While it can take more than two days to fly non-stop around the earth, BYU–Hawaii students were able to make 27 stops all over the world during the two-night 2022 annual Culture Night.
Held on March 18 and 19, Culture Night is a celebration of the university’s mission, cultural diversity and the promotion of peace internationally as students from campus clubs celebrated their cultures on the floor of the Cannon Activities Center. There were 14 clubs that participated on the first night.
To see more photos from Culture Night, check out the special Ke Alaka'i issue.
Friday night
Hawaii
The Hawaiian Club traditionally is the first club to perform at Culture Night, and this year wearing red, white and blue, club members said they danced in honor of the life-giving force of water to both land and mankind.
Hong Kong
Members of the Hong Kong Club presented traditional lion and dragon dances for Culture Night. Two sets of lion dancers performed together on the stage before a lighted dragon wound around the floor chasing a blazing ball that represents a “pearl of wisdom,” says the China Family Adventure website.
Melanesia
Yellow grass skirts swayed back and forth as the drums played for the Melanesian Club’s performance. A miniature replica of a sailboat was carried to the front of the stage floor and served as a focal point for the performers.
Cambodia
Dressed in glimmering gold headpieces, women dancers used head, arm and intricate figure motions to begin the club’s performance. A group of men in the club did a monkey dance. Their portrayal of monkeys drew laughter and smiles from the audience.
Kiribati
Skirts of black moved to upbeat music as the women of the Kiribati Club came first on floor to dance. The men joined the women and performed together.
Western Country
Wearing denim jeans and cowboy boots, members of the new Western Country Club formed neat lines across the floor as country music began playing and they began line dancing. The dancers then broke into pairs for swing dancing where partners were lifted and swung into the air.
Aotearoa
With quaking hands and wearing facial tattoos and feathers in their hair, members of the club started by singing to the audience. The men came forward at one point and met the audience’s eyes to perform a haka by chanting and sticking out their tongues.
Taiwan
Performers portraying a couple touring Taiwan served as the narrators for this performance. A new song and dance were performed at each stop on their journey. A mascot came out and greeted the audience tossing candy to the crowd.
Hip-Hop
Dancers heads and hair bounced with each upbeat movement to the music. At the end of the performance, the dancers gathered together and threw colorful powder into the air that floated down into their white shirts.
Hapkido
Wearing white robes with various colored belts, the members of the Hapkido Club put on a display of marshal artistry. Then a figure in black stood in the spotlight, slowly drew out a sword and showed the audience how quickly he could maneuver it.
Australia
In the dim blue lighting, the sound of a didgeridoo began to fill the void of silence surrounding the stage. With the introduction of a drumbeat, performers dressed in red began to sing and chant in unison, performing a traditional dance of one of the oldest civilizations.
Indonesia
A song was sung in the darkness, leading to the illuminating of figures from different backgrounds dressed in black standing linked together. Surrounding them were colorful representations of cultures found in Indonesia.
Singapore & Malaysia
Vibrant skirts sparkled as the women moved in their brightly colored fabric pieces and golden headpieces. The men, dressed in colorful attire, rose and fell in a line.
Samoa
Club members flooded the floor dressed in an ocean blue. The men danced and chanted first then the group sat cross legged covering each inch of the floor to present the energetic Sasa.
The showcasing of cultures continued during the second evening of Culture Night 2022, with performances from Pickleball to Fiji. The desire of each group was to represent their cultures making everybody winners that night, said Nefi Krisubanu, who performed with the Indonesia Club. Cheers and clapping filled the Cannon Activities Center as each of the 13 clubs waited for their turn to take the stage that night.
Saturday Night
Pickelball
For 10 minutes, two student teams competed in a pickleball match to win a $50 voucher. Cheered on by the crowd, the players engaged in a head-to-head game, which was analyzed by two commentators.
Vietnam
Dressed in all-white costumes, dancers used their conical hats as an accessory to perform a traditional dance. At the beginning of the performance, a club member said the white costumes resembled the school uniforms worn by students in Vietnam.
Latin America
The stage was filled with female performers wearing vibrant, colorful Folklorico dresses embellished with bright ribbons. The men did a traditional Mexican dance wearing black sombreros.
Thailand
Wearing white hand wraps and shorts, male dancers performed an intricate choreography of the Muay Thai. The martial arts fighters did several stunts that involved tricks like flips, kicks and high jumps.
Mongolia
A contortionist dressed in a black twisted her body into unusual, flexible positions. Mongolian dancers performed a lively choreography and smiled throughout their performance while implementing the difficult, high-energy-filled moves.
Japan
The audience cheered as performers dressed as famous anime characters, among them Naruto and Pikachu, stepped on the stage. The club members, dressed in colorful traditional Japanese wear, mastered unison choreography through their synchronized dance.
Philippines
The Philippine Club told a story of two Philippine native tribes; one wore a touch of red and the other wore a hint of blue. The two tribes who were fighting each other came together in peace through the two lovers from each tribe. The couple was a bridge to unite the groups through love and understanding.
Tahiti
The stage was filled with shades of white, brown and red as men and women from the Tahiti Club wore their tribal traditional clothing with smiles on their faces. Both men and women danced with grace and energy as the crowd cheered them on.
South Korea
The performance of the South Korea Club was a combination of both traditional dance and K-pop. Dancers wearing colorful long-sleeved clothing swayed in the air using fans. A vigorous dance followed with lively music in the signature style of K-Pop.
India
The India Club performance was a mixture of dances such as Indian Pop music, traditional dances and Bollywood moves. The different dance formations, bright colorful costumes and smiles on the dancer’s faces made it fun to watch.
China
The China Club’s performance felt like traveling back in time to ancient China because of the traditional dances and choice of music. Its presentation was not only about how well they danced but also about the amazing traditional clothing they presented with different styles, colors and design. At the end of the presentation, they gathered as a group and waved a massive Chinese flag..
Tonga
The stage was filled with red when Tonga Club presented. Not only did the club members dance with passion and energy but also delivered a heartfelt performance dedicated to their mother island which was devastated by a recent natural disaster. The performers’ plea was to #PrayforTonga. The crowd answered by lighting their phones in the dark as a sign of their support for Tonga.
Fiji
The Fiji Club concluded the Culture Night 2022. Fiji’s presentation was all about the small details of their clothing from their face paint, necklaces, Fijian fans and skirts, showing the countless of hours they did for this performance. With vigorous dancing, the club gave the audience a wholehearted performance. •