Kawena Murray described the scenery of Hawaii as a “work of art,” including its beautiful beaches and surf. Pilialoha Haverly expressed gratitude for being raised in a place where people “innately love and trust” each other. Mahinalani Pulotu said the ocean is her “biggest playground.”
BYU–Hawaii students and a Laie community member said there are plentiful reasons to treasure the sunshine state.
What do you love most about Hawaii?
Haverly, a senior from Hauula, Oahu majoring in Hawaiian Studies, said, “The people are what I love the most. I have lived in Hawaii all my life and I have been blessed to be surrounded by not just friends, but to have the majority of my family . . . nearby.” She said she also enjoys the landscape, year-round sunshine, beaches and “luscious green mountains.”
Pulotu, a senior from Kailua Kona, Hawaii, majoring in social work, said the ocean holds a special place in her heart and is what she loves most about Hawaii.
“The ocean is a great food source for many. It brings peace and cleansing for all who are in it, and there are so many activities to enjoy from it,” she said. “It’s the biggest playground Hawaii offers.”
Murray, a Laie community member from Lahaina, Maui, said she enjoys the natural beauty that surrounds the state.
“Year round, without fail, from the sky to the ocean and everything in between, [is a] work of art,” she shared. “I am so blessed to live in such a gorgeous place.”
What is your favorite food from Hawaii?
“I love going to a family luau and being able to see all the good food people have made,” Haverly shared. “But if I had to choose some of my top favorites, in no particular order, it would be poke and rice, chicken long rice with rice or a good laulau with poi and rice for dessert.”
Pulotu said her favorite Hawaiian food is lomi salmon, which is pieces of cut up salmon mixed with tomatoes, onions and other condiments. Murray said her favorite Hawaiian food is kulolo, which is a dessert made primarily of taro and coconut.
What is a big holiday in Hawaii?
King Kamehameha Day, on June 11, is a big holiday in Hawaii, Haverly said. “Before COVID hit, there would be parades with what we call pa’u riders. That is what the parade is very well known for.”
A pa’u rider is a woman horseback rider who wears a long colorful skirt and many different types of leis, explained Haverly. There are eight riders called pa’u princesses, one for each of the Hawaiian Islands, she said, and each rider wears a specific color that represents their island.
“There would [also] be floats with hula dancers and singers,” said Haverly. “Even bands from different high schools or colleges would join the festivities.” Pulotu shared the holiday is in celebration of King Kamehameha and how he conquered and united the Hawaiian Islands.
Murray said another holiday that is big in Hawaii is May Day, also called Lei Day, which is held on May 1 and celebrates “the sharing of aloha, stories, hula, adornments and food.”
What do you think Hawaii is known for?
According to Pulotu, Hawaii is known most for surfing and Duke Kahanamoku, “Who was a huge figure in the sport of surfing and swimming.” Haverly said, “As cliché as it is, Hawaii is pretty well known for its white sand beaches and the surf. We have some beautiful beaches on all the islands and some pretty amazing surf and surfers who live here.”
What is a unique and significant cultural practice of Hawaii?
Hula is one of the most significant cultural practices, Haverly said. “We learn the meaning of the songs … how to make leis, how to be as one and how to connect and become closer to our ancestors and the land on which we live.”
In a halau, or hula school, Haverly said she wrote and printed out the lyrics to every song in both Hawaiian and English. Although the English translation isn’t perfect, she said it allows the dancers to have a deeper connection to the song they are dancing to.
Pulotu said Hawaii organizes the Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo, Big Island, every year in celebration of King Kalakaua. The festival is a week-long event where hula dancers from all over the world come to compete and perform in honor of King Kalakaua, she explained.
“King Kalakua was the last king who reigned in Hawaii. He was a ‘merrie’ king and brought back the arts of music and hula, which had been suppressed for many, many years due to missionary teachings,” she continued.
Murray said the principle of aloha is very unique to Hawaii. She explained, “It means love and trust, and I think that’s where the ‘kick back’ vibe of Hawaii originates from because we innately love and trust one another.” She said this sense of aloha and trust is expressed by calling someone auntie or uncle or leaving house doors slightly opened or unlocked.
What is a traditional piece of Hawaiian clothing?
Pulotu said a few of her favorite pieces of traditional clothing are lauhala hats, Ni’ihau shell leis and kihei, which is a shawl that ties over one shoulder.
Haverly stated the lei po’o, or the head lei, is her favorite piece of traditional clothing because she enjoyed making them and bonding with her mother and sister. She said, “Sometimes I get together with aunties and cousins to make lei po’o, talk story and laugh together. It’s a really fun time.”
Murray said her favorite material is kapa, or bark cloth, because of the hard work that is put into making it. The material is made out of the bark of a Wauke or Mulberry tree, and the bark is pounded and soaked in water for multiple days to create the cloth, she explained. “The [delicate process] is what makes it so special and unique to Hawaiians.”
What is it like going to BYUH having grown up in Hawaii?
Attending BYUH can be a bit of a culture shock, said Murray, because most of the students are from other parts of the world. She said she had to learn to understand the way others lived and vice versa, which pushed her to learn more about people than she had expected.
Haverly said being able to take Hawaiian Studies courses has helped her learn more about her culture. “I have learned a lot about my Hawaiian culture, my ancestors and the things they went through and how they lived,” she shared.
Having grown up in Hauula, studying so close to home is something Haverly said she really loves. “I also get to see friends that I grew up with and be able to make new friends with people from all over.” •