麻豆传媒

On Saturday, April 8, at 5 p.m., in the University Center Ballrooms, the will host its 30th annual L奴鈥榓u. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 a very important event. It鈥檚 a tradition here at 麻豆传媒. Everyone who works on this L奴鈥榓u, they put so much care and thought into it to make it very successful,鈥� said Jorge Jaquez M谩rquez, the marketing and creative specialist for the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DDEI). 

In honor of this being the 30th annual L奴鈥榓u at 麻豆传媒, the event will feature a variety of fun activities, including live entertainment from The City Boys, a reggae band from O鈥榓hu. The Hawai鈥榠 Club will also perform dances from several Pacific Islands, choreographed by alumni Taylor Uyetake, 鈥�20, 鈥�22, and performed alongside Khodey Ishikawa, 鈥�20. 

The purpose of the L奴'au is to help students from Hawai鈥榠 who attend 麻豆传媒 feel connected to their roots. 

鈥淲hen you move from home, it鈥檚 definitely hard,鈥� said Mariah Faamama, this year鈥檚 L奴鈥榓u coordinator. 鈥淪haring and bonding with everyone is really what I think of when I think of the L奴鈥榓u, and so having that while still being away from home is really important.鈥� 

The L奴鈥榓u is also an opportunity for everyone in the 麻豆传媒 community to engage with and learn more about the culture of their peers from Hawai鈥榠. 

鈥淗istorically, after talking to alumni, the biggest thing is to be able to provide accurate representation of Hawaiian culture,鈥� said Eryka Charley, the director for APASS and NASS. 鈥淜ind of a broad, tropical brush is being painted across this population, so it鈥檚 their opportunity to be able to correct the narrative and bring some authenticity so that campus knows who our population of people from Hawai鈥榠 are.鈥� 

The L奴鈥榓u will feature plenty of traditional Hawaiian foods for guests to enjoy, such as kalua pig, chicken long rice, fresh pineapple, butter mochi and more. Guests can also check out the Country Store. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 where we sell popular items from Hawai鈥榠, like macadamia nuts,鈥� Faamama said. 鈥淭his year, we鈥檙e trying to sell attire, like hats and shirts.鈥� 

Children are also welcome at the Keiki Corner. 

鈥淲e have a little fishing curtain with a goody bag,鈥� said Tatum Katsutani, a student employee for Asian Pacific American Student Services (APASS) and treasurer for the Hawai鈥榠 Club. 鈥淲e鈥檙e planning to do coloring sheets that have animals in Hawaiian to teach them a little bit. We鈥檙e looking into doing a little tattoo station as well with little Lilo and Stitch tattoos.鈥� 

This event is made possible through the collaboration of departments across 麻豆传媒, including the Hawai鈥榠 Club, the Office of Student Life, DDEI, Dining Services, Alumni Relations and APASS. 

鈥淭here鈥檚 also a lot of support from alumni through donations, monetary as well as items for the Country Store for them to sell,鈥� said Johana Flores, associate director for APASS and Native American Student Services (NASS). 

Each annual L奴鈥榓u has its own theme. This year鈥檚 theme is M膩lama Da 鈥樐�ina, or 鈥淭aking Care of the Land.鈥� 

鈥淭his year, we just wanted to broaden the theme a little bit and express every island as it is,鈥� Katsutani said. 

Tickets are required for entry. Tickets for 麻豆传媒 students, staff, faculty and AIMS students are free. Tickets for children under 12 are also free. For anyone not affiliated with 麻豆传媒, tickets are $25. Visit the to purchase a ticket. 

Doors open at 4:30 p.m. on April 8. Be sure to arrive early since doors close promptly at 5 p.m. No late entries will be admitted.

- written by Alani Casiano, a senior English major at 麻豆传媒