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(DAILY_WILDCAT)

By Erin McCusker
Arizona Daily Wildcat
April 7, 1997

Hawaiian paradise created for club's luau


[photograph]

Ian Meyer
Arizona Daily Wildcat

Drake Hirayama, UA Hawaii Club co- luau chairman and master of ceremonies, dances to the Hawaiian song "Haka Na Waka" Saturday at the club's Third Annual Luau at Saints Peter & Pauls Catholic Church. The Hawaii Club holds the luau to promote an interest in the Hawaiian culture and the heritage that the club represents.


Dancing and food made the Hawaii Club's Third Annual Luau Saturday an authentic Hawaiian event.

Members of the Hawaii Club transformed Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church into a Hawaiian paradise, complete with flowers and leaves flown in from Hawaii, said Drake Hirayama, political science senior and co-luau chairman.

"It's a way for our club to get the school and Tucson into the culture and heritage of Hawaii," said Grace Torigoe, president of the Hawaii Club and a human resources senior.

The $13 tickets went on sale in February and sold out in two days, said Ryan Nagata, a business sophomore and co-luau chairman.

Nagata estimated that 350 tickets were sold.

The Hawaii Club began three years ago at the University of Arizona, and has between 30 and 40 members. The membership is not limited to students of Hawaiian descent, although the majority of members are Hawaiian, said Mae Nekoba, a media arts freshman and club member.

"The main purpose of the club is so students from Hawaii or of Hawaiian descent can have a place where they feel comfortable. Since most students here are far away from home, the club's almost like a family," Nekoba said.

The Hawaii Club contacts students from Hawaii and those who have been involved in Hawaiian clubs in high school, who are interested in attending the UA.

"We use the club as a recruiting tool to try and get minority students interested in schools with a Hawaii club to go here," Torigoe said.

This semester, the club's main focus has been the luau.

A combination dance show and dinner buffet, the luau featured authentic Hawaiian food and merchandise.

The dinner buffet had a variety of food, such as Kalua pig, Chicken Long Rice, and Poi.

Education senior Mel Williams said he enjoyed the event.

"I think it's great. This is the first time I've been to this, but I'll definitely come back. It's a good cultural event," he said.

After dinner, members of the Hawaii Club entertained the audience with dancing.

"We've been practicing every week since the beginning of the year," said Nekoba, who was one of the dancers.

Ten groups of men and women danced to traditional Hawaiian songs and music. The last dance, the Hukilau, included all of the dancers.

"The Hukilau was a method of catching fish for ancient Hawaiians," Hirayama, the master of ceremonies, explained.

Phuong Nguyen, a sociology senior who attended last year's luau, said, "I enjoyed it the first time and I know how much time they put into it. It's really great."


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