As Proclaim Peace conference attendees walked into the Aotearoa Village at the Polynesian Cultural Center on the last day of the three-day event, they witnessed a rare Maori ceremony that BYU–Hawaii alumnus Seamus Fitzgerald said he had only seen twice in this lifetime. After the attendees were seated, Fitzgerald and Aotearoa Village Manager Kim Makekau did a call and response oration in Maori. Conference attendees said there was a tangible spirit in the air that they felt.

Professors Chad Ford and David Whippy, of the Faculty of Culture, Language & Performing Arts, said it has been their dream for the past seven years to bring BYU–Hawaii peacebuilding alumni back to the campus to share how they are building peace around the globe.

When his eyes are closed, Ryan Ching said he can see a crystal-clear image of his grandfather: Ching is 5 years old, the baseball game is on and he is sitting on his grandpa’s lap playing with his chest hair and slapping his belly. Ching said he recalls pu pu platters, or trays of appetizers, on the table before them, which consist of pistachio nuts, boiled peanuts and the most important ingredient always present in his grandpa’s pu pu platter: poke.

Hand painted onto the circular ceiling of longtime Hauula community member Kenneth Kenzo Furukawa’s three-story house are these words in Hawaiian: “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” The words encircle an angelic scene Furukawa said he decided to paint after seeing many majestic ceilings on his trips to Europe.

’Otai (OH-tye) originated in Polynesia and is enjoyed across the region. This recipe is from the Polynesian Cultural Center's website.

In 2017, Hali’a Moe said she and her husband, Sterling Moe, visited Utah and tasted cookies from Crumbl and Chip. Intrigued by the taste, Moe said she wanted to figure out why these cookies tasted like nothing she ever had before. “So I was like, ‘I want to try to recreate that,’” she said.

Friends and colleagues of BYU-Hawaii Math Professor Susan Barton gathered on the top floor of the new Science Building on the afternoon of June 21 to honor her and the 36 years she has taught at the university.

Jonathan Crisanto, a freshman majoring in information technology from Batangas City in the Philippines, said he does not have any plans yet. But he said he is prioritizing getting his second part-time job for this summer break. He explained his current job at the Polynesian Cultural Center night show only provides 19 hours while he needs to work for 40 hours during the summer.” I [am] hoping to get into the IT department,” said Crisanto and shared he completed IT certificates to qualify himself for the job.

There is nothing quite like this little corner of the world. From the early morning crowing of neighborhood roosters to the community members who bleed Red Raider red; from the world-famous surf and “ono” eats to the aunties and uncles whose quiet, little acts of service have shaped our whole world—we love it here. We count it a delight, a blessing and a privilege to study in such a place, especially among people whose North Shore upbringing guides their everyday life and teaches us how to be better.