BYU’s annual Lu’au event brought in hundreds of participants to celebrate the diverse traditions of six Polynesian countries on Nov. 13-14.
More than 500 students performed traditional songs and dances from Samoa, Hawaii, New Zealand, Tonga, Tahiti and Fiji.
All students were welcome to participate in the Lu’au, regardless of race, ethnicity or dance ability. Anika Pasa, a junior at BYU and section leader for the Samoan dances, talked about the joy of gathering together to dance.
“We are the happy people, and we include everyone no matter who you are,” she said.
Although the final product of the Lu’au was awe-inspiring, the best memories for many were made in the months of rehearsal before the performance. Shiegrid Hernandez, the administrative services coordinator for BYU’s Multicultural Center, attended many of the practices and was inspired by what she saw.
“People that only come to the show, they only see a fraction of what really happens,” Hernandez said. “The magic really happens during the rehearsals. That’s when relationships and bonds are made.”
During each practice, students had the opportunity to learn more about their specific country’s culture.
Pasa explained that as students learned what each movement in the dance meant, the dances became more meaningful to them.
“Everyday you learn something new,” she said.
Seeing the students learn about their heritage was one of Hernandez’s favorite parts about the Lu’au.
“You see them smile, you see them proud of their cultural heritage,” Hernandez said. “You can feel the spirit together, and it’s just beautiful.”
Not only were song and dance included in the celebration, but BYU Multicultural Student Services also included cinematic videography to tell the stories of the Polynesian peoples.
Ty Pasa, a student at BYU, was a dancer in both the Samoa and Fiji sections of the Lu’au and created the videos for the event that were shown between each section.
He explained that the videos were unlike any that had been made previously for the Lu’au event.
“They’re very different, they’re cinematic. They show who these students are truthfully down to the core,” he said. “It definitely sets the mood as well for all the dancers to really see why they are dancing.”
The combined effect of the song, dance, costuming and videography created a powerful experience for those who attended, a result that Ty Pasa was aiming for as he created his videos.
