Soon-to-be-mother and graduate shares her story of how music and hula have shaped her
Influenced by her own mother’s love of music and culture, expectant mother and soon-to-be BYU-Hawaii graduate Teeya Le’i said she hopes to be the same kind of supportive mother to her child as her mom was to her. Le’i said her own experiences learning Hawaiian culture and dancing hula in high school, college, the Polynesian Cultural Center and in the annual Merry Monarch festival in Hilo, Hawaii, has added to her passion for her culture and her desire to share the aloha spirit with everyone she can.
As Le’i is preparing for motherhood, she said she is filled with gratitude for the lessons her mother had taught her and the precious memories they had shared. She looked forward to embarking on this new chapter of her life with the same love, dedication, and determination that her mother had shown her. With her baby's arrival just around the corner, Le’i said that she is excited for the next chapter of her journey as a mother. She added she continues to cherish her cultural roots, knowing that it would be a legacy she would pass on.
Le'i was born in Hawaii and raised in the town of Kahuku, located on the North Shore of the green, tropical island of Oahu. She is the youngest of seven siblings, she said, born into a diverse heritage that blends Hawaiian, Samoan, Irish, Scottish, and Chinese roots. From a young age, Le’i shared she was immersed in the rich cultural traditions of her island home. She began performing as a hula dancer for the Ali'i Luau at the Polynesian Cultural Center when she was just 5 years old. Her love for her culture continued to grow, she said, as she participated in the Keiki Hula competition, which is a prestigious dance competition for young dancers similar to the Merry Monarch competition but for children.
In 2014, she said she attended Kamehameha High School, a renowned private school in Hawaii known for its commitment to preserving and promoting Hawaiian culture. Over her years at Kamehameha High School, Le’i said she actively participated in cultural events, performances, and celebrations hosted by her school. According to her, she was the choir conductor for the woman of her class for her high school’s annual class song contest in which she led them to victory in their junior and senior years. She participated in her senior year of high school in the Merry Monarch competition, which is a popular cultural event that takes place annually in Hilo, Hawaii, in the United States. It is a week-long celebration of hula, a traditional Hawaiian dance form that combines movement, music, and storytelling, and is considered an important part of Hawaiian culture. Le’i said her experience at the Merry Monarch further fueled her passion for her culture and motivated her to continue sharing the aloha spirit wherever she goes.
In 2018, Le’i said that she started her college experience at Brigham Young University in Provo. She reported she wanted to attend that university because her older sisters seemed to have enjoyed their time studying there. Le’i said while studying at BYU in Provo, she auditioned for the Performance Art Group called the Living Legends, which is a group that comprises native American, Latin American, and Polynesian dancers. As being a part of this group, she said she was able to find her home away from home and do what she loves doing most, dancing. Unfortunately, Le’i did not enjoy all aspects of BYU in Provo so she decided to transfer to BYU-Hawaii where she could continue her educational journey.
Upon learning about the Holoka’i program, she said she became interested in majoring in hospitality and tourism management. She saw her major as an opportunity to continue spreading her culture and the aloha spirit to others. In her early years of college, she went back to work at the Polynesian Cultural Center. “I worked at the PCC Hawaiian Village because I wanted to dance and interact with the tourists,” Le’i said. She shared she was happy to return to her former dance group named Halau Ka Pua Liko o Kalaniakea, with whom she got to participate to the Merry Monarch competition once more in April 2022.
In her junior year of college, she got married and sealed at the Laie Hawaii Temple on July 4, 2022. However, her senior year of college brought an unexpected surprise as she found out she was expecting her first baby. Juggling her classes, doctor's appointments, work, and pregnancy, Le’i said she would feel overwhelmed at times. Her body experienced discomfort, and her feet would hurt after long nights at work. “There are nights when I would just go home crying and complaining to my husband,” she added. Despite these challenges, she said she drew strength from the influence of her mother.
Le’i’s mother, passed away from cancer in December 2020, she said, but her mom played a significant and influential role in her life. She said her mother was a pianist at church and influenced in Le’i’s love for dance and culture. She said her mother was always present at every dance event, providing support and encouragement. Le’i said her mother would always help her with costume preparations, she would also always take videos and photos of her dancing, and constantly motivate her to be the best at what she does. “My mom used to make me sing while she would play piano, and she would always have me practice dancing multiples at home,” Le’i said. “She would literally just stare at me to make sure I am doing things right,” she added.
Le’i also expressed how difficult it was for her not to have her mother attending her wedding and supporting her throughout the preparation process of it. Le’i shared, “It was difficult because my mother was able to attend the weddings of my older siblings. So, knowing that she wouldn't be there for mine made me a little sad.” Le’i said she cherished the memories of her mother's unwavering support and aimed to be just as present and supportive in her own child's life.
Le’i’s due date is fast approaching, and she expressed excitement about becoming a mother. She said her baby is her precious graduation gift, as her expected due date falls just two weeks after her completion of college. She said she looks forward to spending quality time with her baby while adjusting to life as a new mom. Le’i hopes to be a positive example for her son, she continued, passing on her passion for dance and culture, just like her mother had done with her. She said she aspires to be like her mother, present and supportive in her child's life, and instill the same values of love and appreciation for their heritage.