Mexican music, food, and games were a few of the ways the Club Dining Facility, or the Caf, celebrated Mexican Independence Day on Sept. 16. The BYU–Hawaii Latin American Student Association hosted the night in collaboration with the Caf to provide the entertainment.
Katai Mariteragi, the Club Dining Facility supervisor and special events coordinator from the Cook Islands, said the association was invited to help put together the menu as well as the evening’s activities.
Ianitza Torres, a senior in hospitality and tourism management from Mexico, said the menu the Latin American Student Association and the school decided on consisted of creamy chipotle chicken, alambre, and Mexican rice. Torres said she helped cook the meal.
Mariteragi explained the process of putting the event together. She said, “Every year, we plan all of the events for the whole year and we send e-mails out to the students in charge of clubs, inviting them to have themed nights here at the Club.”
Throughout the evening, the association taught attendees how to dance the bachata and hosted various games like musical chairs and Loteria, a Latin version of Bingo.
Member Alex Moreno, a freshman majoring in business management from Mexico, said the association took into consideration what has been done for fiesta events in past years. They also used decorative ornaments in order to give the Caf a little Latino flare. Those decorations, along with the dancing, were Mariteragi’s favorite part of the evening.
Moreno elaborated on the historical side of Mexican Independence Day, saying, “Everybody thinks Cinco de Mayo is the day of Mexican independence, but it’s really not. On Cinco de Mayo, Mexico won a huge battle with the French, but didn’t gain independence. They gained full independence from Spain during the night between the 15 and the 16 of September.”
Tania Ontiveros, president of the Latin American Student Association and senior studying exercise and sports science from Mexico, said she would’ve liked to see more interaction from the students.
Mariteragi said she loved seeing the smiles on the faces of students because these events are put on are for the students to enjoy and to bring them together.
Madison Elms, vice president of events and careers and a sophomore studying international cultural studies from California, said, “My favorite part of the evening is seeing the club members and students come out of their boxes and comfort zones.”
Freshman Joshua Lewis, a business management major from Washington, attended the event and said, “I think it’s pretty cool. I like how it was decorated and everything they’ve done switches it up compared to normal nights, and it gives you a snapshot of another culture.”
Mariteragi said she was thankful to the Latin American Student Association for the opportunity to celebrate Mexican Independence Day and encourages other clubs to come celebrate their culture in the Club Dining Facility.