Chapman University’s Pua’ikeana club is hosting their annual lū’au event on May 6 in honor of May Day — which is celebrated on May 1 in Hawai’i — in the hopes of spreading Hawaiian culture among students. 

The lū’au, a Hawaiian feast involving dancing and music, will be held at the Hutton Sports Center Gym and will include hula dancing and traditional Hawaiian food like kalua pig and haupia. Kalua pig is a dish made from pork butt roast and Hawaiian sea salt, and haupia is a dessert made from coconut milk. There will also be drinks and games for those who attend. 

The event, called Aloha Mau, means perpetual love, and it is an opportunity for students to connect with each other and the Hawaiian culture. 

Aloha Mau will be held near the celebration of May Day, also called Lei Day, a Hawaiian national holiday held annually on May 1. The holiday is centered around the ritual of making leis and the belief that the crafter of the lei has their spirit woven into it. Because of this, the gift of a lei is extremely personal and heartfelt, according to the city and county of Honolulu. 

The members of the club are planning to spread the news of the lū’au through posts on social media, posters around campus and word of mouth.

Paige Ho, a sophomore studying applied human physiology, is a member of the Pua’ikeana club and one of the lū’au directors this year. 

“Lū’aus were traditionally used to celebrate an accomplishment and honor the Hawaiian Gods,” Ho told The Panther. “During a lū’au, we eat traditional Hawaiian food, as well as dishes with influence from the Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Filipino and Portuguese immigrants. This combination of foods helps create a feast showcasing the cultural diversity of Hawai’i.”

Ho has celebrated May Day in the past in Hawai’i and specifically enjoys the welcoming spirit of the holiday.

“Growing up, my family and I would go to lū’aus in Hawai’i,” Ho said. “I loved being able to celebrate the accomplishments of my family members with good food and good company.”

Ho and Madi Sagawa, the other lū’au director, have been planning the upcoming event since September 2022. 

“As the director, I am helping to plan a lū’au that is representative of the Hawaiian and Polynesian cultures,” Ho said. “My partner and I are working closely with several departments on campus to coordinate the small details and ensure the event runs smoothly. We are also working with other Hawai’i club members to advertise this event and create a welcoming environment through dance.”

Sagawa, a sophomore studying health sciences, explained that she and Ho worked with Chapman’s Student Events Advisory Committee and the Student Government Association to organize funding and details.

“There’s a lot of work behind the scenes that goes into planning the lū’au,” Sagawa told The Panther. “We started by picking out the theme, games, decorations, food and finding students interested in performing. We worked with outside companies who will be providing a stage and floral decorations for the lū’au.

Lauren Kalama, a sophomore strategic and corporate communication major, is a choreographer for one of the hula dances that will be featured at the event. She has been hula dancing since she was seven years old, when she attended an after-school hula class in Maui. 

“We originally started (planning the dance) right before spring break,” Kalama told The Panther. “I was a hula choreographer last year, and it was just super fun. When you see them put all the motions together and see how much they care about it, that means the world to me.”

There are two different types of hula dancing, known as hula kahiko and hula ʻauana, Kalama said. 

“There’s kahiko, which is more traditional,” Kalama said. “Kahiko is what we did in ancient Hawai’i. ʻAuana is more of the modern style using guitars and melodies and people singing. So, I’m teaching the faster ʻauana.”

Kalama’s love for dancing hula is based on a general love for her Hawaiian home and culture. 

“I love dancing hula and being able to have lū’au every year. It’s like having a piece of home with me, and something that I really need,” Kalama said. “I feel like a lot of kids from Hawai’i, we miss home a lot. Especially being born and raised as a Native Hawaiian, I feel like it’s my responsibility to perpetuate my culture, whether that be through speaking my language, dancing or just talking to people about it.”

A large purpose of the lū’au is to not only host a welcoming event, but also to spread accurate knowledge about Hawai’i. 

“People know about Hawai’i, but in a different way,” Kalama said. “They know it as a paradise. Of course it is, but we do have many issues and many struggles similar to people up here. So having more of that realistic knowledge and what Hawai’i is really about, it just brings people together in that aloha spirit.”

Although the event is centered around Hawaiian culture, all students are encouraged to attend.

“The lūʻau is a great opportunity for students to learn more about Hawai’i and the Hawaiian culture,” Sagawa told The Panther. “We encourage students from all backgrounds to join us in a fun night with good food, music and entertainment.”