The forty-fourth annual Spring Lū‘au is next week! Break out the grass skirts, sunglasses, and conch shells on Saturday, April 12, with dinner at 6 p.m. and performance at 8 p.m.
The evening will begin with a traditional dinner at Wheelock Student Center.
Then everyone will move to Memorial Fieldhouse for the highlight performance – traditional dance, costume, and music. Northwest Blend will provide the music of the evening as well as the accompaniment for the dancers. The show will feature a variety of cultural dances, including Hawaiian, Tahitian, Samoan, and Maori.
The theme this year is “Ka’ ʻĀina, Ka Makani, Ke Ahi, Ka Wai,” which mean earth, air, fire, water. These essential elements comprise the larger theme of “The Source of Life.”
These Lū‘au, hosted by the student Hui O Hawai‘i club, are one of the biggest public celebrations of the Pacific Islands in Washington State. Over a thousand people come every year to enjoy the festivities.
The Lū‘au serve to celebrate the beauty and community of Polynesian culture, as well as pay tribute to the large number of students who call the islands home.
Co-chair Patti Connors ’14 said, “[Puget Sound] is really great about promoting and talking about diversity, which can sometimes be overwhelming for the students because it’s just a bunch of statistics and faculty members lecturing, but this production gives students a chance to actually see the diversity of the student body.
“There is a large group of students from Hawai‘i that participate in lū‘au, but at the same time there are a bunch of students with no affiliation to Hawai‘i who come out and dance as well. It’s a great way to share a culture and experience it as well.”
Choreographer Kristy Katano ’17 said, “lū‘au is also a way that the students from Hawai‘i can share our culture and people can learn more about Hawai‘i and not just assume we’re all about our ‘slippers and spam.’”
For those who have attended the previous Lū‘au, you know of the beauty and excitement of the show, combining the talents of a variety of students into exciting and graceful routines. For those who have not, you can look forward to an exciting night.
A few students got a sneak peak of the beautifully blended dance, and every reaction was full of excitement for the real thing. A chorus of applause and “When is the Lū‘au? We have to go!” and “Oh my gosh that was so amazing! I can’t wait!” followed the final beat of the drum. Performers should expect a deafening reaction upon completion of the show.
Tickets are priced for Puget Sound students and staff, seniors (65+) and children 17 and under at $12 for the dinner, $9 for the show, and both for $17. General admission runs at $15 for the dinner, $12 for the show, and $23 for both. Purchase in advance at the Info Center or at the door, or online at tickets.pugetsound.edu.
Corrections: The original article published April 4th stated that the show was on April 18th, and April 13th, and the price for a combo ticket is $17, not $19. The show is Saturday April 12th. Additionally, the spelling of Lū‘au, Hawai‘i, and ʻĀina were incorrect. The original article also misspelled Patti Connors’ name. The Trail deeply regrets these errors, and apologizes for any confusion or frustration caused.
