditions; multiple people in cramped space; inability to speak to individual alone; answers appear to be scripted and rehearsed; employer is holding identity documents; signs of physical abuse; submissive or fearful; and unpaid or paid very little. “Everyone has the potential to discover a human trafficking situation,” the site says. “Knowing indicators of human trafficking and some follow up questions will help you act on your gut feeling that something is wrong and report it.” The site says if people see something suspicious and the situation is urgent, they should call 911. They can also the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. It is a nationwide 24-hour, toll-free, multilingual antitrafficking hotline.
The musical’s creators say they hope to raise awareness about this issue that is often a hidden problem. Photos by Lilinoe Gomez
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Graphics by Lynne Hardy
All-in-one app for school Student developers create campus mobile app to make online tools more accessible BY TAFFIE KWOK Self-motivated student developers said they created a prototype school app to make returning and new students’ life easier by making BYUH tools easy to access by including one-touch links and an interactive map of campus to navigate. The team won second place in the Pre-Revenue category for Great Ideas on Nov. 7. While not an official BYUH app, the developers encourage feedback. People who are trying the app said it helps them quickly and easily find their classes and know what’s on the cafeteria menu. Alger Aranda, a senior from the Philippines majoring in information systems and technology, praised the BYU–Hawaii Student mobile app because it provides easier access to the most frequently used tools than on the university’s official website. “With the app, you don’t have to worry about memorizing the tools’ URL,” he said. “It provides you the most used tools with the click of a button.”
The developing team shared how the app fulfills the vision they originally had, which was to create a medium to easily access BYUH tools. One of the key developers and student programmers, Ray Xu, a junior from China majoring in computer science, said, “It takes longer time to navigate on the website and when you close the browsers, you have to do it again but with the app, you just need a few clicks.” Xu said he wanted to create an “All-InOne” app to benefit students. The app includes access to the following: 1. The cafeteria menus updated daily. 2. A detailed map using location, if allowed, to pinpoint where you are to help find key buildings around campus. 3. A “Tool Kit” containing various BYUH tools chosen for a student’s convenience, such as: Workday, Student Center, Canvas, student mapper, courses, and campus events.
Students can log in with their username and password. Xu said the team has been working on the app for two months so students can use it as early as possible. He said he is excited for new students to benefit from it, especially when they have a hard time figuring out their classrooms and different locations around campus. Having returned to BYUH after taking a break, Max Orgill, a senior from Colorado majoring in biology, said he uses the app now since the General Classroom Building is closed. “Since we don’t have the GCB anymore, a lot of classes have been changed and put into different places.” Orgill said the app is useful because it helps him to locate the new classrooms he has never been to before. “As a biology major, I have class not only in the McKay building but also in different places [around campus] such
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as the Cannon Activities Center and the Old Gym. The app has a search option. Just put in the room number and it will locate it for you. It helps me save time.” The BYUH Student mobile app was launched on Sept. 28, and it has accumulated more than 150 users in two months. Advice and suggestions are wanted According to the development team, the app is still being reworked. Xu encouraged students to give the developers any feedback or suggest any features that are needed and would be helpful for everyday student use. Xu said, “We need the student’s voice. Please let us know what are you looking for in the BYUH [Student] app.” Director of Communication and Marketing Laura Tevaga, said, “Ray and his team are off to a great start. The initial feedback has been good. We are interested to see what features students want as the university explores developing an official app.” Future possibility Aranda said he was looking forward to seeing if there was a possibility of BYUH having its own official app someday. “As of now, only Provo and Idaho are among the Church Education System schools who have their own school app,” he said. Xu said the school is still in the process of recognizing its team and the app still needs improvements made to meet the standard of a real production app. However, they believe the work they have done so far will help the school in hastening to catch up with the technology flow in this century. How to download The developing team said unfortunately, the app is only for iOS users at the moment. The app is now optimized for iOS 13. To download the app, go to the App Store and download BYUH Student.
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Cody Baldwin, an assistant professor and program lead in the Faculty of Business and Government, said newly graduated students often struggle when looking for their first jobs. He said, “Trying to find a job can be a stressful experience. It is emotionally, physically, and mentally exhausting- especially if it is taking longer than you planned.” Jana Osburne, a recent BYUH graduate from Washington, said it is “hard to find a job coming straight out of school with a bachelor’s degree.” She said she plans to attend graduate school to help her find jobs in the future. Baldwin said students like Osburne who struggle to find jobs after graduation, inspired him to create 10 tips for getting that first job or an internship ranging from networking and learning new software to staying in shape. 1. Pray for help, study the scriptures and attend the temple According to Baldwin, this is the most important step. He said because searching for a job can be stressful, it is important to attend the temple regularly to recharge. Baldwin said, “Although you may be busy, don’t neglect your personal prayer and scripture study. Doing this does not mean your job search will be quick or easy, but it will go much smoother.”
Cody Baldwin encourages students to "trust in God" because it "all works out." Photo by Chad Hsieh
Career tips with Cody Baldwin 10 tips for getting your first job or internship 14
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BY MICHAEL KRAFT
2. Start networking and talk to everyone Baldwin, said networking is one of the most important aspects of the job search. “Most jobs come through referrals from people within your network.” Baldwin said it is crucial to talk to as many people as possible. “Connect with
statement that quickly and clearly explains why you are the best fit for the position.” Baldwin said to master your elevator pitch it is important to practice it out loud and it should be crisp and have an impact.
them on LinkedIn. See if they can introduce you to others who work in your chosen profession.” When asked how networking has helped him, Phillip Hansen, a sophomore from Virginia majoring in accounting, said, “At the end of the day, it’s the people who hire you. So the more positive interactions and relationships you have with the right people, the better off you’ll be.”
6. Learn to use software popular in your chosen profession An easy way to learn about what software is being used, according to Baldwin, is to review job postings and identify the software tools requested. “[Then] select one or more to learn and spend a weekend using them.” Software companies often offer free trials. Baldwin said if students apply this skill, they can have experience with those tools on their resumes. He said, “Obviously you wouldn’t say you’re an expert, but that you feel comfortable using them.”
3. Ask Career Services to review your resume and take your photo Baldwin said, “Your resume is one of the most important documents you will ever create.You should maintain it throughout your career. It has to be excellent, and Career Services can help.” Located in the Aloha Center, Career Services offers assistance to students by reviewing their resumes and giving feedback on how to improve them. Career Services also provides free professional portraits. 4. Review lots of job posting and identify skills you need Baldwin said students often come to him and ask about experience. Baldwin recommended using indeed.com and searching for entry level jobs. “As you find jobs, start writing down the skills companies need that you do not currently have. Start learning as many of those skills as possible over the next 30 days and update your resume to reflect that.”
7. Seek advice from your professors Baldwin said professors have worked in the fields students hope to enter and students can seek their advice on how to make themselves marketable. Baldwin said in some cases professors can also write letters of recommendation or act as a reference. He said, “However, it’s hard to do that if you never come to speak with us. Our office hours are for you. We can help.”
5. Master your elevator pitch “Having a great resume and a referral doesn’t get you a job, they get you an interview. If you want the job you need to ensure the interview goes smoothly.” He said you can do this by creating an “elevator pitch.” He said an elevator pitch is “a 30-second
8. Read and write articles related to your chosen profession By keeping up with the current news in your chosen profession, Baldwin said, it gives students something to talk about as they network and interview. It shows students have knowledge and can be a valuable addition to
the company. Hansen said, “Honestly I like reading about business, so it’s easy for me to keep up with the news. But it’s super important because then you show them you actually know something that doesn’t just come from the classroom.” 9. Strengthen your Microsoft Excel skills A former student of Baldwin’s, Sara Zacher, a sophomore from Canada majoring in education, said, “I’m so glad I learned Excel, just cause it’s so useful. I use it at my job at the bookstore, and even at home to make budgets and to plan. It’s so useful.” Baldwin said, “[Excel] is needed for almost every business related job. If you want to be competitive, you need to continue to improve your skills.” Baldwin provides students with a free one-hour training course for Excel here: rebrand.ly/byuhexcel. Baldwin said after completing the course students can update their resumes to show they have experience with Excel. 10. Exercise, get enough sleep and eat healthy Looking for a job or internship can take an emotional, physical and mental toll on people, said Baldwin. He said to keep from breaking down emotionally, remember to exercise often, get enough sleep, and eat healthy. Baldwin said it’s important to remember to have fun. “Plan something special after each interview. It will give you something to look forward to, which may make the interview go smoother.” In closing, Baldwin said, “Be patient and don't give up.” He said to remember what President Gordon B. Hinckley taught, “It all works out. Don’t worry... put your trust in God and move forward with faith and confidence in the future.”
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Peaceful Protesters Oahu residents unite to protest the construction of more towering wind turbines in Kahuku BY KEVIN BROWN
Local opponents of the wind turbines in Kahuku gather in protest. Photo provided by Mark Lee 16
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Besides the existing 12 wind turbines, eight new 568-foot wind turbines are scheduled to tower over the community of Kahuku as the wind farm contractor AES Corp. continues its plans for delivery and construction despite island-wide opposition. The voices of community members in Kahuku have largely been disregarded, said opponents, as the State of Hawaii sees the project as necessary in order to fulfill its renewable energy future. David Beus, an associate professor at BYU–Hawaii, said the group Ku Kia’i Kahuku needs as many people possible to stand up for what is happening in Kahuku. “What I say to students is go see what is going on and talk to the kia’i. This is something real happening in our community.You don’t want to let it pass you by. It’s a great learning opportunity.” Protests around the island have been continuing over the past month, namely in Kalealoa by the ship yard and Kahuku at the entrance of the wind farm. According to Hawaii News Now, an hours-long operation of delivering turbine parts from Kalealoa near the west side of the island to the North Shore was delayed on Oct. 17 and 18 during the start of the equipment transport, leading to the arrest of 55 people. A utility pole was also cut down with a chainsaw on Kamehameha Highway near Turtle Bay blocking both sides of traffic and cutting power to hundreds of North Shore residents. Police reported, “The pole was intentionally brought down in an attempt to block the wind farm convoy from getting to its destination,” according to HNN. Representatives from Ku Kia’i Kahuku said they played no part in the planning or downing of the utility pole, as their presence has been largely peaceful. Honolulu Police Department Chief of Police Susan Ballard said of the incident during a press conference, “Unlike the protestors who peacefully demonstrated, this act of vandalism was dangerous, selfish and a total disregard of public safety.” On the night of Nov. 14, a total of 26 people were arrested in Kalaeloa for allegedly disobeying orders from police officers and remaining on the roadway, according to the Star Advertiser. “To date, more than 150 people have been arrested since protests against the project started in mid-October,” it reports. Officials from AES said once the convoy gets on the road, it is impossible for the trucks to turn around due to the size of the equipment being brought up, and law
Protestors say they will show up every night turbine parts are delivered in Kahuku. Photo by Mark Lee
enforcement is then needed to clear the roads. Fences have been placed near the entrance of the wind farm site to separate hundreds of protestors chanting, “Too big, too close,” and other phrases from the convoy transporting oversized loads of turbine parts. According to Isaiah Walker, a professor at BYUH who has been heavily involved with the protests, the protests are on-going and will continue every night that AES Corp. continues to bring equipment up to the North Shore. Kamalani Keliikuli, vice president of Ku Kia’i Kahuku, said of the protests, “Today is not the end. We’re still fighting. We just don’t want the turbines, and we want them to listen to us. We’re in it for the fight.” Inez Larson, one of the protestors at the site, said in an interview with HNN, “I just keep thinking to myself, the desecration of the land is enough, and you know, I don’t want anyone watching this to be crying or upset. We have to do this. The government has forced us to do this.” Larsen said the government has neglected to listen to the people’s concerns. Despite opposition, AES has stated that is has gone through all of the necessary guidelines and procedures to validate the project. AES Chief Operating Officer Mark Miller said, “We feel comfortable with the work that we’ve done with the comprehensive studies that we’ve done to ensure that we are building a project that is safe, secure, and is going to ultimately benefit the state and its long-term energy goals.” Those protesting the turbines said everyone is for clean energy, but no one wants it in their backyard. They said the avid supporters of the project live on the other side of the island and they don’t see the day-to-day impacts of the turbines.
Jamaisha Farley, a local resident involved in the protests, said, “Being on the front line was one of the most humbling experiences I have ever experienced, just knowing that you are fighting for something that means so much to you and your culture. “If we have to do it again, we will. Standing up for what we believe in is actually more important than what these big companies have to offer us.” Farley said those in the government should think about if it were their families living directly in front of the turbines. She said it would sway their decision and give them more of an understanding. “All we can do is peacefully protest for now,” she said. For many in Kahuku, the wind turbines are seen as a blemish on the community and a health risk for its residents. Kiana Lei Phillip, a local resident, said the overall goal of the protests is to protect the families, both the keikis and the kapunas. Phillip said she has attended the protests for her 2-year-old daughter, and she said the project will affect her future and people in the community. The wind farm in Kahuku, according to change.org, poses a threat to the Hawaiian hoary bat and other endangered species, will affect learning and sleeping due to the noise pollution and proximity to schools, and will destroy the country landscape and lead to an “estimated 10 to 25 percent reduction of Kahuku property values.” Given the negative impacts on the community, the project continues on and officials have said they plans to carry it through to completion. AES Corp. is scheduled to continue transporting wind turbine parts up to the North Shore Sunday nights through Thursday nights until Nov,. 26, according to the Honolulu Star Advertiser. NOV EMB ER 2019
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A student protests in front of the education ministry in Beirut, Lebanon, on Nov. 8, asking officials to form a new government to deal with the economic crisis. Photo from the Associated Press Graphics by Brad Carbine
Professors say protests raise awareness and call for action against injustices By Haeley van der Werf
Protests have filled the media for a good portion of the year 2019. From Hong Kong to Chile to Kahuku, people are seen protesting what they say are injustices. According to faculty, successful protest results from a good organization and delivering a clear message that appeals to one’s ethic and moral standards. According to psychology and political science experts from BYU–Hawaii, protests are a complex issue. Their ethicality comes from an unfair system, and successful protests share common themes of attention, messaging, and organization. Commenting on the seeming spike in protests, Troy Smith, a professor of political science, said he thinks, to a limited extent, “social media is leading to that. In part, there is a much less willingness . . . among many to do the hard work of working the traditional pathways to power: building coalitions, compromising, working together, generating an enormous number of different groups to work within the system to make change.”
What makes a successful protest The question of a successful protest is difficult, shared Boyd Timothy, associate professor of psychology. There is no one formula to success, as is shown by the history of protests in the world. “On one hand, we’ve seen successful protests as the GM sit-down strikes began in 1936, which won workers recognition of a union, the Montgomery bus boycott which resulted in Alabama integrating its bus system, and the Salt March that led to a series of events culminating in India gaining independence from Britain. “On the other hand, tens of millions across the world protested the American invasion of Iraq in 2003, and yet the war advanced unimpeded. The Occupy Wall Street protests were comprised of nearly 1,000 encampments, but no discernable reduction of corporate influence on politics has resulted. The Dakota Access Pipeline was moving more than 500,000 barrels of oil a day not long after the beginning of the Standing Rock protests.” If people shift their focus away from immediate policy reversal, we see a trend towards more successful protests, Timothy explained. Some such areas include “persuading self and others towards political activation, increasing the probability of future protest
activity, increasing financial contributions to political causes, increasing voter turn-out, and solidifying one’s own ideology. “Each of these outcomes may not be associated with an instant reversal of policy, but they certainly can have a long-term cumulative effect on policy,” Timothy said. Ethicality In a country partly founded on protests, Smith said there is a clear place for protests. “The ethical justification for a protest is that [the protesters] feel the system is unfair and does not adequately consider their voice or perspective.” The United States is certainly a prime example of this thought, he shared. “America began with protests, to a certain extent, with the Sons of Liberty and the Boston Tea Party. Then you have [Henry David] Thoreau’s essay on civil disobedience because he refused to pay the tax to fund capturing runaway slaves. “Then there was Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr, [both prominent American Civil Rights protestors]. All of these are important components that support a certain type of protest within a free, democratic republic.” However, American ethicist Bruce Weinstein, writing for his website theethicsguy. NOV EMB ER 2019
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People march on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 8 protesting against climate policies and President Donald Trump. Photo by the Associated Press
com, lays out a clear ethical code protestors need to follow to prevent harm and uphold the moral standing of a protest. He includes points from “obeying the law or be willing to accept the consequences” to “being respectful increases the chances that you’ll get what you want.” Smith described how while unethical protests can achieve their objective, they also can harm themselves. “Clearly unethical protests can sometimes be successful in achieving their objectives. Often, unethical protests create a backlash against the protestors that tend to undermine both the legitimacy, the acceptance, and the sympathy others would give to the protests. That is oftentimes what is necessary to make it a successful protest.” To achieve an ethical, successful protest, Smith said protesters need to tap into the moral base of those they are trying to persuade. This can be effective because “humans are moral beings. We want certain moral truths. We need
An electricity switch box explodes after protesters set it on fire in Hong Kong on Friday, Nov. 8. Photo from the Associated Press
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certain moral truths. We need to behave in certain moral, ethical, just ways. I think it is those sorts of things that move people to stand up.” Common threads There are three common threads found by researchers when it comes to protesting, according to Timothy. The first of these is attention, followed by a clear and appealing message and organization. The attention factor means the individuals and the message need publicity, explained Timothy. “The more they are heard, the greater the potential influence they can have, not just to impact policymakers but also to other citizens who may join in their efforts. “This essential characteristic can be fraught with hazards. It is difficult to gain attention by conforming to social norms – by acting ‘normal.’ Accordingly, the most effective way to garner attention quickly would be to act in an extreme, even abnormal, manner.” There is danger in this method, however. Timothy described how extreme behaviors can be counterproductive. “For example, recently the climate protesters, Extinction Rebellion, successfully drew media attention with disruptive and irregular behaviors such as gluing themselves to trains in London.
“However, they also received very vocal criticism from inconvenienced local citizens and from contributors to social media messaging globally. While [the protesters were] successful at getting attention, some argue these tactics failed to garner much support. Their tactics may have overshadowed their message.” The second trait, a clear and appealing message, means there has to be an obviously discernible cause and it has to appeal to more than just the small group of alreadycommitted supporters. “We have seen recently that clarification over the meaning of hashtags connected to movements can dominate the discussion while the intended message behind the hashtag gets lost,” Timothy shared. Smith discussed the importance of this trait, saying because a protest is always going to be a bit disruptive it needs to be very clear about what the objectives are. “When you hear multiple different ideas of racism and xenophobia, police abuse, there were multiple different things and no real clear idea of what the objective was.You can have a protest that raises awareness, but I don’t think it’s going to be effective. “If you are going to disrupt people, then the means need to be balanced with the ends. You can’t cause all sorts of horrible disruptions like not letting people get to work and school
A police water cannon sprays at anti-government protesters during clashes in Santiago, Chile, Thursday, Nov. 7. Photo from the Associated Press
or to the hospital when you’re asking for something that is big in your eyes, but maybe not that great in other people’s eyes.” Questions people should ask themselves, he said, are, “Will it connect with people beyond the smaller group of already-committed supporters? Is it easy for non-group members to understand and therefore to defend? Are the goals or grievances framed as consistent with shared values?” The last trait is organization. As Timothy stated, “A continual protest is more difficult to ignore than one that can be ‘waited out.’ The difference between groups that can endure beyond the typical short-attention span of media reporting and those that dissipate when media attention is drawn elsewhere is in large part due to differences in organization.” Other methods Especially in a place like Hawaii, which is the most centralized of any state, according to Smith, there are certain methods that may be more effective than protesting, such as coalition building or challenging the legal system. “North Shore doesn’t have very much political power. On Oahu, it is majority rules, and the majority is in Honolulu. They can dictate to the North Shore. “If the North Shore wants [more] influence, protests maybe, but they’re unlikely to have much influence unless they can really capture the symbolic element. But the other thing is working through the legal system, like challenging an environmental study.” The Albert Einstein Institution gives nearly 200 ideas for making people’s voices heard. Among the ideas are public speeches, boycotts, leaflets, and media. The important thing, according to the Institution, is choosing the right method for your cause. “It must be clearly understood that the greatest effectiveness is possible when individual methods to be used are selected to implement the previously adopted strategy. It is necessary to know what kind of pressures are to be used before one chooses the precise forms of action that will best apply those pressures.”
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Nasanbold 'Naska' Sukhbaatar, a BYU– Hawaii alumnus from Mongolia, was an employee of S.W.A.T.T. when he learned to fix bikes. When Sukhbaatar realized he could use his bike repairing skills to raise money for children needing winter clothes in Mongolia, he said he sought out potential clients and reached his goal of $1,000. The goal is fulfilled Sukhbaatar’s goal was to collect $1,000 in 40 days, but reported he hit his goal 10 days earlier. His friend, who does charity work, is helping him in Mongolia. Sukhbaatar said, “I will send the money to my friend, and he will buy winter clothes for children who live in the western part of Mongolia. The west part is very far and isolated from the capital city of Mongolia, so not many charity [organizations] reach there.” Sukhbaatar fixed more than 50 bikes during his project. He said when he started, he feared not having support. However, soon after he launched his project on social media, he got supportive comments and calls from people who wanted to help him. Sukhbaatar created a Facebook page called “Bike Tune Up in Laie” to post announcements and updates about the project.
Naska Sukhbaatar's clients say they were eager to support a bike service with a cause. Photo by Tuvshinjargal Lkhagvadorj
Hobby turns into a charity project Mongolian student raises $1,000 to help children in Mongolia to get winter clothes BY SERENA DUGAR IOANE
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His inspiration When he was young, Sukhbaatar said he used to get cold a lot during winters due to not having enough warm clothes. Knowing there were people who needed help fixing their bikes and children who needed warm clothes for the upcoming cold winter in Mongolia, Sukhbaatar said he had the idea to combine his skills to form a charity campaign. “I almost forgot about Mongolian cold winters because of the nice, warm weather here. However, I know there are still many children in Mongolia who don’t have enough resources to buy warm clothes, so I wanted to help them through my skills.” During the project, managing his time was a challenge because he and his wife both work and have three young children with a fourth child on the way. His wife, Otgonchimeg Chimedregzen, is also a fulltime student.
He shared his wife, Chimedregzen, a senior from Mongolia majoring in social work, was his biggest support. During the project, he said he needed to travel to different places to fix bikes. When he didn’t have or couldn’t find a babysitter, he would take his 2-year-old daughter with him. Even though he reached his goal 10 days early, he wanted to finish it on the date he set when he began. Sukhbaatar said, if he earns extra money, he will use it for another charity project. Sukhbaatar is planning to do other projects in the future. He said this project was just beginning and inspired him to do more. “Next time it will be an even bigger project.” His example inspired others Chimedregzen said, “When he first told me this idea, I was surprised, but I was not sure if it would be successful. However, I was very happy when people were supportive. This project encouraged us to do more charitybased services to help others. His project changed my attitude positively and reminded me it is our duty to help our brothers and sisters.” Cheryl Goo Brenchley, one of his clients who lives in Laie, said, “When I first saw Naska’s post on Facebook, it caught my eye because I’ve got a few bikes in my garage with all sorts of problems, and there aren’t any bike repair shops in Laie. As I read more about his project, I was just amazed. This is an act of pure selflessness, I thought. “I was more than happy to support him and contacted him right away. I was so surprised at how fast he fixed our bikes and what an excellent job he did. I gave him a monetary donation, a couple of bikes he could sell for more profit. “My dad took his bike over the next day, and he was happy to meet Naska because they’ve met many years ago when Naska went to the Hong Kong Temple. My dad was serving as a temple president at the time. I’m so impressed with how Naska chooses to spend his free time. I’m inspired by his example and want to live my life with more selflessness.” Heilala Garcia, a senior from Kahuku majoring in hospitality and tourism management, said, “I’m impressed with how much he loves his people. He utilizes his skills to bless others’ lives.”
Sukhbaatar said he is blessed to live in a warm climate but children in Mongolia do not have that luxury. Photo provided by Nasanbold Sukhbaatar
Myagmar Badmaasuren, a senior from Mongolia majoring in human resources, shared, “His project helped me to see that even though we are students and always busy with school and work, we always have opportunities to help others. His project is a clear example of a Christ-like attribute.” Michelle Whalen Henderson, another of Sukhbaatar’s clients from Laie, said, “I’ve been looking for someone to fix our bikes for two years and hadn’t found anyone, so I was thrilled when I saw Naska’s post on Facebook. It was especially convenient he was willing to come to our home to work on our bikes.” “He fixed four of our bikes. He was so great to work with, easy to communicate with, very professional and came prepared with all the necessary tools.
“My 5-year-old son was enthralled and sat nearby watching him for a long time. I would like to have him back when we need another repair. “I also would like to see if he’d be willing to mentor my 13-year-old son so he could learn how to fix bikes, which would be a very helpful skill especially for his mission and going away to college. Also, his idea to raise money for children in Mongolia was a very generous idea, so I made sure to pay him extra because of the charity.”
Bike repair profits help provide winter clothes for Mongolians. Photo provided by Nasanbold Sukhbaatar
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BYU–Hawaii's only student from Palau says he's happy to represent his country Known as the world’s best diving and snorkeling location, the island country of Palau is located in the western Pacific Ocean and is home to approximately 22,000 residents, according to the World Factbook. Kaytano Edeyaoch, a junior majoring in business management, is the only student at BYU– Hawaii from Palau and said he feels proud to represent his country. “I feel so small being here. Especially seeing the flag out there in the circle, knowing that it’s literally representing only me. It’s an honor to be here at BYUH and represent Palau,” Edeyaoch said. “People usually think Palau is in the Philippines or they have no idea at all. I rarely come across anyone who has even heard of Palau. Not much is known to outsiders about Palau except for the diving, but we are a great island.” Ellie Hadley, a sophomore majoring in computer science from Pohnpei and fiancé of Edeyaoch, said, “He won't admit it, but it can
be lonely to not have any other Palauans here. I wish more people knew about Palau. It’s such a beautiful place and the people are great.” Hadley explained he talks about home a lot and feels a sense of pride when he sees his flag at the Flag Circle. “Even though people don’t know where Palau is, he won’t hide the fact that he’s from there. “He often takes out his phone and shows people where it is on a map, and shows the flag. He’ll do whatever he can to show he’s Palauan.” Life in Palau According to Edeyaoch, Palau is a small island where everybody knows each other. “It’s the typical island life. “Everyone and their large families live in the same house. In mine, we had me, my grandparents, my parents, several uncles and an aunt. “I spent a lot of time growing up going out fishing in the reef on a bamboo raft, farming the taro patches and building summer houses
BY: WILL KRUEGER from our own hands and trees we cut down ourselves.” Edeyaoch explained this was normal life in Palau. “We would use trees from the jungle and trees from the mangrove to make houses and then buy tin for the roof. Our family would just build our houses out of natural materials and this is very common on my island. “Many people on the island fish for their own food. We would go out and fish on our bamboo rafts with our handmade fishing rods and catch fish, usually rabbit fish or in the reef we would get clam and oyster.” From Palau to Hawaii After getting an associate’s degree in Palau in the automotive field, Edeyaoch said coming to BYUH was something that he always wanted to do ever since he was a boy. “There are several BYUH alumni in Palau and the majority of the Church leaders in Palau came to school here. They had a big influence on me coming here. Photo by Chad Hsieh
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“I feel so small being here. Especially seeing the flag out there in the circle, knowing that it’s literally representing only me. It’s an honor to be here at BYUH and represent Palau” “It was always graduate high school, go on a mission then go to BYUH.” Since arriving to BYUH, Edeyaoch said he has made the most of his stay and is keeping busy studying, working at the Cafeteria and thinking of a business idea. Along with some of his friends, Edeyaoch tested his hand in a mechanical business as part of the Great Ideas Competition. Their idea was to supply students with a cheap and convenient way to have their cars serviced and fixed. Edeyaoch said, “As soon as we started and people were finding out, we were getting a lot of interest. Because of timing and scheduling, we couldn’t go through with the business at the time, but it was interesting to test it out and learn.” Preparing for his next steps Preparing for marriage in December, Edeyaoch said he felt fortunate to be able to meet and soon marry someone from Micronesia adding the closeness of their cultures has made the dating experience much smoother. “I think because our cultures are very similar, that already brought down so many barriers. Pohnpei, where she is from, is literally the closest thing to home. We never felt too different… being Micronesian and understanding those values helps us to have natural bonds.” Hadley said being with [Edeyaoch] makes her feel like she’s at home. “I’m grateful because there’s no cultural barrier and no spiritual barrier either. We share the same beliefs, goals and have a closely related culture. He can be crazy, but he is one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. He’s straightforward, honest and a simple guy.”
Kaytano Edeyaoch stands next to his fiancé Ellie Hadley by the Federated States of Micronesia flag since the Palau flag wasn’t flying that day in the Little Circle. Photos by Chad Hsieh
Having met as missionaries in the South Africa Johannesburg Mission, Ronald Sipiri, a junior majoring in accounting from Papua New Guinea, said of Edeyaoch, “He was my district leader and he gets along with everyone and has a great sense of humor. He is a really charitable guy and is willing to help in any way possible. He is still the same up until today.”
Edeyaoch plans to return to Palau when he graduates with his future wife and encouraged young Palauans and Micronesians to take every opportunity that comes their way. “We can succeed and go far. No matter how small my country is, it won't stop me from being the best I can be.”
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Jeremy Hawkins said being around Polynesian culture makes him happy. Photo by Chad Hsieh 26
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The Palagi Boi Jeremy Hawkings shares his story of going from gang life to serving a mission to viral internet fame as ‘Palagi Boi’ BY WILL KRUEGER
With a troubled childhood including the spliting of his family, gang involvement and criminal activity, sophomore Jeremy Hawkins said he was lead from Utah to Samoa to get a fresh start. After several years in Samoa, Hawkins said he turned his life around, served a full-time mission for the Church, found internet fame, and developed a deep love for Polynesian people and their cultures. Early life Jeremy Hawkins, a sophomore majoring in social work from American Samoa, was born in Chicago, Illinois. When he was young, he joined his family as they moved to Australia where they lived for several years. “My family was going to move to Utah because my dad had to work over there. On the way to Utah, we spent some time in New Zealand, Tahiti, Tonga and Samoa. When I was in Samoa, that was the last place I was with my family. “At age 7, a few weeks after we got to Utah, my family split up. My mother and father divorced. My mother took some of my siblings and my brother and I went with my father. My mother moved around a lot, so I never had a relationship with her growing up. My father wasn’t the best dad in the world. He wasn’t very caring and he was neglectful. He eventually went to jail. “I stayed with my mother for a bit after that, but she was preoccupied with her new husband. I eventually was taken in by a Tongan family in Utah. While staying with [them], I met a Samoan family and they took me in.”
"I was also offered a scholarship to play football at BYU in Provo, but I felt like BYU-Hawaii was the place for me. Sometimes I feel regret that I didn’t take some of those offers, but I know that I am here for a reason and there is much for me to learn." - Jeremy Hawkins
Living with his new Samoan family, Hawkins said he was not involved with the Church at all. He went to a different church, a Samoan church with his Samoan family. It was also during this time where Hawkins learned to speak Samoan fluently. “As time went on,” Hawkins said, “I started getting into trouble. I moved away from [my Samoan family]. I wanted to be cool and do my own thing. I moved in with a Tongan family in Salt Lake City. I graduated from high school, but I was getting into a lot of trouble. I was involved with gangs, criminal activity, and I was just being stupid.” After going to court several times, spending time in juvenile detention as a youth, and also spending time in jail, Hawkins decided he needed to turn his life around and get a fresh start somewhere else. “I had to get away. I needed to get away from bad friends, get off the map and have a fresh start.”
Finding his way At age 19, Hawkins said he moved to Samoa and stayed with one of his childhood friends so he could get his life back on the right track. “When I first went to Samoa, I went with a gangster mentality. I went there with diamond earrings, nice clothes and I just thought I was the man, but after spending some time in Samoa, I saw how simple life was really like. People just live off their farms and plantations. Life was simple but people were happy. The humble lifestyle changed me.” Hawkins added, “Being around Polynesian culture makes [me] happy. I spent time there in my childhood and grew up with many Polynesians, so the culture and the people became my comfort.” After staying in Samoa for about five years, Hawkins said he found his way back to the gospel and eventually went on to serve in
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Friends of Hawkins (above) said he is a man of deep sincerity and has love for his fellow men. Photo by Chad Hsieh
the Alaska Anchorage Mission from 2016-2018. “Serving my mission in Alaska was the first time I encountered people who were shocked when I could speak Samoan. Samoans couldn’t believe that this white boy could speak the language like that.” After his mission, Hawkins returned to Samoa for a few months before going to Utah. He attended LDS Business College for two semesters before coming to BYU–Hawaii. Explaining how he decided to come to BYUH, Hawkins said, “The school was calling my name. I saw things about the Polynesian Cultural Center [PCC] and the programs the school had, and I wanted to be a part of it. I felt like this was a cool place where I could be me. Polynesia makes me happy and I wanted to go where Polynesia was celebrated, so I had to come here.” Ian Seiuli, a senior double majoring in information technology and graphic design from Samoa, said of Hawkins, “I think he’s cool that he likes to show his talents and skills and that he’s proud that he’s adopted a new culture. I like that he’s an individual whose has gone through adversity and overcame his trials but continues to strive.”
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Life as the ‘Palagi Boi’ “No matter where I go, Polynesians have always taken me in,” Hawkins shared. Besides Polynesians taking him in, he can also be seen as the ‘Palagi Boi’ on social media, an account he uses to entertain and share the gospel. Some of his videos he has uploaded have hundreds of thousands of views and thousands of shares. Hawkins said, “When people hear me speak Samoan, they jump. Their eyes get big and they freak out. Sometimes when I’m around Samoans, I like to pretend I don’t understand. Then after a while, I’ll just jump in the conversation and freak them out.” His videos, which he has uploaded to his personal page and his page ‘Palagi Boi,’ consist of entertainment videos, comedy, and also gospel messages. Now a tour guide at the PCC, Hawkins said he has had people from New Zealand, Australia and America recognize him because they have seen him on social media and call out to him as Palagi Boi. Hawkins said of his goals for his social media, “I want to keep sharing the beautiful cultures of Polynesia with the world. There is great diversity on this campus, and I want to
share that with everyone while also promoting the gospel.” Mahonri Eteru, a sophomore majoring in psychology from Australia, said of his friend Hawkins, “Everyone only sees his thug-like attitude on the outside, but at heart, he is a man of deep sincerity and love for all his fellow men. “He is always thinking of what he can do to bless someone else’s life and is fun loving. He is not affected by other people’s opinions and lives the best way he knows how, with the Lord.” Currently an Elders Quorum president, Hawkins said he plans to continue with his education and get a master’s degree in social work from the University of Hawaii-Manoa, then go on to help people who have been in his situation. “I want to help people become better. The Lord has blessed me so much with many things in my life,” he said, “and I want to use my life experiences to help people to live better lives.”
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The idea for the New Zealand-style, freshly mixed ice cream came to the owners they say after going to New Zealand on a surfing trip. Photo by Chad Hsieh
Just Desserts New ice cream brings New Zealand flavor to Laie BY WILL KRUEGER
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Opened this summer, the Sweet as Real Fruit Ice Cream shop is in the Hukilau Marketplace and brings beloved flavors and styles all the way from New Zealand to the North Shore. A Sweet as Ice Cream employee said watching the ice cream be blended on the spot is a much-needed experience, and those who taste the New Zealand-style ice cream are in for a delicious treat. Nicole Gardner, a Kahuku resident and owner of Sweet As ice cream, explained the idea to make the shop came from a sevenmonth surfing trip through New Zealand. She said her family fell in love with the real-fruit ice cream there and wanted to bring it to Hawaii. After talking to people in New Zealand about ice cream and how the shops work, Gardner said she knew it was something she wanted to do in Hawaii and hopefully in other places too. “[The ice cream] was just a favorite of ours. I had a baby when we got here and I was homeschooling, so it took a while to get the
[business going]. I had a strong feeling to come to the Polynesian Culture Center (PCC) one day and check it out. Everything fell together from there.” Setting up shop After spending a few months preparing and getting the shop set up, Gardner said they opened in the Summer of 2019. “We had the idea and a lot of research done for a long time. We were initially thinking of doing a food truck and park it around Sunset Beach, but we were able to set it up here.” The name of the shop, Sweet As, Gardner explained comes from a common slang term in New Zealand. “In New Zealand, ‘Sweet as’ is like Hawaii’s, ‘Shoots.’ It means, ‘Cool,’ ‘Awesome,’ or something along those lines if you had to translate.” Gardner described the design and vibe of the shop as also being inspired by their surf trip in New Zealand. “We took our boards and went all around the coastline, so we wanted to bring that back with us to the shop. We had a local artist, Jack Soren, do some work for us because I wanted him and his colors to be a part of the shop. “The wood of the shop comes from New Zealand. We wanted to implement everything that was special to us about New Zealand into the shop.” Gardner said her husband, a BYU–Hawaii alumnus, did most of the construction in the shop redoing the interior and exterior. “There were many late nights we did to get the shop ready, but it was a labor of love and a really fun project to do as a family.” Customer reaction Reaction from customers has been positive, Gardner shared. “New Zealand is known worldwide for its ice cream. People love it. Unless you’ve been to New Zealand, you probably haven’t really seen this kind of thing before. We have to educate people on what it is because they don’t know exactly what’s going on.” Having worked at the shop since it opened, Nicole Kelly, a senior from Oregon majoring in elementary education, said when people first come, they are confused because there are many steps.
“People get so fascinated when we make the ice cream with the machine,” she said. Gardner explained, “It’s an experience. Instead of just scooping ice cream, they watch it blend and see it created in front of them. We use locallysourced ice cream either vanilla, coconut with frozen yogurt, and your choice of organic fruit, blended in this machine to make a soft ice cream.” Kelly said making ice cream is fun and she can see it truly makes people happy. “You get to meet and talk to people from all over the world. Locals come too and it makes me feel part of the community.” The shop uses handmade cones and waffle cones, and Gardner noted their most popular flavor was mixed berry, with mango and strawberry being popular too. Gardner said New Zealanders are also reacting positively. “I had people from there who were really excited because they are here now, and they aren’t going back. To have this New Zealand-style ice cream shop here is great for them. They are bringing their families and really enjoying it.” Comparing the ice cream to similar dessert from his native New Zealand, Tyrell Gemmell, a senior majoring in psychology, said, “The ice cream is as good as it can be without the same ingredients. I think the ice cream is good and going there is a treat.” Gardner said the next step for Sweet As Ice Cream is building a food trailer so they sell at local events around the community including weddings, celebrations and possibly at the farmers markets, too. Sweet as Real Fruit Ice Cream is open Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Graphic by Lynne Hardy
“There were many late nights we did to get the shop ready, but it was a labor of love and a really fun project to do as a family.” The Sweet as Ice Cream stand opened at the PCC this past summer. Photo by Chad Hsieh NOV EMB ER 2019
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Behind the scenes at The Club Club Dining hopes to highlight cultures and create one big ohana for students and employees
BY: OLIVIA HIXSON
Aunty Katai Teava-Mariteragi (above) said she and her team hopes their student workers feel part of one big family at the Club. Photo by Chad Hsieh 32 32
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Students eating at the Club. Photo by Chad Hsieh
Supervisors and employees alike of BYU– Hawaii’s Club Dining said they try to help students feel welcomed and well-nourished at one of the main places to eat on campus. Marilou Lee, the Club dining manager and a BYUH alumna, commented, “[We enjoy] seeing students happy when they eat our food, when we do our special events and when we try to break the monotony, or celebrate cultural dinners. . . We listen to the students. We try to incorporate what they are asking us to.” Lee, David Keala and Executive Chef Spencer Tan said they work together to plan events and menus happening at the Club. They plan different events from Fiji Night to waffle extravaganzas. The Club has won awards for its events and themed nights from The National Association of College and University Food Services (NACUFS). The last competition they competed and won in was in 2014. Lee said they are planning to start participating again soon. Spotlighting Culture Keala, the director of BYUH’s Food Services, said he enjoys being able to serve a variety of people through his work. “There are so many students from so many different cultures. So when we do events, as an example,
it is our time to highlight the culture, the people, and their food. All of these events keep us busy, and at the same time, it keeps us moving, and it’s fun.” Lee shared how she works with a team consisting of Auntie Katai and Auntie Wendy to run the Club and events in harmony. “To have a successful event, you have to be organized. For us, there are so many people to coordinate with, so the more specific you are, the better your event will turn out. There’s no stress,” Lee said. Lee also shared how she and her team get inspiration from outside sources. They try to take these newfound food trends and tweak them to fit into the Club. “Every Saturday, my husband and I go out [to try new foods], whether it be in town or around here. I get my creativity from these places, as well as watching Food Network, which is on 24 hours in my house because I am passionate about food.”
here, hopefully not feeling forced to work here,” Mariteragi said. David Bannister, a sophomore from California studying political science, works as a grill cook for the Club. He shared, “My job, especially when you have a lot to do, can easily be stressful, but one thing that really makes it easy is knowing that you’re working with people who feel like family.” Bannister said his supervisors make sure to pay attention to the little things for students dining at the Club to truly feel appreciated. He noted paying such close attention helps him to put emotion and care into his work. “It’s nice to meet new people and to provide a service… That’s what I love. I love to serve people. I love being able to learn and progress through my job while also providing a service,” Bannister commented. Lee and Keala also stressed how much they are willing to take suggestions from students about what they would like to see at the Club. They said students can comment anytime about their ideas through email and their “text and tell.” Lee said, “If any students or clubs that would like to come help with something [like an event], we can plan something fun for them to be involved in. I would encourage these people to come forward, and we can make something fun.”
Love for employees Auntie Katai Teava-Mariteragi, Lee and Keala all said they hope their employees feel like they are also in harmony and are one big family. “Our employees interact with each other, and it brings that bond of togetherness. That’s what we want. We want them to enjoy working Student employee working the grill. Photo by Chad Hsieh NOV EMB ER 2019 33
The annual Food Fest where campus cultural and other clubs make and sell food, was held in the Little Circle on Nov. 9. Photo by Ho Yin Li
Melting Pot Clubs unify the school with Bubble Waffles, Empanadas and Happy Soda at Food Fest, said participants BY OLIVIA HIXSON & CARLENE COOMBS
Cultural pride was seen in the BYU–Hawaii Flag Circle on Nov. 9, as student club members shared foods from their home countries, ranging from jambalaya to Fijian curry. Students and community members said Food Fest represents a unique fusion of culture and identity mixed with scents and flavors. Beyond authentic food from around the world, clubs members had games at their booths with free food as a prize and dressed in matching outfits to attract customers. Also, cultural clubs were not the only clubs that prepared food. The Gamers Club also had a booth at Food Fest. John Bazar, a junior from the Philippines majoring in business management, was a volunteer from the Service Center helping 34
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with the festivities. He shared, “It is important to unite all the people. [Food Fest] helps us to learn more about the countries that are a part of the school.” Food Fest attendees purchased tickets to use at the booths and ticket sales went to fund the clubs participating in the event. MeLisa Oaks, a freshman from Utah studying graphic design, said, “[Food Fest] gives people the opportunity to experience a little bit of someone else’s culture.” Similarly, Jessica Johnson, a BYUH alumna, said Food Fest is a great avenue to see familiar faces and to learn more about people as they share their culture through food at the event. “It’s cool to see students I know from campus come out of their shell and get to
show everyone else a taste of their culture,” said Johnson. Nothing like Kung Pao chicken The Hong Kong Club served bubble waffles with ice cream in the middle, topped with Nutella. Austin Forte, a freshman from Hong Kong majoring in supply chain, said, “Bubble waffles are a staple for Hong Kong. “Usually, there are different styles of bubble waffles with plenty of stuffing inside and toppings on the outside. It’s a common dessert for people from Hong Kong to snack on and share with a friend.” Growing up in Hong Kong, Forte said he was able to experience a combination of cultures as Hong Kong was a British colony for more than
Left to right, The bubble waffles made by the Hong Kong Club, Mongolian Club barbecue kebabs, and Thailand Club cooks with a wok. Photos by Ho Yin Li
100 years. He said these bubble waffles show a unique fusion of two different cultures. “It’s not your traditional waffle, but it’s nothing like Kung Pao chicken. It’s a sign of two cultures coming together to create something that everybody will love. That’s why we want to show it here because we want everybody’s culture to love ours.” Additionally, the club members served fried ice cream. Sunny Wong, a junior from Malaysia studying human resources, was actively involved in making the fried ice cream. He said he served his mission in Hong Kong and has a special appreciation for the people. When explaining their choice of fried ice cream, Wong said, “We want something new and fresh, so we tried fried ice cream. Imagine something that is hot on the outside and cold on the inside.” Mongolian BBQ Over at the Mongolia Club’s booth, it featured Mongolian barbecue kebabs. The club members served pork vegetable and sausage potato options, which were steamed and smothered in sauce. Otgontuya (Lily) Tumursukh, a junior from Mongolia studying TESOL, shared that Mongolian barbecue is traditionally a choice between beef or pork. They decided to use pork.
“We make it a little Americanized, but we’re still keeping the Mongolian tradition,” said Tumursukh. At the club’s booth, they were also having attendees play a traditional Mongolian game played at celebrations called Shagai. “[The playing pieces] are an ankle bone of a sheep or goat. Each side of the pieces represent four different animals.” The players then roll the brightly-colored bone pieces in hopes of getting the lucky roll. “To get the lucky roll, you have to get one horse, one camel, one goat, and one sheep,” said Tumursukh. Those who got the lucky roll won free Mongolian barbecue. The line was far into the flag circle, with attendees wanting a chance to attempt the lucky roll. Full of flavor and love The Latin America Club members shared their love for their culture through empanadas, which are small and crispy turnovers typically filled with meat and vegetables. Brandon Thomas, a freshman from Nevada studying marine biology and Latin America Club president, was dishing out empanadas for customers. He shared, “What’s best about empanadas is that you can put almost anything you want in them, so it’s really to your liking.” Thomas said empanadas are a traditional food from Latin America, starting in Spain in
the 1500s. “Each country has its own specific kind of empanada.” He said their version was stuffed with beef, potatoes, bell peppers and onions. “We’ve kind of got a good Colombian, Argentinian combo going.” Maddie Thomas, a sophomore from California studying math education, said empanadas were a must for her at Food Fest. “They were so good. Empanadas were one of the things that when we came, we knew we had to get. They totally met expectations.” The happiest soda on Earth The Indonesia Club featured a pink, bubbly drink it called Happy Soda. The members of the club were all dressed in pink tie-dye shirts. They used a particular machine to froth up the water for the drinks. Dhika Naraputraka, a junior from Indonesia studying marketing, said, “[Happy soda] contains coconut syrup from Indonesia … with condensed milk, and we have a soda machine to make carbonated water.” They also featured spider web crepes, which were a light crepe designed like a spider web. “It’s like an Indonesian snack,” said Naraputraka. He said they wanted something quick and easy to serve their customers, and thought spider webs and happy soda was a perfect combination. NOV EMB ER 2019
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Clockwise from top left: Serving drinks at Food Fest, Filipino Club members serve food, Gamer’s Club member advertises for the club, and Singapore and Malaysia makes satay. Photos by Ho Yin Li
He said serving at Food Fest and learning the tricks of food preparation helped him grow his knowledge of the food industry, providing him with customer and sales experience, which connects to his major. Expressing his excitement for getting involved in the club, he said, “I’m just so happy to represent my country.” Flavors of the islands The Hawaiian Club was selling fluffy Krispy Kreme doughnuts, fresh that morning from Maui. Jonnay Iokia, a senior from Waianae studying hospitality and tourism management, shared, “It was just a last-minute thing. [Krispy Kreme] has a deal where they can fundraise with other students or companies, and we got a good deal.” For her last Food Fest, Melita Matanatabu, a senior from Fiji studying social work and president of the Fiji Club, said her club served chicken curry, chutney with rice and naan bread. Matanatabu explained they chose Fijian curry because it is a staple food in Fiji that brings comfort. “Every Food Fest, we sell curry. Everyone here seems to love curry, especially Fijian curry.” With loud and fun music in the background, Matanatabu shared Fijian curry is a real
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crowd-pleaser at Food Fest. “Most people in Fiji eat curry. It’s special to them.” Madeline Russell, a senior from Nebraska majoring in human resources, said she is friends with one of the Fiji Club members who would make Fijian curry for her often. “I used to work with her, and she used to make it all the time.” She added the dish brings back happy memories.
Graphic by Milani Ho Ip
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Ganchudar Batgerel stands with her business partner and chef Munkhsaikhan "MC" Bayartsengel with their potatoes in hand. Photo by Ho Yin Li
‘Potato Tornado’ Triumph A pregnancy craving turned into a successful business, reached the final of the Great Ideas competition BY SERENA DUGAR IOANE Starting with $20, Ganchudur Batgerel, a senior from Mongolia majoring in supply chain operation, with the help of her friends, earned more than $1,000 with her “tornado potato business” for the Great Ideas competition. A tornado potato elevates the potato with fried meat and sauce, all in a convenient stick form, she said. A pregnancy craving “When I was pregnant with my third child, I had a strong craving for something delicious made with potato, but not French fries. “While I was on the internet, I saw a picture of tornado potato. I wanted to eat it so badly, so I tried to make it by carving potato by knife and frying it. It satisfied my craving, so I wanted to share it. That is how I found this business idea.”
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Batgerel is minoring in entrepreneurship and said she is taking a small business creation class. The class assignment is to create an actual small business and earn money, and she used her tornado potato idea to accomplish this. Then she thought only a potato might not be that interesting, so she researched what people like to eat with fried potatoes. She found out people on the island like to eat bacon and sausage with their potatoes. “I had an apple corer at home, so I took the middle of the potato and put sausage in it and fried it. It was even better,” Batgerel said. X Llewel Angala, a senior from the Philippines majoring in hospitality and tourism management, said, “Everyone definitely needs to try [their potato]. They should keep selling it, and maybe do a food truck business.”
Suvd-Erdene Boldbaatar, a senior from Mongolia majoring in human resources, said, “I loved it. It was yummy, and the size was great for the price. The potato has its own special taste. I would definitely recommend as a quick grab-n-go lunch or snack.” According to Batgerel, she failed many times while creating the perfect crunchy potato, but her partner Munkhsaikhan “MC” Bayartsengel, helped her to elevate her potato. Batgerel’s team’s goal was to participate in the Great Ideas competition’s revenue category. The category requires a business to have revenue of more than $1,000. They submitted their video for the first round of the competition and were selected as one of the five finalists out of 100 businesses in the revenue category.
Two Potato Tornados with sausage in the middle and cilantro sauce on top. Photo by Ho Yin Li
Initial investment Batgerel works at the Polynesian Cultural Center’s Concessions as a risk manager. “When I told about my idea to my manager Tonu Apelu, he supported us and invested $20. We bought our very first potato cutter with that money.” Then Batgerel and her team raised more money by selling their products. They bought machines and tools. “Our business has a small amount of initial investment, but has a high amount of profit–86 percent profit margin.” They first sold at the Kahuku farmers market and earned almost $100 in an hour and a half. According to Batgerel, they have only sold their potatoes six times and earned almost $1,100. “I learned that doing business is really hard from this experience. I also learned the importance of researching the market and determination. There were many times that I was close to giving up.” Batgerel said her business had roadblocks and lost revenue because once her team tried to sell at the Temple View Apartments without knowing that they needed to get permission.
Team members “MC, our master chef, always makes sure our products are fresh, tasty and safe. I am in charge of the finance, and my husband Tuvshinjargal Lkhagvadorj and MC’s wife, Onon Dalaikhuu, do our marketing,” Batgerel explained. Tuvshinjargal Lkhagvadorj, a senior from Mongolia majoring in information technology, is the team’s videographer, photographer and designer. Onon Dalaikhuu, a freshman from Mongolia majoring in human resources and TESOL, does the marketing. Dalaikhuu said, “I’m glad to be part of this team and experience how to do business. I am in charge of marketing our products. I mostly use social media for advertisement.” “Our product looks and tastes very good. People who ordered usually reorder. When we do sell, sometimes, I couldn’t have a chance to taste because they run out fast. My favorite is bacon potato with mint sauce and caramel potato. Our potato comes with a yummy signature sauce made by our master chef. I invite everyone to try it and promise that it will be worth $5.”
Future vision Munkhsaikhan Bayartsengel, a freshman from Mongolia majoring in hospitality and tourism management, said, “When Batgerel asked me to partner with her, I accepted the offer because cooking is my passion. I cooked for the last seven years many different kinds of Asian, European and fast foods. I have worked in many different restaurants and food venues. “Our product is creative and delicious. We have two kinds, bacon and sausage potato. We also have four different sauces so far — ketchup, mustard, barbeque and cilantro. We make cilantro sauce freshly whenever we do sell. We are planning to have seven to nine different types of potatoes and sauces in the future.” “Delicious food is expensive in Hawaii. People come to us with just $5 and go back with a lot of happiness,” he said. Batgerel said, “Our vision is to open our truck at the PCC and share our delicious potato with tourists from around the world. Our product is new to the island.” The Mongolian Club sold their product at the Nov. 9 Food Fest, and the club made more than $2,000, which club officials said was the highest profit made by a club at the event. NOV EMB ER 2019
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Addiction to food videos The science behind binging endless hours of food posts, from a food YouTuber's perspective BY HAELEY VAN DER WERF According to several online sources, the quick nature of the videos and the connection people feel to food makes food videos addicting. Another popular form of food videos, according to YouTuber Khoon An, is mukbang, which involves people eating on camera. An, a junior from Korea majoring in music, said on his YouTube channel, Hawaii Khoon, “I usually post a video about the introduction of Korean food. I really like making Korean food for foreigners and seeing their reaction. It’s different food. I like people trying my culture’s food.” An said he does a combination of cooking and reactions of people trying his food.
Graphics by Lynne Hardy
“...food is just naturally something people share, so it makes sense that people would be excited to share food videos.”
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Eating unites people “In Korea,” he explained, “there is something called Mukbang, which is eating videos. It is getting bigger and bigger. People like to watch people eating. I heard it makes people satisfied. Let’s say I’m on a diet. If I watch the video of someone eating, I am satisfied with that. That’s what people say. “Many people tend to eat alone. If we eat, even though I eat alone, if I watch the food video and am eating, then it makes me feel like we are together. Especially in Korea, we watch eating videos.” Addicting food videos Cooking videos, on the other hand, which Spoon University says originated on BuzzFeed’s food Instagram account Tasty as 15-second videos of simple recipes, are known for their simple, overhead-style, sped up style. CNBC says in some months Tasty’s videos have reached more than 3 billion views. Spoon University explains people’s obsession with cooking videos is because “nostalgia plays a key part in the immense popularity of these videos and why they all have exploded all over Facebook ... these videos also
Graphics by Lynne Hardy
omit all types of boring prep, speeding through to all the interesting parts, which appeals perfectly to our short attention spans.” “That notion, as simple as it seems, is exactly the crux of the videos’ success,” writes The Cut. “In an age in which content overload is a real fear, and when much of that content is horrifying, the appeal of the Tasty video is that it’s mindless, fast and short. A Tasty video’s impression on your life is non-invasive. A Tasty video is not asking you to vote for someone. It just wants you to enjoy the image of a plate of ratatouille boats.” It also credits Facebook’s setup as another reason the videos are so popular there. “Food videos are created precisely for Facebook with
the idea that they are on constant replay in a very friendly, non-invasive way. “Food will always remain a marketable product as everyone will continue to need and love food. It will also continue being something people can connect and bond over, which leads so many people to like, share and tag their friends in these videos.” In an interview with CNBC, BuzzFeed Tasty’s head chef Claire King said they try to include money shots or clips such as cheese pulls or gooey chocolate in all of their videos. “We try to create those moments in every video, whether it’s an indulgent ingredient like cheese, or a fun way to use up leftovers, or cooking food in a way you haven’t seen.”
Andrew Gauthier, the executive producer of BuzzFeed Motion Pictures, which produces most of Tasty’s videos, shared how he believes Tasty videos tap into human nature itself in a conversation with The Cut. “So much of what we do on social platforms is about connecting with friends and family, making plans, documenting experiences, and sharing things we love. “Food is connected to all of those things. From family dinners to date nights to brunches with friends, food is just naturally something people share, so it makes sense that people would be excited to share food videos.”
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Hatching Hope The Chicken Farm part of a growing list of SWATT projects aimed to assist students
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SWATT welcomes 22 newly hatched chicks. Photo by Shannon Crowley
SWATT continues to give students and the community the opportunity to learn selfreliance by providing more services, said its employees. One of its projects, the Chicken Farm, around Oct. 17 hatched 22 chicks and is progressing toward the organization’s goal to have 300 chickens laying eggs for the campus Farmer’s Market. A SWATT employee said caring for the chickens has helped her nurture her love for animals. Munkhzul Galbadrakh, a junior from Mongolia majoring in hospitality and tourism management, said she has been an employee of SWATT for more than a year. She is in charge of animals, such as chickens, turkeys, quails and rabbits. She said despite the chickens laying fewer eggs possibly because of weather changes, SWATT’s chickens lay 12 to 25 eggs every day. “We collect the eggs and put them in the fridge every day. A month ago, we chose 40 eggs and put them in the incubator. So far 22 have hatched, and we are waiting for the others to hatch.”
According to Galbadrakh, four months ago they hatched 12 chicks, which are now teenagers, and those teenage chickens have already started laying eggs, but their eggs are a little bit smaller than the adult chickens’ eggs. In a few days, they were going to transfer the hatchlings to the Chicken Farm. They will introduce the hatchlings to a broody hen, and she will raise them as her own. After a month, they are planning to incubate another 40 eggs, they said. The goal of the Chicken Farm SWATT Manager Leslie Harper, a freshman from Canada majoring in supply chain management, said initially creating a chicken farm at SWATT was an idea of Devin Hampton, an alumnus of BYU–Hawaii, who now works at Amazon’s headquarters. “Hampton’s vision was to have 300 laying hens. Then we will be able to provide a half dozen eggs for every student on every Farmer’s Market,” said Harper. “Now we have over 60
“SWATT provides awesome resources for students. It definitely eases our lives and enhances our schooling experience...” Graphics by Brad Carbine
chickens and are still working towards that goal.” Hampton trained Galbadrakh in the basics of how to raise chickens. Harper said, “When Galbadrakh leaves, she will pass her knowledge to someone else too.” Harper also shared, “Chicken farming is very easy to start. Someone who knows how to raise chickens can get a dozen eggs and incubate them for 21 days. After five months, those chicks will start to lay eggs.” Galbadrakh explained, “I grew up in Mongolia, where we do not have many chickens. Growing up, I have never had the experience of raising chickens and caring for them. Even though I like to eat eggs, I never knew the process of how those eggs come to my plate. “I really like my job because I love animals. It is fun, and I never get bored. I learned so much from this work, especially about raising chickens. What other resources do they offer? According to Harper, SWATT offers other resources, including Give and Take, free laundry detergent, a bee farm, bike and mechanic repair shop, a barbershop and the TVA Learning Garden, which includes hydroponic and aquaponics. The TVA Learning Garden grows different fruits and vegetables, such as avocado, bananas, beans, carrots, onions and more. If students do 30 minutes of service, they can get free produce. “I cannot tell what fruits and vegetables will be there at the time, but if you come and serve, you will get some fresh produce,” Harper said. NOV EMB ER 2019
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The TVA Learning Garden has hydroponics, which is planting vegetables in water, and aquaponic, which is when the fish waste goes to plants to provide nutrients. They also have a windmill that pumps air for the hydroponic systems. At the bee farm if they do service, students can learn how to bee keep and take honey. They also have a bike repair shop where people can learn to fix bikes or receive bike repair services. If students do three hours of service, they can get a free bike. For students who want to learn how to do more mechanical service on their cars, there is an area where you can learn to change your car’s oil, brakes, etc. Recently, SWATT added a barbershop as well, where you can learn to cut hair or get a free haircut. They are working on many new projects, including biodiesel and reef restoration. Harper said, “We are working on a new project to produce diesel fuel out of coconuts. If this project succeeds, it will help island nations to produce their own fuel and become independent of their oil demand.” What do students think about SWATT? Munkhtaivan Javzandulam, a sophomore from Mongolia majoring in human resources, said, “I am a loyal customer of SWATT. Every time I go to Give and Take, I find what I need,
such as textbooks for my classes, school supplies, clothes, etc. Sometimes I do service at the learning garden and the farm and get fresh eggs, bananas, etc. This summer I did service and got a free bike.” “SWATT provides awesome resources for students. It definitely eases our lives and enhances our schooling experience. SWATT employees are always positive and are willing to help. I am very grateful for their wonderful service.” Justin Ioane, a senior from Samoa double majoring in accounting and marketing, said, “SWATT saves a lot of money for my family. I get free haircuts. My wife gets a lot of free toys for my son from Give and Take because he gets bored with his toys very fast. So we bring back the old ones and get new ones. I want to work at SWATT before I graduate because all those skills they teach are practical and can be very useful in the future.” Uurtsaikh Nyamdeleg, a freshman from Mongolia majoring in hospitality and tourism management, said, “When we came first here, our house was just empty. My husband and I went to Give and Take several times and found almost everything we needed. It saved us so much money. Since our home is right across the Give and Take, when I need something, I go there and usually find it.”
SWATT set the goal to raise 300 hens, to meet the needs of the students. Photos by Keyu Xiao
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Meal Prep 101 Students say meal prep gives them more time during the week and saves them money BY TAFFIE KWOK
Graphics by Lynne Hardy
From saving time, lowering budgets, weight control, and more motivation, students said meal prepping is a better way to eat healthier and have more financial control, not only in college, but also in the future. According to thekitchn.com, meal prep is the process of setting aside a block of time to prepare ingredients and cook meals for the week ahead. Elias Hopkin, a junior from Ohio studying TESOL, said meal prepping is helpful because he finds it hard to motivate himself to cook every day. But after disciplining himself to work on cooking for “about two hours”
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earlier in the week, now he can enjoy a “full meal that is ready to eat” when he needs it during his week. Agreeing with Hopkin, Esther Lam from Hong Kong, a sophomore majoring in mathematics, said meal prep is a cheap way to enjoy the food she likes with variety. When comparing the expenses it takes to eat out or in the school cafeteria, Lam said, “It only costs $2 for every meal to cook at home while the Caf is charging me $10 every time I go in.” Lam continued, “I miss my Asian food. There is not much variety in the Cafeteria.
Sometimes I only ate cereal there. If I cook for myself, I can control what and how much I eat.” Lam shared she usually prepares one meat of choice, a vegetable, and a carbohydrate for each meal. For example, chicken or minced beef cooked with broccoli and noodles or with eggplant and rice. Eat healthier and save more time Lam said meal prep is a better way to control her eating habits, such as measuring food portions and controlling the sugar and cholesterol she eats.
Graphics by Lynne Hardy
According to organizeyourselfskinny.com, meal prepping can help dieting by creating structure in one’s weight-loss journey. “Changing your eating habits and losing weight is not easy. “However, meal prep makes it easier to eat healthy, nutritious food, and stay within calories or points [when] they are prepared ahead of time and ready to eat.” One of the most important reasons Lam said she started doing meal prep is to be more time-efficient. She said most people spend at least 30 minutes to an hour to make a meal. But if they add up the time to prepare a meal that could last for several days, she said they can do things more effectively. How to keep food from going bad? A concern for meal prep is how long the food can last in the fridge. Hopkin shared it depends on the food and how long it is stored. He said, "Most foods stay good in the fridge at least for three days.” Hopkin said it is important to plan to eat the meals over three days and only make as much as people would eat.”
More tips for meal prepping Hopkin addressed another common concern for meal prepping, which is having to eat the same food repeatedly for a while. Hopkin said he makes a list of food he likes to eat before grocery shopping. “It is like choosing off the menu. If you know what to get, it avoids the problem [of] not knowing what to cook.” He said his to-go shopping lists include potatoes, chicken, and spinach because these foods go well with almost everything and they are cheap and full of nutrition. When it’s time to reheat food, Lam said she prefers to use glass containers to store her food so she doesn’t have to worry about plastic materials melting from the hot food or microwave. Using glass containers might be heavier, but it is convenient to steam food during cooking and even microwave it before people eat it, she said. Both Hopkin and Lam said another common concern for meal prep is they have to eat the same food repeatedly for a while. Lam said she is willing to eat the same thing because it is worth saving time.
While meal prepping helps students save money, Hopkin said unfortunately it leads to a lack of ingredients. He said he makes sacrifices to not buy spices because they are too expensive and not really necessary. Lam shared it is difficult to prepare vegetables in advance. “You can either choose to cook [vegetables] every day or you might have to give up the veggie options.” If meal prep really isn’t your thing In order to keep food fresh, Helaman Lee, a freshman from Hong Kong studying computer science, said he reserves time to cook lunch and dinner every day. “Maybe I will have to use the meal prep method when I am a senior, but so far I can still manage my time well to cook every meal.” Lee said multitasking is his trick to keep the cooking time within 30 minutes by using two pots at the same time. “I put the meat on a steam rack above the rice. Meanwhile, the vegetables are cooking on the next burner.” Lee said he also makes good use of the waiting time and studies when the food is getting ready.
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Hopkin shared some tips for those who are interested in meal prep
1. Keep food in a plastic bag and seal it well, especially for meat. Otherwise, it will dry out.
3. Consume food consistantly and cook only the number of the portions you need to eat.
2. Buy chicken that has not been skinned because it keeps moist longer.
4. Soup usually lasts pretty well. He said he boils meat and turns the water into broth or soup. Graphics by Lynne Hardy
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Thanksgiving around the world Various countries celebrate their own versions of Thanksgiving BY HAELEY VAN DER WERF In the United States, the Fall season is commonly associated with Thanksgiving. However, countries all around the world also have holidays dedicated to giving thanks and appreciating what you have. Whether it is China’s Mid-Autumn Festival, Japan’s Labor Thanksgiving Day, or Canadian Thanksgiving, people interviewed said each country celebrated their gratefulness with loved ones and delicious food. China’s Mid-Autumn Festival The Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated each year in China on the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, according to CNN. This year the holiday fell on Sept. 13. Luo Xi Lin, a sophomore from China majoring in TESOL, shared how, “Every time during this part of the year, the moon is really round and that’s why they have moon cakes in a circle shape. That kind of represents the moon … We eat moon cake. Moon cake is in the moon shape. It can be sweet or salty inside. “The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most popular or favorite festivals in China. People don’t sell moon cakes at other times, only during that time. It’s around that time, before and maybe if there are leftovers. “Of course, you can order it, but normally the market won’t sell it until that time. People
will be really excited [to eat] moon cakes and to see the moon. It is the most beautiful time of the year.” Another important part of this time of year, she explained, is how “people look at the moon and they miss their family. Everything that is a circle can mean family and gathering time. “During this festival, most of the jobs and schools will have the day off, which gives people the chance to go home and be with their parents. Some people work far from home. They can have this day off to go home. “We usually will watch the moon with our family and just chat under the moon and have a moon cake or a small dish. Usually, people will eat dinner before that. They will probably watch the moon at 9 or 10 in the evening because it is really pretty. It looks like a little moon on the table, with the colors too.” A tradition especially loved by children, Lin described, is lanterns. “I did it with my family. In China they also do it. The kids will buy lanterns to just walk around the neighborhood. “The lanterns are really exciting for the kids. They watch, worship the moon, and eat moon cake. Everything is about the moon. Kids can make their own lanterns too.
“You light [the lantern] and walk around your neighborhoods. In the nighttime it isn’t very bright, so the lanterns are a light for kids to walk around. The family usually hangs up the lantern too. While at school, she said, they have similar traditions, but they celebrate with friends instead of family. “We get a couple of friends together. We eat some snacks, we prepare a snack or a dish together and eat moon cakes and chat, usually under the moon.” Japanese Labor Thanksgiving Day In the book “Thanksgiving and other Harvest Festivals,” author Ann Morrill explained, “On Nov. 23, the people of Japan celebrate Labor Thanksgiving Day. Originally called the Shinto Harvest Festival, since 1948 all of Japan takes this day to honor the nation’s workers as well as the result of the labor – the harvest. “Traditionally the emperor would make the first offering of the fresh rice harvest to the gods on this day and then eat some himself. This ritual is still performed, but today it is a private ceremony.” According to the website A Global World, “It was during the Meiji Era (1868-1912) that the date for this festival was set on November 23rd, and it has been maintained ever since.
Graphics by Lynne Hardy
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BYUH Alumna Alysha Gurr gathers with friends to celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving by eating traditional foods associated with the holiday. Photo provided by Alysha Gurr.
The modern version of this festival was started after World War II in the year 1948, but the ancient tradition is still continued behind closed doors by the imperial family while the Labor Thanksgiving Day is celebrated by the public as a national holiday.” Ayako Yoshida, a senior from Japan majoring in communications said although BYU–Hawaii does not have any celebrations for Japanese Labor Thanksgiving, “it is still recognized today showing gratitude to people who work hard for their family.” Canadian Thanksgiving Alysha Gurr, an alumna from Canada said, “Canadian Thanksgiving is officially on the second Monday in October, but families and friends generally gather throughout the weekend and often celebrate with a Thanksgiving meal on Sunday.”
Throughout history, Gurr shared, the reason for Thanksgiving has changed, and as the reasons changed, the date did too. Influences included British and European settlers, as well as immigrants from America. “It's been an official holiday since 1879 but still didn't have a fixed date. At that point, it was generally celebrated in October or November and often coincided with Remembrance Day, Nov. 11. “In 1957, the Canadian Parliament declared Thanksgiving to be celebrated on the second Monday in Oct., like a holiday to give thanks to God for a bountiful harvest and for His blessings upon Canada … It is celebrated throughout all of Canada, in our homes with family and friends.” There are some similarities between American Thanksgiving and Canadian Thanksgiving, Gurr described. “The food is pretty much the same as Thanksgiving in the
United States; turkey, potatoes, yams, stuffing, pumpkin pie, apple pie, etc...” “Things associated with Thanksgiving, I think about time with family and food. Decorations and food are pretty much the same in Canada as it is in the United States. The Canadian Football League plays a doubleheader on Thanksgiving Day.” With warmth, Gurr said in Hawaii, she celebrates with friends and it has become a tradition. “My first Canadian Thanksgiving here in Hawaii I was with a group of friends, and we ate pumpkin pie for breakfast on the beach. After that, I’ve always celebrated with friends. This year I roasted a turkey for the first time ever and had dinner with 15 people.”
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Choosing to have an attitude of gratitude With the holidays coming, BYU–Hawaii students and faculty say gratitude grows from recognizing blessings and ability to serve, not things BY ELI HADLEY
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With the autumn months slowly winding down, the holidays of Thanksgiving, and with it Black Friday, as well as Christmas, are accompanied by ads and a push for consumers to buy more. In preparation for the holiday season, students and faculty at BYU–Hawaii reflected on what it meant to truly show gratitude, what they were most grateful for and how they used their appreciation for good. Education Professor Barbara Hong said gratitude was a driving force for her. “More recently than any time,” she began, “I am grateful for the opportunities I have had. Opportunities that have placed me in a certain position to have a strong impact on other people where I can use my skills. Sometimes, we only show gratitude or service when we have enough money or enough time, or if we are popular. “But we do not need to think this way. Every day, we need to be looking out and see what we can do with our skills to help others. Sometimes it’s a combination of skills, talents and even weaknesses to show gratitude by serving people. Hong added how people often see themselves as the most important person in their life, “But sometimes, it is the very thinking outside of your own mind which does good for others. They can join us and be a part of the blessings. No matter what the trials we go through are, we should be grateful for them. A trial for us may be a blessing for someone else.” Edz Cabral, a senior from the Philippines majoring in business and human resources, cited an April 2014 Church General Conference talk from then President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, on his view on an attitude of gratitude. The talk, “Grateful in Any Circumstances,” focuses on the idea anyone can show gratitude regardless of how much money they have or their current situation. According to Cabral, Elder Uchtdorf’s talk taught him an attitude of gratitude is a choice. “We have the potential to be grateful for anything, not just for what we have, but for things we don’t even recognize we should be grateful for yet. Even in times of trial and tribulation, we can be grateful.
“My friend Kyle said, ‘An attitude of gratitude is a matter of choice.’ Personally, I’m a positive person, so having the attitude of gratitude is a gift from Heavenly Father. I think when you have an attitude like that, you have a much more positive attitude.” Cabral was reminded of an experience when he was serving his mission, where his second companion always did favors for him. Eventually, his companion confronted him, telling Cabral he had not heard enough gratitude or ‘thank you’s’ from him. “It made me realize I had not been showing enough appreciation to someone who was helping me out a lot. So, I decided to change my attitude by saying thank you and expressing my gratitude.” Fidelish Metta, a senior from Papua New Guinea majoring in Pacific Island studies, said she believes an attitude of gratitude is simply saying thank you to God, then getting up and serving others. “Making something of our blessings is one of the most divine things we can do. Besides serving other people, we can show gratitude by saying a prayer each day, not just once a week, but daily, and then strive to serve others on your part regularly.” Hong said her children used to go to 7-Eleven and would want to use their money to buy a milkshake or something else for themselves. She would tell her children they had to give something, whether it be money or food, to any homeless person sitting outside. “If they bought a milkshake, they had to buy twice the amount for somebody else. Just because we
make enough money to buy what we want, we should not feel entitled to it. “If we start feeling entitled like we deserve to have good things happen to us, we actually lose sight of everything else which is out there. We are not here at this school just to get an education, but to learn something we would otherwise have not learned.” Hong added, “Optimism is also important in being grateful. We can think about how one thing is the most difficult thing we’ve ever faced, but someone in the world could be going through something so much worse. Having an attitude of optimism lets us know it’s okay because someone will always receive a blessing.” As the months go on and the holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas come about, Cabral said it is important to focus on the things one already has, not on one’s desires. “With holidays, which include big sales, gift-giving and encouragement to spend, we need to maintain the attitude of gratitude. “Knowing what the Lord has blessed you with is one way to hold onto the attitude of gratitude. No matter how hard things get, we can always find something to be grateful for. Even if it seems you have nothing, to another person, you might seem to have everything.” Metta said the best way to avoid being caught up in commercialism and greed was to reflect on what one had to be grateful for in their lives. “We can ponder upon the blessings we have received from God and feel grateful to Him for it. We can also reach out to help others too. That way, we not only focus on our hearts and minds, but we actually act with faith.”
"We can ponder upon the blessings we have received from God and feel grateful to Him for it." - Fidelish Metta
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Graphic by Brooklyn Redd
Storytelling through art Community members explain how carvings, reliefs and sculptures at the Laie Hawaii Temple serve to tell history and stories BY MICHAEL KRAFT The Laie Hawaii Temple includes several pieces of art from the friezes near the top of the temple to the sculptures around it, members of the Laie community said this art tells a story. Kap Te’o Tafiti, a carver, sculptor, performer and senior cultural ambassador at the Polynesian Cultural Center, said all the art he creates has a purpose. He said in regards to art, its purpose is to tell a story. Tafiti said, “Carvings and art are a form of language. They are a way of recording language and events.” For example, he said the Laie Hawaii Temple features high-relief sculptures. According to Tafiti, high-relief sculpting is a form of sculpting featuring figures appearing to stand out further from the background. The Laie Hawaii Temple features four friezes, which are horizontal panels used for decorating according to Britannica, wrapping around the
temple near the top. Each scene shows different scriptural periods. The north side shows the story of the Book of Mormon. The west side shows the people of the Old Testament, while the southern face shows New Testament stories. The east side shows the restoration of the gospel through Joseph Smith. Additionally, Tafiti said carving and art are important in Polynesian culture because it is a way to is a way to share history. He explained as Polynesian cultures from various islands came together through marriages and trade, the art from these islands also changed. Tafiti said, “Carvings, tattoos and tapa cloth are all tied together. All the art is intertwined and has evolved over time.” Another carver and artist, Samuel Mangakahia, a senior from Australia majoring in graphic design, echoed Tafiti’s thoughts on
the significance of carving and art in Polynesian culture. Mangakahia said his art helps him to stay connected to his ancestors and roots. “When you carve, you tell a narrative with symbols. [The symbols] are pretty ancient, and the fun part is taking them and making it your own.” He said using the symbols and designs in his own way to tell a narrative helps keep his art fresh. Mangakahia said similarly, all of the temple’s art and sculptures tell a story. Every time he carves, he said he also tells a story. He said whether it be his own or someone else’s work, “Everyone’s story deserves to be told. Wisdom and life comes from stories.” Freelance writer and digital media specialist based in Laie, Mike Foley, said the art in and around the Laie Hawaii Temple represents the people who attend it. Foley was
a member of the historical sub-committee for the Laie Hawaii Temple. He said one of the motifs used in the temple is the kukui tree, which has deep symbolism in Hawaiian culture. Foley said the kukui tree is called the candlenut tree in English, because the nuts of the tree are oily and were once used to make lanterns that lit up the darkness. He said in the gospel, light is very symbolic, and so the kukui nut is an excellent symbol for the temple because “it’s a source of light, as is the temple.”
“Everyone’s story deserves to be told. Wisdom and life comes from stories.”
Graphics by Brooklyn Redd
Graphic by Kimo Burgess
Effective scripture study blesses students lives Students say it helps them stay on the covenant path by feeling the spirit of peace and increasing their testimonies of Christ
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Feeling the spirit more in their lives, helping them not only spiritually but in all aspects of their lives, are reasons why BYU–Hawaii students said study the scriptures. Mahonri Eteru, a senior from Australia majoring in communications and psychology, said, “The most important thing is inviting the Spirit into your study sessions […] the Spirit will guide you toward what you need to study.” Studying and pondering the scriptures is a personal choice students said they make because they want to know more about the gospel of Jesus Christ, and learning how to do it more effectively is something they strive to do as well. Studying provides spiritual strength Eteru said, “I study the scriptures because it gives me full confidence in my success. I know that if I put the Lord first, I will be successful no matter what. [He] will lead me to where I need to be, and I can help others if I am in the right place.” Studying the scriptures, he said, has helped him spiritually. “It helps me strengthen my testimony in Jesus Christ and is the most important thing. And if there is anything that we need to learn [about] the gospel, it’s about our Savior Jesus Christ.” Zeph Mckee, a senior from California majoring in political science, shared why he focuses on scripture study. “I feel like it [the scriptures] is a constant in my life that I need. If I don’t have constant instructions, spiritual nourishment, then I feel like something is off, which is why I feel like I always have to study.
Stop procrastination and distractions Gideon Nabuti, a sophomore from Kiribati majoring in both political science and secondary education, said, “There are times that we get so busy with all of our school stuff, assignments and all that, but the main important thing is we always keep in mind the importance of scripture study. “I noticed that when I have been doing scripture study, I am more focused and do better on my studies.” Mckee said when he has a specific question, the scriptures will provide him an answer. “Other times the scriptures give me peace. I feel peace when I am reading, and I kind of feel like I can have a vision of what is going to happen in the future. And I feel that everything is going to be okay because I am somebody who stresses about the future.” He added the gospel brings the feeling of peace – a form of healing. Scripture study can be more than just a commandment, Mckee said, but a medicine that can help someone go through life’s challenges.
Graphics by Brad Carbine
“And that’s what motivates us a lot to overcome or prevent procrastination is the clear knowledge that scripture really helps us ease on things.” According to Gideon, midterms and projects can hinder one’s opportunity to study the scriptures. "It can be hard to prioritize what is important in life. Homework and assignments, working at your job, applying for scholarships can become burdensome when trying to put the Lord as a top priority." Eteru shared his method of overcoming procrastination and how to focus on studying the scriptures. He said, “I set a specific time. My goal is to have an hour every day dedicated to personal study. I can study a variety of things, but as long as I set an hour a day, that is my goal.” Paper versus electronic Eteru said he prefers to study from a paper copy of the scriptures. He said, “There’s too much distraction on the phone. Like you could be reading the scriptures, and all of a sudden, you get three notifications of people wanting to talk to you.” Kristian Aloja, a junior from the Philippines majoring in psychology and social work, said he prefers a hard copy. “A hard copy helps me study because on the electronic [version], you might go to social media.” Thomas Robertson, a junior from Nevada majoring in biology, said, “I prefer a paper copy because I get distracted by other apps. Using the paper copy helps me focus. I like to underline with red pen.”
Japan Club member Hikari Asano pauses for a photo at Food Fest. Photo by Ho Yin Li