The new student leadership team for Brigham Young University-Hawaii Service Association (BYUHSA) continues with the focus of providing leadership opportunities for students. “We are a service association, not a student association,” said President Dallin Jared Leota, a freshman studying psychology from Australia.BYUHSA will serve students by helping them figure out the issues that they have with the school, bringing them to people they need to talk to and see. “We’re down here with you, working, and we’re all serving and doing the same thing as you, except we can try and help train you to voice what concern you have, and know the right people you are to talk to resolve those concerns,” said Leota. “We want our students to become self-reliant, as the Lord would want us to be.”Recently elected as president of BYUHSA, Leota said his time is filled with family, church and work. Leota was eager to share his dream of what he imagines BYUHSA to achieve and said, “I was blessed to know that on the day of graduation, the first day I was president. I saw the graduates coming in, and I couldn’t help but feel exactly what the Lord wanted, that every student is to leave here with the ability to build up the kingdom and establish peace wherever they go.” Sala McCarthy-Stonex, a junior from Laie studying political science, is one of the new vice presidents dealing with concerns, education and feedback through the Student Advisory Council (SAC). She loves understanding and learning languages. “I love thinking. I love learning. Because I have a love of learning, I enjoy getting to know other people,” she said. “I look forward to helping and bettering the experience of students here and students that come in the future.” McCarthy-Stonex coordinates a team that works to do research and collaboration on issues that are submitted to them. The SAC Feedback Form is found at: http://student.byuh.edu/node/391Blake Va’aulu, a senior from Samoa studying business management, and the vice president over student associations (BSAs), enjoys basketball, movies and eating. “I want to help students feel proud of where they are going to school. I feel like I’ve had a lot of experience here, and I want other people to have the same feeling.” Va’aulu coordinates leadership development for the 41 student associations, ranging from cultural groups to special interests like Photography, Gamers, Anime, etc.Andrew Collette, a junior studying business management from California, also spends most of his time with his wife and is happy spending time and doing things with other people. He is the person to see in the office if you need help. He adds, “I make sure everyone does everything. I do record keeping, lots of emails, organizing and Excel spreadsheets.” The new presidency at BYUHSA is there to help instead of being a middleman. “That’s not what we want our purpose to be,” said McCarthy-Stonex. “It’s more empowering students to be able to solve their own problems and connecting them with the administration. We want the students to be their own leaders and own problem solvers.” “The ultimate goal is to establish an environment where students can enjoy themselves and gain a quality education that’s possible by making just the whole process easier here,” said Va’aulu. “So that more time is spent on important stuff, like relationships. We’re here to help.” Uploaded May 21, 2015

Moriyasu Ito, Shinto priest of the Meiji Jingu Shrine, provided BYU-Hawaii students with information about the shrine located in the center of Tokyo, Japan. In his visit on May 5, Ito explained what Shinto is, the type of things that take place at the shrine and also what the sacredness of the shrine represents.Jarek Buss, a senior majoring in political science from Wyoming, explained the relation BYUH has to Ito. Buss said, “Mr. Ito traveled to BYU Provo in 2005 where he did a homestay and studied at the university for a few weeks. On his way home, he stopped at BYUH and really enjoyed it. This time, he was traveling home from a trip to London and Washington D.C. and had a layover in Hawaii, so he reached out to his friends and contacts here and asked if he could visit again. This visit is part of a much longer relationship between Shinto and the church.”As Ito explained in the presentation, Shinto is not necessarily a religion. Shintoism does not put out doctrine or send missionaries to discuss the religious beliefs. It can best be described as one’s own interpretation of legends and beliefs, and a way of expression and appreciation for the earth. Shinto serves as a channel between the people and Kami (Japanese deity). Shintoism has a strong emphasis on sacred, reverent and pure places where people pray for their needs and wants such as good health and world peace. Ito said approximately 90 percent of the Japanese people follow Shinto and there are 80,000 shrines in Japan.Before entering a shrine, there are certain types of steps people must follow. At the Meiji Jingu Shrine, it is customary that visitors wash their hands and rinse their mouths. In order to show reverence to the Kami, the visitor also must bow twice, clap twice, and bow again to exemplify respect.Ito said anyone can visit the shrine, perform and take part in the festivities that occur at Meiji Jingu. On Nov. 3, the Meiji Jingu Autumn Grand Festival is held to celebrate the birth of the first emperor, Meiji. A Harvest Festival takes place on Nov. 23 to thank the Kami for the blessings of the crops. There are rituals of Shinto prayers, Shinto dances, and ceremonies that acknowledge the champions of Sumo. Buss noted the similarities between Shinto and the LDS Church. Buss said, “One important similarity between Shinto and our own beliefs is the importance of purity. Shinto priests wear white robes for the same symbolic reason we do. They also believe that water can wash away the ‘impurities’ that come to us throughout our lives and dim our vital energy, and they participate in ritual washings before important ceremonies. I think that we can find so much common ground with people who value living an honest, clean, upright life.” Reflecting on the presentation given, BYUH student Daniel Malinconico, a senior majoring in both ICS and history from New Jersey, said, “I really enjoyed the whole experience. I was thoroughly impressed by the video about Shintoism that he shared. It was highly informative and beautifully put together highlighting the majesty of the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo. I think that they should make that video public. It really was fantastic.” Buss added, “Mr. Ito did an admirable job of explaining Shinto and answering questions. I think it was an excellent opportunity for non-Japanese students to learn more about Shinto, which is perhaps less of a ‘religion’ as we understand the term, and more of a cultural outlook on life that is inseparable from Japanese identity. For the Japanese students, it was a great chance to meet several very important people from their own country, network with them, and share their own experiencesat BYUH.”Sala McCarthy-Stonex, a junior majoring in political science from Laie, said, “I loved the presentation. I’m a big fan of Japan, the language, culture, etc.…and so learning even more about Shintoism was fun…The most interesting thing would probably be that their largest shrine, Meiji Jingu, is located right in the middle of such a busy and highly populated city. I realize they built it when it wasn’t so busy and modern, but the fact that the Japanese still honor it enough to not destroy it is amazing. Lastly, I also loved that I was able to get the business card of the director of the Meiji Jingu Intercultural Research Institute, as I’m going there in the summer.” Malinconico concluded by saying, “Overall I am very glad that I was able to go and for those who did not go really missed out on this special opportunity. As a student body, we are very homogeneous when it comes to our religious beliefs, but I believe that as we strive to better understand others we can more readily be a blessing to the world at large.”Uploaded May 21, 2015

The World Fireknife Championships began with 19 of the top fireknife dancers in the world from Florida, Tahiti, Samoa, Philadelphia, Hawaii and Japan competing for the championship title. It ended with one, Joseph Cadosteau from Tahiti, a returning two-time champion winning $5,000. Mikaele Oloa from Waialua was the runner-up, with Via Tiumalu from Florida in third place, who are also returning champions. It took place at the Polynesian Cultural Center from May 7 to 9. Now in its 23rd year, the fireknife finale took place during the intermission of the “Ha: Breath of Life” night show and after the annual We Are Samoa Festival. Fireknife dancing comes from the Samoan ailao (a warrior’s knife dance), explained retired PCC Director of Cultural Islands Pulefano Galea’i. This is usually performed before battle and has evolved to include fire – so now warriors dance with flaming knives. The event captivated the audience as the fireknife dancers spun, twirled, and threw flaming knives high into the air and caught them. Some dancers juggled three to four fireknives at the same time, risking dropping them and losing points. Judges watched for speed and dexterity, a strong entrance and powerful exit, smooth transitions from trick to trick, a good performance of warrior spirit, and if the competitor dropped the fireknife. The performers danced and kept to the beat of pounding Polynesian drummers. Winners and competitors alike performed exceptionally well. After winning, Cadosteau said it was hard to explain his feelings. “It’s very hard, but it’s very happy. That’s what I know. I’m happy to share that with my daughter, my family, my wife and everybody.” Cadosteau performed to a roaring audience on May 9, almost perfectly spinning a fireknife, while laying down and jumping, even taking three fireknives and juggling them. As he performed, he said, “I thought about my daughter. My daughter, when she looks at my fire practice, she always says, ‘Papa’s fire! Papa’s fire!’ So when I was in trouble with my routine, I think, ‘Papa’s fire!’ And it gives me energy to keep going to the end without giving up.” Fireknife dancing is an inclusive community, with family, friends, and fellow competitors supporting each other as they learn and improve, said third-place winner Tiumalu. “This is a brotherhood, you know. This is part of our culture that we want to push to a younger crowd to people all around the world,” he said.Family and friends watch the practice and progress, and at the end of the night, everybody wants the performance to go well. Jane Cadosteau, wife of the Joseph Cadosteau, said, “All of these guys work so hard, and for them to come here, if they feel like they’ve done their best, they can leave feeling good about it. If they come and they prepared all year for it, and if they come and they feel like they haven’t done their best, then it’s really hard.”Neil Webb from Australia, also a fireknife dancer, was there filming a documentary about the heart of fire. He said, “The whole Polynesian culture, not just the fireknife – I feel like every single person loves their tradition so much. These people, they share their passion so strongly, so openly, that it blows me away just to watch it, and it gives me so much inspiration just doing what I love, because they show me that they love what they do and they’re so passionate about it.”Elijah Cavanagh, a videographer from Australia, said, “It’s special for us because basically Neil Webb, he has a heart right, and he has a passion, and what he does, he expresses his body through fire and he dances, but when he dances he’s not just moving; he’s expressing something. That’s all in his heart. We’re trying to find and trying to relate back to culture all over the world, because Neil knows it so strongly. The cultures burning really brightly.”Oloa, the second-place winner, said at the end of the finale, “I really try to take in every small thing, every face that you see, every person clapping. You take it all in and thank God for everything.”Uploaded May 21, 2015

Iran has been in a nuclear standoff against the world’s six major powers (United States, China, Germany, Russia, Britain, and France) for years. This crisis reaches beyond Iran; it is also affects the surrounding Middle Eastern countries and more. BYU-Hawaii political science students do their best to explain what they understand what is happening in Iran. Gong Tobchan, a senior in political science from Thailand, said the hot topic about Iran is its nuclear program. As the United States is greatly involved in the negotiations, Tobchan said, “Obama just came up with a deal to negotiate with Iran concerning this matter. Iran needs nuclear weapons to become a dominant power in this region and take control of Islamic states.” Tobchan continued, “There is only one other Eastern country that has nuclear weapons and that is Israel, and Israel has strong relationship with the U.S. with its foreign policies.” Having nuclear weapons is a sign of power. Tobchan said Iran wants to be like North Korea because it has great influence on the world stage driven by the fear instilled by its nuclear weapons. “No matter how hard Obama is trying to make a deal to stop Iran from developing its nuclear program, it will not work,” he concluded.Everyday there seems to be something in the news about the conflicts Between Iran and the United States. Haley Johnson, a junior history major from Utah, said even though it is hard to keep up, she believes it’s an important issue to follow. Johnson said, “As a history major, I know that conflict in Iran has been happening for hundreds of years. As unfortunate as it is, when all the world’s superpower countries get involved, you know its bad news. Our country may seem out of harm’s way, but we are involved, so you never know what that could mean for us.”On April 27, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry addressed Iran’s foreign minister about, “overcoming the obstacles to a final agreement to constrain Iran’s nuclear program,” reported The New York Times. According to Reuters News, Kerry said, “[The United States is], in fact, closer than ever to the good, comprehensive deal that we have been seeking, and if we can get there, the entire world will be safer.” Kerry continued to say if the agreement is finalized and implemented, Iran’s paths to the nuclear material needed for nuclear weapons will be closed off. This will give the international community confidence that, “Iran’s nuclear program is indeed exclusively peaceful.” AP reported on May 12 while 53 percent of Americans approve of making a deal with Iran but 69 percent are not confident Iran with follow through on the deal.Greg Boberg, a senior political science major from California, wishes the United States had a firmer stance with Iran, especially concerning its nuclear program. Boberg said, “You have the potential to see another North Korea in [Iran] if you let them keep going down the road they are on. Iran knows that if it can develop nuclear weapons, America will lose some control in the region. Iran is growing more and more bold in projecting its power in the region, and it’s becoming a bigger threat to the little peace there is left in the region.”Peacebuilding majors are also interested in the topic of Iran. Erika Hill, a junior ICS major from Utah, said she cannot help but look at a conflict and wish she could fix it due to her experience in peacebuilding. She said, “I know it’s a fight over nuclear control, which is an important issue, seeing how weapons of mass destruction conduct fear and greatly affect the decisions that the whole world must address. It really is interesting to me to see these conflicts and the strain to find some kind of agreement.”Uploaded May 21, 2015

Gisele Bundchen made her final appearance on the catwalk in her home country of Brazil during the Sao Paulo Fashion Week for Colcci. Bundchen announced her retirement by posting on her Instagram account saying, “Today, after 20 years in the industry, it is a privilege to be doing my last fashion show by choice and yet still be working in other facets of the business. I am grateful that at 14, I was given the opportunity to start this journey.”Bundchen is the world’s highest paid model according to Forbes magazine. Her retirement is the conclusion of her infamous 20-year long career that included representing brands such as Victoria’s Secret, Chanel, Carolina Herrera and Pantene.Bundchen was born and raised in the southern Brazililan state of Rio Grande do Sul. She began her modeling when she was discovered by a modeling agency at age 14. During that time, she placed second in a U.S. nationwide contest and then moved to New York to immerse herself in the fashion industry on the runways there.After moving to New York, Bundchen became a fashion sensation by modeling for top name brands. Her appearance of her freckled face, dirty blonde hair, long-legged and curves made her the notorious face of the fashion industry and runways.Hannah Packard, a senior majoring in EXS from California said, “With Gisele leaving, now there is a place for me on the Victoria’s Secret team. I am happy that Gisele is taking the opportunity to retire to spend time with her family and take time for herself. She has probably made enough money to last seven supermodel lifetimes.”According to the Associated Press, Bundchen out-earned her NFL Quarterback husband Tom Brady in 2014 with netting an estimated amount of $47 million in contracts according to Forbes, thus, making her the highest-paid model in the industry.Bundchen’s retirement of the runway will not be the final contribution to the fashion industry. According to Buzzfeed, Bundchen still has her two fashion lines, one of which is for sandals and the other for lingerie. Alyssa Walhood, a senior majoring in English from Oregon said, “ Gisele leaving is the end of an era for the angels.”Uploaded May 21, 2015

The movement to stop the construction of a 18-story, $1.4 billion telescope on the summit of Mauna Kea has grown in momentum as protestors in Hawaii and around the world have made #WeAreMaunaKea a trending topic on social media. Hawaii Gov. David Ige extended a construction moratorium for the telescope and on April 27 members of the opposition groups Mauna Kea Hui and Mauna Kea Ohana delivered to his office a thumb drive filled with “53,000 signatures against building the Thirty Meter Telescope on a mountain held sacred by Native Hawaiians,” reported AP. The day before on April 26, hackers disrupted the telescope’s website as well as the Hawaii state government’s website, says AP. “At no time was data comprised or were services at risk,” said Jodi Leong, the governor’s deputy director of communications. “The website was brought back up on a back-up server at 2 p.m. and full site availability was restored by 4:40 p.m.”Thirty Meter Telescope spokeswoman Sandra Dawson said its website was overwhelmed by hackers trying to attack the website, reported AP. She said the attacks are coming from people outside of Hawaii but there have been no breaches of the company’s secure files.Mauna Kea on the Big Island is the tallest mountain in the world when measured from base to summit, reports to BBC News. This telescope would allow astronomers and scientists to see up to 13 billion light years away, going back to the origins of the universe. People have gathered together to protest the placement of the telescope on Hawaiian sacred land, Mauna Kea. BYU-Hawaii History Professor Isaiah Walker explained the place Mauna Kea has in Hawaiian history. He said, “Mauna Kea is sacred for many reasons. First, it is a wahi pana, or sacred space. In Hawaiian mo‘olelo (oral histories), Mauna Kea was home to Wakea, Sky Father, and was the place he connected with Papa, Earth Mother (where the sky and earth meet). Together, Papa and Wakea created the islands, other forms of life, and eventually man. In regard to Hawaiian views of creation, I suppose Mauna Kea was a kind of Garden of Eden in the Kumulipo (Hawaiian creation story). Many Hawaiians see it as sacred in the same ways that others would look at church or temple grounds… “Second, the land is sacred because it is national conservation land, which is supposed to preserve it from over-development. Yet, this observatory, if built, will be the 14th observatory on the mountain.”Walker continued, “Third, Mauna Kea is on ceded land. Ceded lands are lands that belonged to the Hawaiian Kingdom, the Hawaiian government, the Hawaiian public before the Hawaiian nation became occupied in 1898. The University of Hawaii is managing the land of Mauna Kea and subleasing it to other countries to use for their various observatories.”Local Hawaiians and opponents of the telescope from all over the world have petitioned to stop the construction of the telescope. This controversy has also sparked a wave of social media support shown by photos of people with the words “We are Mauna Kea,” written on them or held up signs with the comment on them, reported BBC News. Celebrities such as “Game of Thrones” star Jason Momoa, Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger and San Francisco Giants’ pitcher Madison Bumgarner have all used #WeAreMaunaKea.The increase of members on the Facebook page “Stand for Mauna Kea” matches the increase in support and awareness of the issue around the world. Joshua Lanakila Mangauil, one of the administrators of the page, said, “I launched this page in October, shortly after the ground-breaking ceremony at the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) site. Until a few weeks ago, the group had only a couple hundred members and it was a place to communicate about the issues relating to the mountain and the planned construction of the TMT. In just a few short weeks, the group has grown to be 15,000 strong.” Mangauil continued, “The use of social media allows us to communicate about events happening all over the globe in support of halting the construction of the TMT. Having that global support and the ability to share information freely has surely been a big part of the visibility of our efforts. We will continue to work together to bring attention to this proposed desecration of our sacred mountain.” Attorney David Kimo Frankel, of the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation, said the cultural heritage of the land gives it legal rights, and telescope isn’t consistent with criteria in Hawaii’s state administrative rules. “If it is a sacred site, if it’s an important cultural resource, and the project would degrade that cultural resource, then it’s inconsistent with the law,” he said to Hawaii News Now.University of Hawaii professor and land use attorney David Callies disagreed with the protestors, arguing that the telescope’s developer “met all demands and are on solid legal footing,” according to Hawaii News Now. Callies said, “It’s the state’s land. It’s the university’s land. It’s for a scientific purpose. It’s for a purpose that fits the mission of the university. And it’s for one of the purposes that conservation land has been used in the past.” Protestor Isa Center said of the land, “Our ancestors believed that there were numerous gods and goddesses and Mauna Kea was their temple. They feel strongly that this will disrupt their temple,” wrote BBC News. She continued, “In Hawaii, the land is precious to our people. It’s a very strong cultural protest.” Accurate up to April 30, 2015

BYU-Hawaii Enactus members took home top honors and were crowned champions at the 2015 United States National Enactus Expo on April 16, beating out 177 other college teams. Sery Kone, BYUH Enactus president, said, “The BYUH team shared an amazing team spirit and one common goal of sharing our stories and best practices with others. That is what was different this year and that is what helped to lead us to win.” BYUH’s Enactus team created projects to empower residents of the Ivory Coast, the home country of Kone. The team inspired women to become entrepreneurs through microfinancing and taught cacao farmers to pollinate crops through beekeeping to increase their production and income. Team member Peder McOmber, a senior from California studying history, said, “The results were extraordinary and proved to be more than just a project. There was cultural impact recorded and our projects didn't just show action on our part but also from those we worked with in Africa.” Alex Perwich, president of Enactus United States, said, “The accomplishments of the BYUH team, the 177 other teams that competed this week, and hundreds of other active Enactus teams around the country underscore the fact that participation in Enactus provides university students with the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in their communities, while gaining the experience, skills and contacts necessary to build a successful career." With the win at Nationals in St. Louis, Mo., BYUH will now represent the United States as one of 36 countries at the 2015 Enactus World Cup in October in Johannesburg, South Africa. “I have to admit it is a little funny. A small boy from Africa will now be part of a team to go to represent the United States at a World Cup competition in Africa. I think it is a beautiful thing. These kinds of opportunities can only happen in the U.S.,” said Kone, who was awarded the “Can’t Never Could” award in recognition of his success in overcoming challenges.The competition creates a platform for university students to share their ideas to other students and businessmen and women from around the nation. The presentations demonstrated how each team is helping others around the world. “It wasn’t so much about the competition but more about an opportunity to share experiences. Everyone there wants to help others and create a sustainable project. We are all collaborating and working to get better. Each team has something to learn from the others. That was a special part of the competition for me,” said Kone. Throughout the whole process the team members said they felt inspired and directed by Heavenly Father. The projects themselves, the way they were planned and executed, and the presentation all came as the team focused on helping others and doing the Lord’s will. “Its more a feeling of gratitude,” said Kone, referring to the win. “I don’t think we did something special. I think we had an opportunity to represent the church and school with our projects on a national level and we all saw the Lord’s hand through out all of the project and competition. We know and understand where the blessing and success is coming from.”According to Kone, BYUH has been participating in Enactus for almost 20 years and those before have helped to pave the way for this year’s victory. “I just want to make sure that advisers, students, and previous team members all share in the victory that happened this year,” said Kone. Uploaded May 21, 2015

As part of the Communication 321 class, BYU-Hawaii students spent Winter Semester working and preparing to compete in the Hawaii District National Student Advertising Competition (NSAC) on April 18. They competed against colleges that are veterans to the competition, like Chaminade University of Honolulu and Hawaii Pacific University, and HPU took the win. Daniel Stout, professor of International Cultural Studies and teacher for the Comm 321 class, said it was a great learning experience for the students. Stout said he believed in the team and that it was a unique experience for the students about the advertising industry. Stout remarked, “The NSAC is a demanding and broadening educational activity. It requires critical thinking and simulates a professional-level media campaign to a an actual client. The BYUH team did very well in its first-ever appearance in the competition. Its “Click, Click, Yum” strategy and sophisticated mobile app for Pizza Hut were usable ideas. Our students learned a great deal about campaigns this semester. They represented the university very well.” Linda Ceballos, international communications and psychology senior from Mexico, said it was a long and tough road to get ready for the competition because “no one we knew had ever been in one recent competition. We weren’t really sure what to expect!”Ceballos, who also graduated the same day as the competition and made it to Honolulu just minutes before presenting, said she loved competing in a real life situation. She commented, “It wasn’t the usual get ready to present in class or presenting for the research conference thing at school. It was more like getting ready to score a job.”Christopher Patenaude, a junior ICS major from Washington D.C., said a lot of time went into the preparations. “The researching ideas, testing and revising, and assembling the final product goes beyond the five who presented,” Patenaude said. “I just want to give a huge shout-out to the team for all the hours spent, sleep sacrificed, and determination given to see all the tasks to completion.”Stout added, "Team members fielded tough questions from professional judges just like an actual agency pitch. This is part of the learning process. While our team members presented a solid campaign, students competing next year will be even stronger. Although HPU won, I don't think we were far off. While their research plan was impressive, our creative concept was stronger, in my view."Sonja Klev, a junior business major from Utah, said the competition was fun. She shared, “It was great experience. I’m excited for next year and what we’ll bring to the table.” Comm 321 will be offered again during Winter Semester 2016.Uploaded May 21, 2015

The inventor of the steel guitar, Laie-born Joseph Kekuku, was honored at the Polynesian Cultural Center as a life-sized bronze statue in his likeness was unveiled on April 27. Members of the Hawaii Steel Guitar Association and the International Steel Guitar Association were present for the unveiling, along with relatives of Joseph Kekuku.BYU-Hawaii alum Leroy Transfield was the sculptor of this statue and one of Hamana Kalili, who is credited as the originator of the shaka sign. It also stands on PCC’s grounds. Transfield, a graduate in sculpting from New Zealand, worked in the carving hut at PCC as a student. Transfield moved to Utah and said there was a time when life got extra hard for him and his family. He felt dejected, thinking he had done all the sculptures he was meant to do. However, “A thought came to me—you still haven’t done all the sculptures you need to do.” That gave him the courage he needed. “Six months later PCC contacted me to do these two sculptures,” said Transfield. He was asked to do it on a “short timeline, but everything came together very easily.” His son helped him because of the short timeline.Kaiwa Meyers, grand-daughter of Kekuku’s sister Violet, spoke at the unveiling. “Today we honor a boy born and raised in Laie with the unveiling of his statue. He is worthy and deserving of this. Uncle, you are truly a gift from heaven and a keiki of the ‘aina,”she said.She told the story of the discovery of the steel guitar. “He loved to play the guitar, and one day his metal comb fell out of his pocket and onto his string. He thought, ‘Wow, the sound is so beautiful!’ It took him seven years to perfect the guitar.” Myers said he then attended Kamehameha schools and taught his classmates at age 15. By 1904, Hawaiian steel guitar music became so popular it was played on 750 radio stations on the mainland, Meyers explained. Joseph and his band, The Bird of Paradise, moved to the mainland in 1904 and toured until 1919, touring Europe for eight years, and “playing for kings and queens,” said Meyers. She said Joseph opened a school of music in Chicago, and then moved to New Jersey, where he got sick and passed away in 1932.Alfred Grace, president of PCC, said he became aware of the significance of Hawaiian steel guitar when he heard the signature music in a hotel in Helsinki, Finland. The Finns were wearing aloha shirts amid reindeer and cold. “I’m glad to have this little acknowledgment and memory so all those visitors who walk by this very place can learn about this magnificent man, this son of Laie,” said Grace. Local steel guitarist Ron Johnson performed the songs “Koke‘e” and “Hi‘ilawe” at the unveiling ceremony. The audience joined in the singing and local kumu hula Kekela Miller rose from her seat to dance a hula. “I am humbled to be here,” Johnson said. He said he taught steel guitar to 4th graders at Laie Elementary. “It was really meaningful to be able to teach the keiki on of Joseph’s original tunings.”John Muaina, vice president of Human Resources for PCC, said Kekuku is an individual who contributed something great to the world. “He influenced western, big band, jazz and country music. We are appreciative of the Kekuku family for allowing us to honor him. He created not just a new instrument, but also a new language of imagery and communication.” Kekuku was born in Laie, but never returned to the islands once he left. Muaina said, “I believe Hawaii traveled with him wherever he went.” Uploaded May 21, 2015