Preparations for Culture Night are picking up as the dates for the event peek around the corner. BYUHSA clubs have come together all semester to practice dances and cultural presentations to share with the community for the crowning event of the winter semester. “It gives people a way to appreciate culture without exploiting or disrespecting it. I’m so thankful for the opportunity to really jump in and also appreciate the process of learning a whole new set of dances,” said Kyle Chu, a sophomore accounting major from Washington. Chu will be participating in the Tahitian presentation. Though the grueling late night practices two and three times a week are exciting, a lot happens behind the scenes. Chapters were able to outsource their costume production to family members back home. The Samoan chapter reportedly sent money and measurements to freshman Pearl Tuiasosopo’s family and home relief society in American Samoa. The chapter received their costumes March 21st. The Hawaiian chapter will be featuring the “kahiko style of dancing” (ancient style). Makana Rapozo, one of the student kumu for this year’s presentation, reported Poliahu Sauni and Rose Tataipu “are working tirelessly” to make the traditional pa‘u skirts for the women and malo for the men. The Fiji Chapter held a curry and roti plate lunch fundraiser earlier in the semester to raise money for traditional attire and seamstress labor. The chapter will be performing traditional “meke” as part of their performance and will feature student voices rather than a recorded track as per modern custom. The Aotearoa chapter has been working without end as well. “It’s been awesome to learn the proper way to do these dances from people straight from New Zealand, and seeing that it’s kind of a competition between the chapters, I’m looking forward to see what everyone else has to bring to the table,” said Isabel Otanez-Ortiz, freshman from Iowa. Members were expected to contribute to the purchase of the costume materials and chapter heads created costumes for the presentation. All the chapters are working together to create seamless and soulful presentations. Culture Night will be held in the Cannon Activities center on March 27th and 28th and starting at 9 pm. For more information or for changes in the schedule, stay tuned to http://calendar.byuh.edu. Uploaded March 24, 2015
Writer: Morgynne Tora
