The WSC Ballroom commonly hosts students that come to practice dance and watch events. This November, the entire ballroom will be transformed into a night of cultural celebration for all the islands of Polynesia.
Each Saturday for two months, rooms in the Wilkinson Student Center are filled with the sound of drums, singing and dancing.
It’s all in preparation for the annual Lu'au, hosted by the BYU Multicultural Student Services and put together by the students themselves. But why all the effort for just two short performances? For student Yona Arredondo and many others, there is a much more profound meaning behind this.
"I choose to participate in Lu'au because it was a way for me to stay connected to the Māori culture. Being so far away from home, it's one of the ways that I feel, still, a piece of that in my life," Arredondo said.
While being the section leader carries a heavy responsibility, Arredondo says it’s worth the time and effort.
"I think it's special that we get to have a piece of the Māori culture and all the Polynesian cultures in our lives and I wanted to offer that same opportunity to my fellow students," Arredondo said.
Students from all backgrounds are invited to participate and learn for themselves about the cultures of Tonga, Hawai’i, Tahiti, New Zealand, Fiji and Samoa.
"Culture, a lot of people look at it like a decoration. But it's… it's who we are. It's what we hold. You know, like the values, the standards that, like, the Samoan culture has, like, we hold that to ourselves. And so, it's important that we represent that and also show others," Seiuli said.
Students and non-students alike have been grabbing their tickets already for the event which will take place in the WSC on Nov. 13-14.