- 2 months ago
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00:00From the very beginning,
00:00:28I felt like I was going to have some issues fitting in.
00:00:30I thought I wouldn't fit in because of how my life had been previously.
00:00:34So, you know, growing up, I was too brown, too white,
00:00:36a lot of things in between.
00:00:41I can see everyone is big, Polynesian-looking,
00:00:43and I'm here, small, Asian, skinny, Filipino-looking kid.
00:00:48I'm going to see if they're going to take me, and hopefully they do.
00:00:50And if they do, I'm going to work as hard as I can
00:00:52to really just make up for the lack of the Polynesian body that I wish I had.
00:00:58When the lights go on, the crowd is surprised.
00:01:00I would say that's our biggest flex being girls,
00:01:03doing this sport.
00:01:04It's a male-dominated sport.
00:01:05But for us to pull it off on the big stage,
00:01:08when we feel like we did really good, I think we know it.
00:01:11The neighborhood I grew up in is pretty rough.
00:01:17My mom and dad got separated when I was in class five.
00:01:20So basically, she was the one that brought us all up.
00:01:22The reason why I'm here is because of her.
00:01:28Being the first in my family to attend a university,
00:01:31that really means a lot.
00:01:33A lot of people see this big smile, and they're like,
00:01:37she doesn't have a problem, you know?
00:01:39But I've been away from home for a little over four years,
00:01:43and I really miss my parents, especially my dad.
00:01:46Every day, that's all I need is a dad's hug,
00:01:48and how I'm homesick.
00:01:52Shortly after high school, I had some plans,
00:01:55and I made some decisions that kind of ruined those plans.
00:01:57But my mom did say that I have an uncle that was out here,
00:02:00and I can go stay with him for a little bit
00:02:02to kind of set things right with my life.
00:02:04But after a good two months, he was kicking me out.
00:02:07I was kind of lost on where to go.
00:02:08All I wanted to do was to prove to my parents,
00:02:10I'm not a failure.
00:02:13Like thousands who came before them,
00:02:15these students from Hawaii, the islands of the Pacific,
00:02:17and from around the world,
00:02:19are the real force behind the Polynesian Cultural Center,
00:02:22which, according to annual industry reports,
00:02:24is Hawaii's top attraction.
00:02:26These students from the adjacent BYU-Hawaii
00:02:28welcome each visitor with aloha,
00:02:30in the traditional spirit of Hawaii,
00:02:32and as ohana, or family.
00:02:36This year, the Polynesian Cultural Center turned 60,
00:02:39and today, just as they have done
00:02:40with the 45 million visitors who preceded them,
00:02:43they lead guests on a rich cultural journey.
00:02:45Six island nations come to life
00:02:47as student performers give visitors a taste
00:02:49of where they themselves come from.
00:02:51As daylight wanes,
00:02:56Ha, Breath of Life Nightly Show
00:02:58is the culmination of the day's voyage
00:03:00into the heart of Polynesia.
00:03:01Again, made possible by the dedication
00:03:03of these student performers,
00:03:05who become the lifeblood, the storytellers,
00:03:08the cultural ambassadors of their heritage.
00:03:10Although the center is celebrated
00:03:14for its cultural exhibitions and performances,
00:03:16some express discomfort
00:03:18with what they perceive
00:03:19as a commercialized representation
00:03:21of Polynesian culture.
00:03:22Others voice concern
00:03:24that students are being exploited.
00:03:26Are these concerns well-founded or misguided?
00:03:31What drives students to share their culture
00:03:33in the face of criticism?
00:03:34These questions underscore the complexity
00:03:36of showcasing living cultures
00:03:38in a way that respects their origins
00:03:40while simultaneously entertaining visitors
00:03:42and supporting students earnestly
00:03:44trying to determine their own destiny.
00:03:46What are the stories of resilience
00:03:48behind these vibrant faces
00:03:50that greet each guest with a heartfelt aloha?
00:03:52Rachel, Rachel!
00:03:54Join us as we pull back the curtain
00:03:56and step backstage
00:03:57exploring their personal stories.
00:04:00Witness the trials they brave
00:04:02to arrive in this place,
00:04:03the day-to-day hurdles they surmount
00:04:05and the pivotal moments
00:04:06that are sculpting their destiny.
00:04:08Hey mom, hey dad.
00:04:10This will be a new addition to our family.
00:04:12This is an invitation
00:04:13to take a behind-the-scenes look
00:04:15at the Polynesian Cultural Center
00:04:16and into the lives of the students
00:04:18who bring it to life.
00:04:19Also BCG Bo!
00:04:23Now!
00:04:38When I got off the plane,
00:04:39I was so nervous and so scared
00:04:41because this is my first time
00:04:42in a foreign country.
00:04:45I was excited.
00:04:45I knew I was going,
00:04:46coming to BYU-Hawaii.
00:04:48I had family members who came here who told me stories about this place so I
00:04:52was excited to follow their footsteps I knew that coming here would be much more
00:04:59comfortable if that makes sense it's more me and it's part of who I am
00:05:05I decided to that BYU of Hawaii would be a cool opportunity I had family and
00:05:08friends that have already come here and school here and so I thought this would
00:05:11be a good opportunity to yeah go and try something new
00:05:16I thought it would be somewhat different from Fiji but then when I was looking
00:05:19around I was like oh this is kind of similar to Fiji like the tropics and like
00:05:23the trees and the mountains it's kind of similar I was having a lot of memories
00:05:28going through my mind especially like my goals that I've set and how I'm planning
00:05:32to achieve it but at the same time I was kind of nervous and just trying to get
00:05:38myself together
00:05:40we are finding students who are qualified academically and prepared to
00:05:47come here and be successful in pursuing a bachelor's degree who have financial
00:05:51need who really couldn't pursue an education at a university in the United
00:05:55States without support you don't have to come with twenty thousand dollars of
00:05:59tuition money you come here with a desire to be part of this community to
00:06:04build yourself up and prepare yourself to go out and serve and support your
00:06:08family in your community well when these new students come everything is new and
00:06:12everything is exciting but I can also see that it can at times be overwhelming
00:06:17so this is it my experience as a student was that I had roommates and I've
00:06:25developed friendships with the people from all around the world which would
00:06:27never have happened had I remained in my hometown
00:06:32it's been really fun to see you arriving on campus to see your excitement
00:06:36we've asked you to make several commitments to be part of this community and you've made a choice to accept those commitments and honor them
00:06:42thank you for choosing to be here with us this is a small university it's very difficult to get accepted and to sit in the seat that you're sitting in right now regardless of where you're from what your background is I want you to know that you belong here
00:06:46this is a small university it's very difficult to get accepted and to sit in the seat that you're sitting in right now regardless of where you're from what your background is I want you to know that you belong here
00:06:53okay ready one two and three
00:07:08many of you will have opportunity to work at the Polynesia Culture Center and what a gift it is to have that space be a place where the world comes and sees you and learn from you
00:07:18these students are coming here and they are proud of their heritage and they should be
00:07:22and they're coming to the Polynesian Cultural Center which has this incredible purpose to allow them to work
00:07:27fund their education while seeking to celebrate and preserve their own cultures and the cultures of their fellow students
00:07:34so tomorrow please get a job at the Polynesian Cultural Center
00:07:3819 hours a week while school is in session
00:07:40from food servers cooks and dishwashers to maintenance workers
00:07:44everyone finds a job that suits their ambitions and their school schedule
00:07:48I got a tour guide job
00:07:50I got a job as carver
00:07:52I'll be working as a fruit cutter
00:07:54I'll be working as a fruit cutter
00:07:56sales associate from the retail shop
00:07:59for students who have dreamed of performing their culture in the renowned night show
00:08:03Ha Breath of Life
00:08:04their big moment to audition has finally arrived
00:08:06it's a highly sought after job
00:08:08and this semester only a few spots are available
00:08:11For the iWork students when they come and audition
00:08:14they don't know what's going to happen
00:08:16they don't know what's going to happen
00:08:17they come in and they're told that
00:08:19you need to find a job
00:08:20here's PCC
00:08:21you have this department
00:08:22and you've got to choose today
00:08:23Are you excited?
00:08:24Come, come, come, come, come
00:08:25We decided to go first to night show
00:08:27without thinking that we were actually going to get accepted
00:08:31They come with numbers and it's good
00:08:33because we don't like names
00:08:34because sometimes you might know the family
00:08:36we bring them backstage and we have about an hour
00:08:39and in that hour we will hold this large audition
00:08:43Good morning and welcome
00:08:44we're excited to have you here with us today
00:08:46It's definitely a nerve-wracking process
00:08:47they're looking at each other
00:08:49they all got numbers
00:08:50they don't know what's going to happen
00:08:51I looked around and they were pretty much feeling the same thing
00:08:53like I could just tell from the facial expressions and everything
00:08:56Come, come up to the creek
00:08:57You have to audition in front of everybody
00:09:00your peers, all of the choreographers who are there
00:09:03and it's, it's, I don't blame them for being nervous
00:09:06I know they're nervous
00:09:07so you try to make them feel comfortable
00:09:09Just take a deep breath and relax
00:09:11just look at yourself in the mirror
00:09:12and have fun while you're here, alright?
00:09:14Everyone up there that was auditioning them
00:09:17was once in their shoes
00:09:18we went through the same thing
00:09:19I had to audition five times
00:09:20before I finally got into this show
00:09:22and it's like a joke they tease me about
00:09:24Yeah
00:09:25One, two, three
00:09:27We teach them some basic fundamentals in a dance
00:09:29and we ask them to do it
00:09:33Although they're not supposed to be perfect
00:09:36we don't expect them to be perfect
00:09:38we look for those that we think
00:09:40have the coordination and the potential
00:09:42to learn the show in 90 days
00:09:44One, two
00:09:46Side, lean
00:09:49One, two
00:09:50This is not typical of a performer of this type
00:09:54you know, you usually do your main role
00:09:55and then you're understudied to maybe one or two others
00:09:57that's it
00:09:58but not in this show
00:09:59you've got to be able to do almost everything
00:10:01We're going to meet real quickly
00:10:04while you guys relax
00:10:05We will huddle in the office real quick
00:10:08and we get feedback from everyone
00:10:10Can you see them on stage in 90 days
00:10:13at the standard that is close to what we currently have?
00:10:16I mean, I want to hear from the student leads
00:10:18who are going to be working very closely with them
00:10:19with the supervisors
00:10:20and then David and John
00:10:22and I have my opinion as well
00:10:23I thought maybe 14 with coordination
00:10:25He has coordination
00:10:26I'm sure they're
00:10:27all the jitters are out
00:10:29and the excitement is going on
00:10:30and they're just making sure
00:10:31and they're anxious
00:10:32that they get it right
00:10:34and they hopefully get chosen
00:10:35because if not
00:10:36they got to go look for another job
00:10:37Thanks for being patient, students
00:10:39So, just a heads up
00:10:41if you hear your number called
00:10:42you're just going to make your way to the table here
00:10:43and if you don't hear your number called
00:10:45we appreciate you for auditioning
00:10:47The first number will be 27
00:10:49if you can make your way up
00:10:51and next number 85
00:10:55if you can make your way up
00:10:57and number 14
00:11:00if you can make your way up
00:11:01At that time I was shocked
00:11:05because you know
00:11:06I'm not really a good dancer
00:11:07I really find it exciting
00:11:08getting to know other cultures
00:11:10Thank you everyone
00:11:12I was disappointed that I didn't make the night show
00:11:14but I guess there's more jobs
00:11:16at PCC or even at school
00:11:18Yeah, I'm so excited
00:11:20I'm excited to get my first job
00:11:22I'm excited to portray the culture
00:11:25to everyone
00:11:26and also get more good at dancing
00:11:31In just eight hours
00:11:32everyone has landed their first job
00:11:36Jason will start training immediately
00:11:38for his first role at the night show
00:11:41Huwala'i, with her past experience in hula dancing
00:11:43landed her first job
00:11:44along with her roommate
00:11:45performing in the Hawaii village
00:11:47Monson is following in the footsteps
00:11:49of his great-grandfather
00:11:50who worked for the center
00:11:51as a master carver
00:11:52over 50 years ago
00:11:54and Josephine
00:11:56though being a dishwasher
00:11:57may not seem as fun
00:11:58or as glamorous as the other jobs
00:12:00it comes with a pretty nice perk
00:12:02So at 6.30 the night at the luau
00:12:04so we take a break from work
00:12:06and then we go eat at the luau
00:12:08so it's been so good
00:12:14The Polynesian Cultural Center is situated on 42 acres
00:12:17it's set up in six mini villages or islands
00:12:21there's the village of Samoa
00:12:23then Aotearoa, New Zealand
00:12:25we have Fiji
00:12:26we have Hawaii
00:12:27we have Tahiti
00:12:28and we have Tonga
00:12:29each of them have their own employees
00:12:31that we try to staff as much as possible
00:12:33with individuals from those actual cultures
00:12:36Thanks for joining us
00:12:39Thanks for joining us
00:12:41So I work here at the Fiji village
00:12:43our dances depict stories
00:12:45our dances is our history
00:12:47and we also have of course the coconut oil presentation
00:12:50one of my favorites
00:12:51where we show guests how we make coconut oil
00:12:53back in Fiji
00:12:54it's amazing how you see their eyes light up
00:12:57from the starting of husking the coconut
00:13:00right, showing them the face
00:13:02where they like hit it
00:13:03and then with the rock and it opens
00:13:04grating the meat, squeezing out the milk
00:13:07and explaining basically how
00:13:09how you make coconut oil
00:13:11my friends will say I'm a funny guy
00:13:13making jokes and all of that
00:13:15but when I'm on stage performing
00:13:17it's a different mentality altogether
00:13:19one, one, two, three
00:13:21currently I'm in my third semester
00:13:23I'm majoring in political science
00:13:25with minors in Pacific Island Studies
00:13:27and Education
00:13:29being the first in my family
00:13:31to attend a university
00:13:33that really means a lot
00:13:35my mom and dad got separated
00:13:48when I was in class five
00:13:50without a father figure in our house
00:13:52my mom played both roles
00:13:53she was the one that brought us all up
00:13:55I'm so grateful for him
00:13:57he's done a lot
00:13:58I'm so proud of him
00:14:00everything she sacrificed for us
00:14:02that's what I always remember
00:14:04and that's why I
00:14:05what I do is because of her
00:14:10last night
00:14:11he just left sleeping here
00:14:12myself beside him there
00:14:13I said get the mattress
00:14:15repair the mattress everything
00:14:16he said no
00:14:17don't need the mattress
00:14:18we just lay on the mat
00:14:19the floor is better than the bed
00:14:21the bed's too soft
00:14:22plus we've been sleeping on the floor
00:14:24ever since we were younger so
00:14:26the neighborhood I grew up in
00:14:29is called Rewanga
00:14:30a lot of people fear this place
00:14:32because of what goes down here
00:14:33not really safe they say but
00:14:35for us to live here
00:14:36this is home for us
00:14:38it's a humble beginning so
00:14:40it's very good to come back and
00:14:42really remember where I come from
00:14:44like I wouldn't change my upbringing
00:14:46my upbringing has brought me to
00:14:48where I am today
00:14:49my way out was through sports
00:14:51this is when he was in the Fiji team
00:14:55played against Samoa
00:14:56this is at the Vodafone arena
00:14:58there are some of little medals here
00:15:00one from basketball
00:15:01so this is home for me
00:15:03this is where my mother would find me
00:15:05whether it be lunch
00:15:06breakfast or dinner
00:15:07this is where I'll be playing basketball
00:15:09basketball keeps us away from all the trouble
00:15:13all the scars that I have on my body
00:15:16is from falling right here
00:15:17yeah
00:15:18when I went to PjC I learned more about
00:15:21like a traditional Fijian village
00:15:23what the huts meant
00:15:25what traditions had to take place
00:15:27before you build a hut
00:15:28a little stuff like that
00:15:29that really strengthened my knowledge
00:15:31for the people of Fiji so I'm grateful
00:15:33Jimmy will be the ideal example for us
00:15:36he had little knowledge of who he was
00:15:38of his cultural identity
00:15:39he's gone to Hawaii
00:15:40he's picked it up in another foreign land
00:15:42and he's bringing it back with him
00:15:45I want the kids here in the neighborhood
00:15:46to know that
00:15:47you know through education
00:15:48you can take you places
00:15:49anything is possible
00:15:51and I hope
00:15:52he can influence other youths
00:15:54here in the urban areas
00:15:56here in Suwa
00:15:57and influence them
00:15:58and tell them
00:15:59there is another option for you
00:16:01and this is the option
00:16:02I've been through
00:16:06Dorm life is very different
00:16:07from like the term
00:16:08dorm life back home
00:16:09it's very different from here
00:16:10here it's like you're living in a
00:16:12I would say hotel
00:16:13right
00:16:14the rooms
00:16:15the toilets, bathrooms
00:16:16all of that
00:16:17back home is very different
00:16:18we're fortunate to be
00:16:19in a dormitory like this
00:16:21from growing up
00:16:22we sleep on the floor
00:16:23we did have beds
00:16:25at home
00:16:26but usually like
00:16:27the eldest sibling
00:16:28would sleep on the bed
00:16:29or the mom and the dad
00:16:30sleep on the bed
00:16:31the kids sleep on the floor
00:16:32in the living room
00:16:33me and my siblings
00:16:34we would sleep on the floor
00:16:35in the living room
00:16:36because at home
00:16:37it's not just us
00:16:38it's us
00:16:39and our extended family
00:16:40full house
00:16:41how we say it back home
00:16:42I can't see myself
00:16:44sleeping on the bed
00:16:45if my mom is still
00:16:46sleeping on the floor
00:16:47the reason why I'm here
00:16:50is because of her
00:16:51so that's why I sleep
00:16:52on the floor
00:16:53because my mom sleeps
00:16:54on the floor
00:16:55family is what pushes us
00:16:58family is why I'm here
00:16:59family is why I'm here
00:17:02I'll tell you
00:17:03everyone in Hawaii
00:17:04has got a different opinion
00:17:05that is for sure
00:17:06in these days
00:17:07hard not to get some
00:17:08naysayers
00:17:09you will get criticism
00:17:10no matter what you do
00:17:11when you try to
00:17:12express yourself
00:17:13or you're forward facing
00:17:14you're facing out to the world
00:17:15we know that we're not
00:17:16going to please everybody
00:17:17when they come here
00:17:18and we'd be silly
00:17:19to think that everyone
00:17:20is going to love what we do
00:17:21they take
00:17:22though not widely believed
00:17:23some critics assert
00:17:24that student employees
00:17:25are being exploited
00:17:27a lot of people
00:17:28are worried about
00:17:29the center as being
00:17:30exploitive of
00:17:32Polynesian students
00:17:34when in fact
00:17:35it's just the opposite
00:17:38people say we're
00:17:39slave labor
00:17:40people say that we're
00:17:41selling our culture
00:17:42for money
00:17:43a lot of people
00:17:44a lot of people say
00:17:45a lot of things
00:17:46but it's funny
00:17:47because this is stuff
00:17:48that we'd be doing
00:17:49ordinarily for free
00:17:50in our culture
00:17:51you're exploiting them
00:17:53I don't see them as that
00:17:54I see them as talents
00:17:55that are here
00:17:56to be developed by us
00:17:57so that they
00:17:58when they finish
00:17:59and they leave
00:18:00the center
00:18:01when they graduate
00:18:02they could become leaders
00:18:04to have an opportunity
00:18:05to go to school
00:18:06and work
00:18:07and the program
00:18:08covers for your housing
00:18:09tuition
00:18:10meal plans
00:18:11where else in the world
00:18:12would you get that?
00:18:13Now that's an amazing deal
00:18:14that I would have taken
00:18:16going into college
00:18:17and that almost anyone
00:18:18would take going into college
00:18:19we've taken a look
00:18:20and said what is
00:18:21your total compensation
00:18:22for those 19 hours a week
00:18:24and what we've found
00:18:25is that it's
00:18:26in excess of $50 an hour
00:18:28come to college
00:18:29work 19 hours a week
00:18:30have some money to play
00:18:31on the weekends
00:18:32and get a debt-free
00:18:33bachelor's degree
00:18:34it's a really exciting model
00:18:35and I'm grateful to be able
00:18:36to administer that
00:18:37and be part of it
00:18:38students enrolled here
00:18:39students enrolled here
00:18:40are the centerpiece
00:18:41of a symbiotic relationship
00:18:42the center
00:18:43and Brigham Young University
00:18:44Hawaii are intertwined
00:18:45each sustaining the other
00:18:47one cannot flourish
00:18:49without the other
00:18:50and each student worker
00:18:51is mentored
00:18:52every step of the way
00:18:53by more seasoned performers
00:18:54and cultural experts
00:18:55who were once students themselves
00:18:57who were once students
00:18:58themselves
00:19:05Cap De Fiti from Samoa
00:19:07is featured five times daily
00:19:08in the Samoa village
00:19:09Cap graduated with his degree
00:19:11in 3D art
00:19:12sculpting and pottery
00:19:13and has been mentoring students
00:19:14and entertaining guests
00:19:15for 37 years
00:19:16here we go
00:19:17this is Samoa
00:19:21everybody say Samoa
00:19:22do you want Samoa?
00:19:23capturing an audience
00:19:26as a worldwide
00:19:27you have to use the language
00:19:28not to make fun
00:19:29but to show that
00:19:30I did my homework
00:19:31I know how to say this
00:19:32in your language
00:19:33get a rock
00:19:34ever say a rock
00:19:35Chinese sounds
00:19:36you know
00:19:37Japanese
00:19:38so comedy is a
00:19:42intricate part of it
00:19:43because it brings attention
00:19:44in your homes
00:19:45in your homes
00:19:46you teach your children
00:19:47don't touch the knives
00:19:48they're waving the fire
00:19:49in our homes
00:19:50we put them together
00:19:51and give it to the child
00:19:52you know humor
00:19:53when people are entertained
00:19:54and learn something
00:19:55at the same time
00:19:56I think they will remember it
00:19:57this is all you need
00:19:58we call it militi
00:19:59everybody say militi
00:20:00English
00:20:01shark stick
00:20:02it's part of our nature
00:20:03the humor side
00:20:04the fun part
00:20:05you know
00:20:06I think it's just naturally
00:20:07in us
00:20:08to be happy
00:20:09to always joke around
00:20:10you know
00:20:11there's always a time
00:20:12to play around
00:20:13and time to be serious
00:20:14you know
00:20:15on the fun side of things
00:20:17he's a man of steel
00:20:18his feet is made of steel
00:20:19I've never seen him
00:20:20walk around with shoes
00:20:21take a picture
00:20:22it lasts longer
00:20:23and he climbs the tree
00:20:24are you folks ready?
00:20:25we have five
00:20:26six shows a day
00:20:27but I climb five times a day
00:20:28I mean
00:20:29he's been doing it for 30 years
00:20:30five times a day
00:20:31that's why he looks like that
00:20:32and I look like this
00:20:33when calculating it
00:20:37I climb
00:20:38I don't know
00:20:39tens of thousands
00:20:40hundreds of thousands
00:20:41if I miss a day or two
00:20:42or some time
00:20:43I'm traveling
00:20:44I can feel it when I come back
00:20:45so I'm hoping that
00:20:47I continue on to do it
00:20:48climbing trees in my 70s
00:20:50you know
00:20:51he's 54
00:20:52and still climbing the tree
00:20:53you know
00:20:54and get this
00:20:55he's a vegetarian
00:20:56how many Polynesian vegetarians
00:20:58do you have?
00:20:59only two
00:21:00that I know of
00:21:01and I've met all the Polynesians in the world
00:21:04I believe my mission
00:21:06or my purpose
00:21:07is to entertain
00:21:08educate
00:21:09you know
00:21:10share the
00:21:11really the true aloha
00:21:12you know
00:21:13not just laughing
00:21:14but people leave with something that's deeper
00:21:16you know
00:21:17Ma'afu Latuwaki from Tonga
00:21:18has been on the staff at the center for about a decade
00:21:21and graduated with his degree in Pacific Island Studies
00:21:24please put your hands together to welcome the master of the job
00:21:27when I first got hired to the Polynesian Goza Center
00:21:32I already knew how to play the drums
00:21:33I learned it from my father and grandfather
00:21:35my name is Yone Are
00:21:36my name is Yone Are
00:21:37the show holds up to the cultural validity
00:21:45but still is one of the popular entertaining shows
00:21:48and if you look at it
00:21:49break it down to its rarest form
00:21:50it's kind of what Tongans do anyways
00:21:52where we kind of tease and make fun of each other in general
00:21:54and so we're sharing that aspect of our humor
00:21:57with the guests that come
00:22:03we don't tell the guests about that beat
00:22:05you know
00:22:06that
00:22:07that's all on them
00:22:08let's try one more time
00:22:09finish it
00:22:10finish yeah
00:22:11finish the beat
00:22:12here we go
00:22:15ah
00:22:16it's gonna be a long day
00:22:17it's just a fun show to be part of
00:22:26you know so
00:22:27I believe the strength of PCC is that it strengthen your affinity to your home country
00:22:34the authenticity of what's in the Toa Village you know
00:22:36it's as authentic as it can be
00:22:38if you come just to go paddle a canoe to have fun and get a picture with a big large Polynesian man entertain you
00:22:45you'll get that
00:22:46but if you want to delve more into the culture you'll learn that stuff like our canoe is symbolic of a family
00:22:51where the large part of the canoe the main body that's supposed to do all the work is represented the father
00:22:57the outrigger of the smaller piece that balances out the Hama that's considered the mother
00:23:01the two pieces that connect the smaller and larger piece the kiato those are said to symbolize the children
00:23:07and as long as the mother and father are aligned in how they want the kids to be raised
00:23:12then the canoe or the family will be able to weather any storm they should hit while in the ocean
00:23:18and that's the way it is throughout the Polynesian Culture Center
00:23:21everything is here for a reason everything has cultural meaning and purpose
00:23:31how Breath of Life is put on with students
00:23:34amateurs they're the most professional bunch of amateurs in the world
00:23:38this Broadway caliber production boasts a dedicated cast and crew of over 100 individuals
00:23:44with 4200 performances to date observed by 5.5 million spectators
00:23:49it stands as Hawaii's most acclaimed theatrical spectacle
00:23:53featuring 600 authentic Polynesian costumes
00:23:56each performance is illuminated by a thousand lights
00:23:59the story is about mana his life journey from infancy through adolescence to manhood
00:24:06the struggles and joys throughout his life
00:24:08as the story unfolds audiences are immersed in the diverse cultures of Samoa
00:24:13Tonga Tahiti Fiji Aotearoa and of course Hawaii
00:24:19entertaining as the performances may be the show's success is even more astounding
00:24:24because it is carried by full-time students
00:24:26the behind-the-scenes magic that makes this production possible draws fascination
00:24:32with many recognizing that the show behind the show rivals the onstage presentation in intrigue and significance
00:24:38Rachel Rachel! Rachel!
00:24:40and that's because behind the scenes there's an entirely different show going on
00:24:44first of all a big hand for the whole cast for a great job
00:24:47these kids are very teachable
00:24:49they're humble and they're wanting to learn
00:24:52just keep working on your Samoa
00:24:55your hands for Samoa
00:24:56but I think it'll come
00:24:58the pressure on performers is very real
00:25:00because there are measurable goals associated with their performance
00:25:03based upon daily audience feedback
00:25:06our goal is to hit a 93% excellent rating
00:25:09which means that 93% of those surveyed have to select a 9 or a 10 which is excellent
00:25:14as of now today we are very blessed we are at 94!
00:25:20thank you, that's all of you
00:25:22they all know the goal
00:25:23and they all know that we can't achieve those goals unless everybody is working their hardest
00:25:28and they're pushing themselves
00:25:29ha, breath of life, is only as good as its performance
00:25:34what is it that drives each student to take part in such a demanding show?
00:25:40all the men in my family do it
00:25:43we always went to my dad's shows so as a baby I would always watch him spin
00:25:48ever since I was a kid, fire knife dancing is all I knew
00:25:51kind of inspired me to start doing it
00:25:56Achilles came with such speed and power
00:25:59and when he goes from move to move it's so fast
00:26:02try to imagine the whole stage as a battlefield
00:26:06so when he come out, like ready for war
00:26:09all the crowd screaming and everything
00:26:11it's kind of like, you ever watch Gladiator?
00:26:13you win the crowd, you win your freedom
00:26:16Uncle David, he's a legend
00:26:24David himself is a three time champion of the world fire knife championships
00:26:28we add boards on this side, slam across and then we spin them
00:26:32some of the moves that I do now, yeah those are David's moves
00:26:35he really changed the game
00:26:37because back then it was just the old school style
00:26:39and he brought in some new moves that everyone does now
00:26:42growing up I would watch my dad perform
00:26:45my uncles and also my papa
00:26:47and I just think I kind of grew to love it
00:26:49because I was surrounded by it
00:26:51one day I saw her and her cousins, the twins
00:26:54just playing amongst each other and they were spinning the night
00:26:56I think he saw potential
00:26:58she started training
00:26:59she has three world fire knife titles
00:27:02Jerry, she's really good
00:27:04she beat me one year in the competition
00:27:06to be the first girl to have a solo performance
00:27:09at the Polynesian Cultural Center, such an honor
00:27:11she has her cousins, the twins
00:27:13all three of them together, the triple threat
00:27:16female fire knife dancers are very rare
00:27:19people don't expect to see women fire knife dancers
00:27:21they really were game changers for our show
00:27:24from night one, the whole audience just erupted
00:27:27it was one of those chicken skin moments
00:27:29we said, that's it
00:27:31I would say that's our biggest flex being girls
00:27:34doing this sport, it's a male dominated sport
00:27:36but for us to pull it off on the big stage
00:27:39when the lights go on, the crowd is surprised
00:27:45they do a really, really tough routine
00:27:49their routine is harder than the men's routine
00:27:51when they spin, you can tell they're twins
00:27:54because they're always in sync
00:27:55we're lucky to have them
00:27:57I think we're the only show on Island that has three females
00:28:00that can twirl at that level
00:28:01my favorite part is just performing with everybody
00:28:03we're all family and especially the crowd
00:28:05when we're here and cheering and stuff
00:28:06it just makes us boost our energy even more
00:28:12having the look on the crowd's face
00:28:13knowing they're surprised or they're happy
00:28:15they enjoy the show
00:28:16that makes me happy
00:28:18when we nail it or when we feel like we did really good
00:28:21I think we know it
00:28:22we look at each other
00:28:23we're all happy, we come off stage
00:28:24we're like, oh yeah, good job, high five
00:28:26good job, ladies
00:28:27the fact that we're all students
00:28:29and we're all just, you know, community members
00:28:31working hard to get the story out
00:28:33and just to dance and enjoy what we're doing
00:28:35that gives the show something
00:28:36that I think not a lot of other shows have
00:28:38we have spirit
00:28:39and we have heart
00:28:40and we love each other
00:28:41and you know, I feel like we've all grown
00:28:43and progressed in our work lives
00:28:44in our community lives together
00:28:46and that's something that manifests on stage
00:28:48Mele is a senior and lead performer
00:28:51originally from New Zealand
00:28:52if I'm sitting way up there in section one
00:28:54I have no idea what you just pulled up from there
00:28:56so you need to make sure it's seen
00:28:57as you're turning, you're showing it from there
00:28:59so from there, open up
00:29:01just because she's got the role of Lani
00:29:02doesn't mean, okay, I've got it
00:29:03I can relax
00:29:04no, she continues to perfect her craft
00:29:07perfect her skills
00:29:08I think about nights when she plays Lani
00:29:10the lead role
00:29:11Mele's been playing that role for over two years
00:29:14she will have her headphones on
00:29:16to the side of the theater
00:29:17and she will shake for about 15 minutes straight
00:29:20practice, practice, practice, practice
00:29:22she's been doing this for how long
00:29:23she has an intensity about her
00:29:25because of how much she works
00:29:26that amplifies my intensity when I perform with her
00:29:29when I perform with Miller
00:29:30it's like spot on
00:29:31everything is just back and forth
00:29:33we're receiving each other
00:29:34there's a good connection
00:29:35we have great chemistry
00:29:36and it just works
00:29:41so I'm majoring in political science
00:29:43and anthropology, double majoring
00:29:44have you done something that has really
00:29:46kind of showed an impact?
00:29:47I think the thing that keeps me awake at night
00:29:49being a student performer
00:29:50is just deadlines
00:29:51the times that we're dancing
00:29:52is the times when everyone else is doing homework
00:29:54by the time we're home
00:29:55everyone else is in bed or going out
00:29:57that's when we begin our study for the nights
00:29:59I know for me that's like 9pm to 3am
00:30:01and then knock out
00:30:02wake up the next day
00:30:03class
00:30:04same thing, every single day
00:30:07I live off campus with my auntie and uncle
00:30:09they took me in when the pandemic happened
00:30:11I am good friends with her son
00:30:12he told them
00:30:13and then they told me
00:30:14hey, come live at our house
00:30:15I was like no, I'll be fine
00:30:16I'll figure it out
00:30:17my son asked
00:30:18it took us about 10 minutes
00:30:19to decide she's going to be our family
00:30:21so she started off as a niece
00:30:22and she ended up as a daughter
00:30:24in Jesus Christ
00:30:25amen
00:30:26it's been such a blessing
00:30:27living with them
00:30:28because they didn't have to
00:30:29you know, bring me in
00:30:30and have me as a part of their family
00:30:31but it's been going good
00:30:32they haven't kicked me out yet
00:30:33so
00:30:34Millie has been
00:30:35just as much of a blessing to us
00:30:36as we have been to her
00:30:37they have a dog
00:30:38she's my best friend
00:30:39the dog knows her better than me
00:30:41she just takes time with her
00:30:42she takes her on bike rides
00:30:43she takes her on walks
00:30:44her name is Cor
00:30:45she's a boxer
00:30:46and just everyday
00:30:47we're hanging together
00:30:48we're chilling on the floor
00:30:49we're going for walks
00:30:50we'll go out for a run
00:30:52I'll take her biking on the bike path
00:30:53I love going to the beach as well
00:30:55alone time with my dog
00:30:57is my peak, peak, peak time
00:30:59it's funny because I came here
00:31:01to meet new people
00:31:02and then I found my dog
00:31:03and then that was it
00:31:04from the very beginning
00:31:07I felt like I was going to have
00:31:09some issues fitting in
00:31:10I thought I wouldn't fit in
00:31:11because of how my life had been previously
00:31:13so you know growing up
00:31:14I was too brown, too white
00:31:15a lot of things in between
00:31:16but in coming to the PCC
00:31:18and being involved with my culture
00:31:19at BYU
00:31:20I really got a sense of who I was
00:31:22I remember Melanie
00:31:23when she came
00:31:24she was quiet
00:31:26she was really quiet
00:31:27I had a lot of fears
00:31:28before I came here
00:31:29of just trying things
00:31:30which is silly
00:31:31she didn't even talk
00:31:32we had to ask her questions
00:31:33to get her to talk
00:31:34and in fact
00:31:35like pulling teeth
00:31:36the very first Sunday
00:31:37that she was here
00:31:38we had to invite friends
00:31:39to come over
00:31:40so we'd be able to have a conversation
00:31:41other than with ourselves
00:31:42you know God has a really funny joke
00:31:46in giving me a job
00:31:47when I'm an introvert
00:31:48that requires me to be around
00:31:49a lot of people
00:31:50and just you know
00:31:51entertain a bunch of people
00:31:52I think
00:31:53to see her now
00:31:56on the stage
00:31:58for me it's a miracle
00:32:00we're really proud of her
00:32:01when we see her
00:32:02I mean we've had
00:32:03our children go through
00:32:04and we've enjoyed
00:32:05watching that show
00:32:06over and over
00:32:07but to have someone
00:32:08that we feel so close to
00:32:09be in that lead spot
00:32:10and just be
00:32:12so good at it
00:32:13and engage with the audience
00:32:14yes we're really proud
00:32:18each performer
00:32:19in their own way
00:32:20is doing it for the guests
00:32:22they're doing it for
00:32:23every new person
00:32:24that comes here
00:32:25every single night
00:32:26and I would know
00:32:27I'm one of them
00:32:28and I talk to the many performers
00:32:29and my friends back here
00:32:30every night
00:32:31they're putting their heart
00:32:32their soul
00:32:33their blood sweat
00:32:34and tears out on stage
00:32:35not just for work
00:32:36work is one thing
00:32:37but they know that it's a privilege
00:32:38to perform every night
00:32:39and done
00:32:40okay good job
00:32:41my major is TESOL
00:32:43it's teaching English
00:32:44to speakers of other languages
00:32:45and how to do it for K-12
00:32:47and also university students
00:32:48just generally how to teach English
00:32:52another thing that I love doing
00:32:53is photography
00:32:54it's one of my passions
00:32:55a passion that I grew actually
00:32:56during Covid
00:32:57during the lockdown
00:32:58when we couldn't really
00:32:59do things anymore
00:33:00so I started to do photography
00:33:01out of sheer fun
00:33:09Atea was born in Tahiti
00:33:11son of a Tahitian
00:33:12Chinese father
00:33:13and a Filipino mother
00:33:14and has three siblings
00:33:16during his audition
00:33:17Atea struggled
00:33:18with his self-image
00:33:20my goal in coming here
00:33:21to BYU Hawaii
00:33:22was to come here
00:33:23to PCC and dance
00:33:24my father actually danced here
00:33:25and he told me about it
00:33:26and I was like
00:33:27I want to do that
00:33:28when I found out that Atea
00:33:29wanted to dance
00:33:30it kind of surprised me
00:33:32and I felt like
00:33:33wow okay
00:33:34in my head I was thinking
00:33:36I hope he can dance
00:33:37at least you know
00:33:38at least like me
00:33:39or hopefully better
00:33:40his father Antonio
00:33:41and his mother Lotus
00:33:43were both student employees
00:33:44of mine when they were going
00:33:45to school here
00:33:46and it's so fun
00:33:47now seeing their children
00:33:48come here
00:33:49when I auditioned
00:33:50it was right as the show
00:33:51was going on
00:33:52so you could see people
00:33:53running in and out
00:33:54and I can see everyone
00:33:55is nice and big
00:33:56Polynesian looking
00:33:57and I'm here small Asian
00:33:58skinny
00:33:59Filipino looking kid
00:34:00even though I'm from Tahiti
00:34:01I don't look anything
00:34:02like I'm from Tahiti
00:34:03he came up to me
00:34:04once his dad
00:34:05I'm kind of shy to dance
00:34:07you know
00:34:08with no t-shirts on
00:34:09because of the way I look
00:34:10and I told him
00:34:12you know
00:34:13you couldn't look
00:34:14any worse than dad looked
00:34:15when I started dancing too
00:34:16because
00:34:17I was just as skinny
00:34:18as you are
00:34:19the difference is
00:34:20you dance better than me
00:34:21and so you're going
00:34:22to showcase your talent
00:34:23when I asked him
00:34:24to dance in the night show
00:34:25he almost seemed surprised
00:34:26that I would ask him
00:34:27and maybe he had in mind
00:34:28that night show dancers
00:34:29need to be a certain way
00:34:30like bigger
00:34:31and so I was just like
00:34:32you know what?
00:34:33I'm going to
00:34:34give what I got
00:34:35I'm going to see
00:34:36if they're going to take me
00:34:37and hopefully they do
00:34:38and if they do
00:34:39I'm going to work
00:34:40as hard as I can
00:34:41to really just
00:34:42make up for
00:34:43the lack of the Polynesian body
00:34:44that I wish I had
00:34:45I don't think he realized
00:34:46that he had it in him
00:34:48I don't think he did
00:34:49now he's in the front a lot
00:34:51pretty much most of the cultures
00:34:52that he dances
00:34:53I think his confidence level
00:34:56has shot up
00:34:57he feels better about himself
00:34:58just because of
00:35:00well he should
00:35:01because you know
00:35:02out of all the guys on stage
00:35:03you're the front guy
00:35:04you're the point guy
00:35:05make sure that your words
00:35:06are nice and strong
00:35:07make sure your actions firm
00:35:09and I just find it amazing
00:35:11the amount of trust
00:35:12that they do put into me
00:35:13and that they saw progress in me
00:35:15when I couldn't really
00:35:16at the beginning
00:35:17Atena's one of the few dancers
00:35:20that knows the whole show
00:35:22he knows all six sections
00:35:23and he knows them well
00:35:24he's a small guy
00:35:25but I'll tell you
00:35:26his work ethic
00:35:28goes beyond everyone's bounds
00:35:30that guy will work his butt off
00:35:31to get on stage
00:35:32your eyes will typically
00:35:34turn to him
00:35:35because he dances so hard
00:35:37and he has so much charisma
00:35:38if you ever see him on stage
00:35:39even though he's small
00:35:40his actions are huge
00:35:41I mean he can dance
00:35:42Hawaii and Tonga
00:35:43better than you know
00:35:44any other boys that I know
00:35:45that dance Hawaii and Tonga
00:35:46imagine dancing six sections
00:35:48for 90 minutes solid hard
00:35:51that's what Atea does
00:35:53they just have this passion
00:35:55for what they do
00:35:56and it shows up on stage
00:35:57this is just natural
00:35:59but I think it is amazing
00:36:00that we pull off a show
00:36:01like this with kids
00:36:03who were just in the island
00:36:04six months ago
00:36:11I'm studying TESOL education
00:36:13and social work as my major
00:36:15and minoring biology
00:36:16so those are seven areas
00:36:18that you can focus on
00:36:19Leilani from Tonga
00:36:20is an unmistakable personality
00:36:22here at the center
00:36:23during the audition
00:36:24she kept talking
00:36:25and I actually had to lean forward
00:36:26and point her out
00:36:27and say you
00:36:28shh
00:36:29but you know what she was good
00:36:30we still picked her up
00:36:31Leilani is very positive
00:36:33very good attitude
00:36:34the life of the party
00:36:35she just loves life
00:36:37and just makes everybody
00:36:38feel happy around her
00:36:39and she's gung-ho to try
00:36:40anything and everything
00:36:41she loves loves loves
00:36:43her family
00:36:44and everybody around her
00:36:45and that's just the way she is
00:36:47is the reason why she's beaming
00:36:48and she's bright
00:36:49and she's sunny all the time
00:36:50I've been away from home
00:36:52for a little over four years
00:36:54a lot of people
00:36:55see this big smile
00:36:56and they're like
00:36:57she doesn't have a problem
00:36:58you know but
00:36:59a lot of people don't know
00:37:06but I come here to work
00:37:08and so people don't see
00:37:09how I'm homesick
00:37:11with family support
00:37:12Leilani left home in Tonga
00:37:14to serve an 18-month volunteer mission
00:37:16for her church in Arizona
00:37:18but on her return flight home
00:37:20she became stranded in Fiji
00:37:21when her last connecting flight
00:37:23to Tonga was cancelled
00:37:24due to COVID-forced border closures
00:37:26so she decided to stay in Fiji
00:37:28and extend her missionary service
00:37:30an additional 16 months
00:37:32while serving
00:37:51Leilani applied for the iWork scholarship program
00:37:53at BYU Hawaii
00:37:54and was accepted
00:37:56but with Tongan borders still closed
00:37:58she had to fly directly to Hawaii
00:38:00to start the new semester
00:38:01at this point
00:38:03Leilani had not been home
00:38:04in over three years
00:38:05I tried to get myself busy
00:38:08like do my school works
00:38:10go to the library
00:38:12study from exams
00:38:13and stuff like that
00:38:14so I could get myself busy
00:38:15so I don't think about home a lot
00:38:17Leilani is sister-in-law to Malcolm
00:38:20who plays the leading role as Mana
00:38:22in the night show
00:38:23I see how happy he is
00:38:25and how supportive my sister is
00:38:26for him to work here in the night show
00:38:28and I was like
00:38:29I want to try that
00:38:30and so I tried it and I loved it
00:38:32it's so fun working with him
00:38:33because when I go out the tunnel
00:38:34he's like
00:38:35yes sister
00:38:36and I'm like
00:38:37yes brother
00:38:38it's now about 60 minutes to show time
00:38:41who's going on first time in this group
00:38:44hey Pono going on first time
00:38:46come on
00:38:47please make your way to the line up
00:38:53two more minutes to leave this
00:38:54thank you
00:38:55every night
00:38:56every night we have what is called the line up
00:38:57and they will like
00:38:58every single person in their spot
00:38:59they will run through transitions
00:39:01so everybody knows where they're supposed to go
00:39:03Will, Pono, Ethan, James and Kettle
00:39:06Ty and Aaron are walking on
00:39:08it's never the same line up
00:39:09every night it's a different line up
00:39:11different key role
00:39:12front line is different
00:39:13second back line
00:39:14everybody has a turn in rotating
00:39:16yeah I don't want to check where is she
00:39:20she's going to be on homicide
00:39:22sometimes there are line up issues
00:39:24you know someone will turn up in the wrong spot
00:39:26someone will remember a spot from three nights ago
00:39:28and do it for that night
00:39:29and there's a lot of adjusting that has to happen
00:39:31it doesn't make so much for drama
00:39:32but just difficulties on stage
00:39:34we are only allowed to work our students 19 hours a week
00:39:37and so we have to be very creative in the way that we manage them
00:39:41there's days when exams come up
00:39:44some of them have the same class
00:39:46so we're missing a lot of kids
00:39:47and I have to make it work to get the numbers on stage
00:39:50sometimes you have those kids that just show up
00:39:52just in time for the show
00:39:53they miss the line up
00:40:14whether there's a couple of people or whether the whole place is full
00:40:26it's still equal amounts of scary
00:40:32the door is still going to check the line up
00:40:39it's still equal amounts of scary.
00:41:09The islands were born out of the fire of the earth, and life comes forth from the fire of love.
00:41:30Backstage, people don't see what's really going on behind the scenes.
00:41:35Backstage, people are running around, changing, because you come and dance, you go back,
00:41:39change real quick, because you're coming out on the second section after that section.
00:41:43Do your hair, and for girls, it's harder, because your hair, you've got to fix it to a certain way to match everyone else's.
00:41:49You run from the other side to the other side, and it's so crazy, because everyone's running around and changing,
00:41:54and then you have to run out and put a smile on your face, because you're about to impress people and help them with the show.
00:41:59So, it's pretty crazy back there.
00:42:03Backstage, everybody is listening intently to the show and making sure they are dressed in time.
00:42:09There's only so much room in the locker rooms to prepare your costumes, so you'll see costumes all over the place backstage.
00:42:19Costumes, accessories, always going missing.
00:42:21Somebody's already got someone else's.
00:42:23Someone's borrowing someone's and never put it back, and that creates some tension backstage,
00:42:27because obviously, to get on stage, we need to have all of our pieces.
00:42:31There are a million quick changes in this show.
00:42:33Some of us, I dance all six sections, some just cross over in little ways, and then there's just a lot going on at all times,
00:42:43so you've got to be really on to it.
00:42:45Two minutes, Millie, two minutes.
00:42:47Everything's set up in the tunnels, yeah, because they won't make the change if they go back to the dressing room.
00:42:51A lot of us only make it through the show because of the Yamba dancers.
00:43:01They'll stand out the back, and they'll be waiting, ready with your costume, dress you, send you on,
00:43:05come back out, dress themselves, dress you too, so there's a lot of teamwork that goes on behind the scenes,
00:43:09but it makes it work.
00:43:12We also watch out for each other as dancers, so, you know, if something's not working out,
00:43:15let each other know, hey, we're all here just trying to help each other out.
00:43:21One key philosophy at the night show is that everyone benefits when students dance to the cultures of others
00:43:26in addition to their own.
00:43:27There's been times when I talk to different guests, and they say,
00:43:29that someone boy that was in front dancing someone, he was really good,
00:43:33and I realize which one they point out, I go, oh, he's not someone.
00:43:36Half of the cultures that I'm portraying are not my own.
00:43:39I definitely do feel a responsibility to make sure that I portray the culture the way that
00:43:44someone from that culture would want it to be portrayed.
00:43:47Dancing here in the night show, it brings you together as one big family.
00:43:53There's no Samoans, there's no Tongans, and when I dance in the Samoan section, I am Samoan.
00:43:57When I dance in the Tongan section, I am Tongan.
00:44:00When I dance in the Fiji section, I am Fijian.
00:44:02By learning and understanding somebody else's culture, you learn to appreciate it.
00:44:07And when you learn to appreciate somebody else's culture, it creates understanding,
00:44:10which leads to peace.
00:44:11Some critics of the center argue that its presentations lean excessively toward
00:44:16contemporary interpretations of culture, lacking a solid foundation in historical traditions.
00:44:22If culture isn't made relevant to the current generation, it's going to stagnate and die.
00:44:28If culture doesn't evolve, you know, we have to adapt.
00:44:32And I'll give you an example.
00:44:33The fire knife.
00:44:34But 100 years ago, it didn't exist.
00:44:36The fire was only added to the Nifu'oti in the 1940s by Freddy Ololetuli.
00:44:40There was the birth of fire knife dancing, and I'm sure when he started,
00:44:44there were many Samoans that said, that's not traditional.
00:44:46You know, we didn't do it.
00:44:47But people loved it, and it stuck.
00:44:50And now it is very much a part of Samoan culture.
00:44:52If it doesn't become interesting to the current generation,
00:44:56they're not going to perpetuate it.
00:44:57We walk a fine line when it comes to sharing our culture within the tourism sector.
00:45:03And the fine line is that we want it to be entertaining,
00:45:06but we want to keep the integrity of our culture too.
00:45:09You have culture, and you have entertainment.
00:45:11What's entertaining is not culturally correct.
00:45:14And sometimes there's things that are culturally acceptable, but it's not entertaining.
00:45:18These cultural people who were steeped in their culture,
00:45:21who brought their culture through the generations,
00:45:24they didn't go to school.
00:45:25They didn't go on Google.
00:45:27They learned it at the knees of their ancestors.
00:45:29These are the people that gave PCC the stripes on their sleeve as a cultural center.
00:45:35I love my job.
00:45:39I love what I do.
00:45:40It's not just about, oh, you're just performing, this is your job, right?
00:45:44This is about sharing your culture.
00:45:45This is about sharing who you are as a people, right?
00:45:48And for my Polynesian brothers and sisters, you know,
00:45:51this is about sharing with the world the beauties of not just what we wear
00:45:55and our cultures and the way of our life,
00:45:57but just the beauties of being a loving, positive, a sharing people.
00:46:02And that's kind of what the world needs.
00:46:05After the show, Malcolm, like all the cast members,
00:46:08returns to student life without fanfare.
00:46:10You got to love it to be in it, and you got to do it every single night.
00:46:16You know, I have the passion to do it, and that's why I'm okay with it.
00:46:18But to do mana during the night show,
00:46:20it definitely takes a huge emotional toll, a mental toll,
00:46:23because of the acting side of it.
00:46:25So I would say that the nights I do mana, I'm a little bit more tired.
00:46:30His late night schedule leaves little additional time with his wife, Lissielli.
00:46:36Malcolm is from Las Vegas, Nevada, and is the son of Polynesian parents.
00:46:40My dad was born in American Samoa.
00:46:44My mom was born in Fiji.
00:46:45She just loved dancing. Dancing was her passion.
00:46:48I had a four-year-old, three-year-old, and Malcolm, two years old.
00:46:51And I'd put them in costume, and he'd get out there,
00:46:53and they would do the pa'oti where they'd knock their knees together
00:46:55and have his arms up.
00:46:56He was always smiling.
00:46:58I'll never forget that moment.
00:46:59That was the first time, like, wow, this guy is my future dancer.
00:47:02Polynesian dance kept Malcolm connected to his culture and his brothers,
00:47:05especially his not-so-little brother, Micah.
00:47:08With my family, both sides being Polynesian,
00:47:10you know, you kind of come out the womb dancing, yeah.
00:47:12After graduating high school, Malcolm would face some very grown-up challenges.
00:47:16Shortly after high school, I had some plans,
00:47:20and I made some decisions that kind of ruined those plans.
00:47:23At some point, I was kind of lost on where to go.
00:47:27I felt like the need was to go to Hawaii,
00:47:29which was weird because I don't know anything in Hawaii.
00:47:31I didn't know anybody. I didn't know where to go.
00:47:33I didn't really know what I would do there.
00:47:35But my mom did say that I have an uncle that was out here
00:47:37and that if it's the place that I'm feeling I needed to go
00:47:40to kind of set things right with my life,
00:47:42then I can go stay with him for a little bit.
00:47:46The agreement with my uncle was kind of just take care of his farm.
00:47:49But after a good two months, he just felt like it wasn't the right thing for me to do,
00:47:53to just be here in Hawaii and kind of do nothing
00:47:54because I wasn't going to school either.
00:47:56It wasn't the plan.
00:47:56He offered to fly me home, and I didn't really want to go home.
00:48:00The plan was to stay here in Hawaii for about six months
00:48:02before I make any other decisions,
00:48:04and at this point, he was kicking me out.
00:48:07Homeless, he couch-surfed where and when he could.
00:48:11Yeah, I didn't really know what to do for the first two months.
00:48:12It was a struggle.
00:48:13I had a hard time finding a job,
00:48:17and at some point, I was kind of lost on where to go.
00:48:21I'd find a place to sleep.
00:48:22Sometimes I'd just pack my stuff, just wear a nice jacket
00:48:25and a couple layers of clothing,
00:48:26and just go hang out on the beach and sleep.
00:48:33This is it.
00:48:34I didn't really want to tell anybody.
00:48:36This is where I spent a lot of nights.
00:48:38Didn't really have anywhere else to go.
00:48:40I made it my home sometimes.
00:48:42I wish he had reached out to me at that time
00:48:43because I would have been more than happy to help out,
00:48:45but I think sometimes you have to go through some of that
00:48:47to find yourself, you know?
00:48:48All I wanted to do, I mean, aside from find myself,
00:48:51was to prove to my parents that I'm not a failure.
00:48:56Even though I messed up, I can come back from this.
00:48:59I told him, put his head up, don't worry about it,
00:49:01you know, don't worry about what other people think.
00:49:04After disappointing job searches,
00:49:06Malcolm was hired at the center,
00:49:08dancing in the canoe show by day
00:49:09and as an usher by night.
00:49:11Being an usher gave Malcolm nightly access
00:49:13to every performance,
00:49:14and this would prove to be life-changing.
00:49:17So as an usher, I got to watch the show every night.
00:49:19I've never seen a show like,
00:49:20huh, I got to watch all these people
00:49:22do exactly what I want to do,
00:49:24perform, share their culture,
00:49:27make the crowd stand up.
00:49:28Like, it was just the coolest experience
00:49:30every night to just watch.
00:49:31But yeah, no, that was just like my dream.
00:49:33It was just like, wow,
00:49:33this is exactly what I wanted to do.
00:49:34I get to see it every night.
00:49:35I'd stand up here as an usher
00:49:36and just, you know, cheer from the back
00:49:38and they'd have to tell me
00:49:39to not cheer so loud
00:49:40because I was louder than the guests.
00:49:42Malcolm's enthusiasm,
00:49:44the skills he displayed in the canoe show,
00:49:45combined with his work ethic,
00:49:47caught the attention of management.
00:49:49And something amazing happened,
00:49:50something that has never happened before.
00:49:53Malcolm did not audition for the role of mana.
00:49:55I just selected Malcolm
00:49:56because of Malcolm's work ethic.
00:49:59When they told me, like,
00:50:00hey, can we start training you?
00:50:01I was like, oh, it's real.
00:50:03This is happening.
00:50:03It was clear he was the obvious choice
00:50:05just because of the passion
00:50:07and the emotion that he put into it.
00:50:09Malcolm does set the tone.
00:50:10Even in the rehearsals,
00:50:11he will go 100%.
00:50:12Actors often draw upon life experiences
00:50:15when playing emotional roles.
00:50:17And for Malcolm,
00:50:18there was no shortage
00:50:19of difficult life experience
00:50:20from which to draw.
00:50:22Not long after Malcolm started
00:50:23into his new role,
00:50:25his little brother Micah
00:50:26died unexpectedly due to a rare disease.
00:50:29I wasn't there when
00:50:34when my little brother passed away.
00:50:36But I got to see his body.
00:50:40And we got to see
00:50:40and say our goodbyes with him.
00:50:44It's almost like
00:50:45you lose a part of yourself.
00:50:47Yeah?
00:50:47It hit him hard.
00:50:48It was, Malcolm needed some time to heal
00:50:50because he was very close to Micah.
00:50:53And then, you know,
00:50:54with Malcolm performing
00:50:55at the Polynesian Cultural Center,
00:50:57the story was so much alike,
00:50:59being Mana and the dad passing away.
00:51:05It's just the fact
00:51:05that you have to say goodbye to something.
00:51:08Something that means so much to you.
00:51:09Something that gives you so much joy.
00:51:12When I see the father laying down,
00:51:16I see my brother, you know?
00:51:20Mana loses not only his father,
00:51:22but just someone so close to him.
00:51:27This is a moment where I've lost
00:51:29someone, you know?
00:51:31That's my connection,
00:51:32is I've lost someone as well.
00:51:34And at that moment,
00:51:35father kind of comes back up
00:51:37and this is his spirit
00:51:38and he gets to rejoin his mother
00:51:40and the family and ancestors
00:51:42who have passed on.
00:51:46My mother is rejoined
00:51:48with my grandma
00:51:50who's passed away as well.
00:51:51So there's that beautiful aspect
00:51:52and I know he's there,
00:51:53but it just hurts
00:51:54because he's not here with me anymore.
00:51:56Many of the aspects of the show itself
00:51:58honor your ancestors
00:51:59and honor the people
00:52:00that have passed and gone before you.
00:52:02And my brother has passed
00:52:03and has taken the next stage
00:52:05of life before me.
00:52:11One fellow performer
00:52:12who influenced Malcolm more than any
00:52:14was Lesieli Tamifuna from Tonga,
00:52:17who is Leilani's big sister.
00:52:19They met while dancing together
00:52:20in the canoe show,
00:52:22found an instant connection
00:52:23and soon married.
00:52:26She actually was the one
00:52:27to help me write my application
00:52:29for school and submit it
00:52:30and eventually I got accepted
00:52:32into BYU-Hawaii.
00:52:33I'm majoring right now
00:52:34in graphic design.
00:52:35One, two, three!
00:52:38We have a baby on the way.
00:52:44I just want to thank
00:52:45all you guys for coming.
00:52:47It was really emotional
00:52:47because in light of a recent
00:52:50passing of my brother,
00:52:51we decided that whether
00:52:52it was a boy or a girl,
00:52:53we would name our child
00:52:54after Micah.
00:52:55So, and it's his birthday today.
00:52:57So, yeah!
00:52:57Only four months
00:53:13into the school year,
00:53:14Malcolm and Lesieli
00:53:15are about to undergo
00:53:16a dramatic life change.
00:53:18We're going to do this
00:53:18walk inside.
00:53:19They'll help us.
00:53:20Okay?
00:53:20Just this morning,
00:53:30they have become
00:53:31proud parents
00:53:31of a baby girl.
00:53:34Hi, Mom.
00:53:36Hi, Dad.
00:53:37Here's the new addition
00:53:38to our family.
00:53:40Baby Micah.
00:53:41She is adorable.
00:53:42This morning,
00:53:44Malcolm and your
00:53:45wife, Malcolm,
00:53:45is here.
00:53:46With a semester behind them,
00:54:10how are the incoming
00:54:10freshmen progressing?
00:54:12Huala'i continues
00:54:13putting the hula skills
00:54:14she learned as a young girl
00:54:15to good use
00:54:16in the Hawaii village.
00:54:17And she's learning
00:54:18more about her culture
00:54:19every day.
00:54:20When I dance hula,
00:54:22I try to be
00:54:23the storyteller.
00:54:25Storytelling
00:54:25isn't just through
00:54:26your voice.
00:54:28It's also through
00:54:28your hand motions,
00:54:29your feet motions,
00:54:31your facial expressions.
00:54:32That's how our
00:54:32ancestors did it.
00:54:35Jason,
00:54:36who made the cut
00:54:36for the night show,
00:54:37is steadily progressing,
00:54:39hoping to work his way
00:54:39into more prominent roles.
00:54:42At first,
00:54:42when I started off,
00:54:43I feel nervous,
00:54:44kind of scared.
00:54:46I was doing
00:54:46only overture,
00:54:47which is the beginning
00:54:48section,
00:54:48and then after that,
00:54:49I stay backstage
00:54:50till the finale,
00:54:52which is the concluding
00:54:53section,
00:54:53but then now I'm on
00:54:54for most part
00:54:55of the show now.
00:54:56I think one thing
00:54:57that's very important,
00:54:58I'm able to perform
00:54:59my culture.
00:55:01Josephine,
00:55:01who started as a dishwasher,
00:55:03has experienced
00:55:03the most significant
00:55:04job change.
00:55:06Well,
00:55:06I'm a dog right now.
00:55:07It's a really fun journey.
00:55:09At first,
00:55:09it was kind of challenging
00:55:10because it's very new.
00:55:11I enjoy meeting people
00:55:13from different parts
00:55:13of the world
00:55:14and just seeing
00:55:14the excitement
00:55:15on their face
00:55:16whenever they go
00:55:17and go through activities,
00:55:18go to shows.
00:55:19Like I said before,
00:55:20in Polynesia,
00:55:20there's sort of like
00:55:21a Polynesian triangle.
00:55:22This job is very fit
00:55:24for me because
00:55:24of my major in psychology,
00:55:26able to help me
00:55:27with communication skills,
00:55:28people's skills.
00:55:29I don't really miss
00:55:30dishwashing because
00:55:31being a tour guide
00:55:32is more involving
00:55:34with people,
00:55:35and that's where
00:55:35I'm most comfortable.
00:55:36Monson in the carver's shop
00:55:41has taken his skill
00:55:42to another level
00:55:43and has gained
00:55:44new appreciation
00:55:45for his culture
00:55:46and family heritage.
00:55:49This is a piece
00:55:50that we are currently
00:55:51working on to replace
00:55:52in the Aotearoa village.
00:55:54The cool part about it
00:55:55is the fact that
00:55:56these carvings
00:55:57that we're replacing
00:55:58originally were made
00:56:00by Monson's
00:56:01great-grandfather,
00:56:02Pone Taipa.
00:56:03So I'm replacing
00:56:04my great-grandfather's
00:56:05carvings.
00:56:06It's really, really cool
00:56:07to think about that.
00:56:09It would have been
00:56:09just over 60 years now
00:56:10since he carved those.
00:56:11Once I started carving here,
00:56:12I was very intrigued
00:56:13about learning more
00:56:13about the history of it.
00:56:15So this is actually
00:56:16meant to represent
00:56:17my great-grandfather,
00:56:18so the master carver.
00:56:19Once it's finished,
00:56:20I'll gloss it,
00:56:21put a nice finisher on it,
00:56:22just give it a nice shine,
00:56:23and then hopefully
00:56:23it'll be put up in the village
00:56:24so everyone can see it.
00:56:27I really want to make
00:56:27my family proud.
00:56:28I want them to be proud
00:56:29of the son that they have
00:56:29that's coming here
00:56:30to learn his culture,
00:56:31to pay his respects
00:56:32to his great-grandfather
00:56:32and learn the art
00:56:33that he was so amazing at.
00:56:35As Monson and other freshmen
00:56:38continue to progress,
00:56:40there are some new developments
00:56:41for more experienced
00:56:42upperclassmen
00:56:42who have been invited
00:56:43to apply
00:56:44for a special scholarship.
00:56:47And until this moment,
00:56:49none of the students know
00:56:50who among them
00:56:51has been selected.
00:56:52Dear Leilani,
00:56:56we are thrilled
00:56:57to inform you
00:56:58that you have been selected
00:56:59to receive
00:57:00the Polynesian Culture Center
00:57:02Homeward Bound Scholarship,
00:57:04an opportunity funded
00:57:05by the private donations
00:57:06that allows a select group
00:57:08of students
00:57:08to return home
00:57:09to their native country
00:57:11to visit family and friends,
00:57:13all expenses paid.
00:57:15Hello.
00:57:20Congratulations,
00:57:21Leilani.
00:57:22We hope you will enjoy
00:57:23your trip home to Tonga
00:57:24where friends and family
00:57:25who have so wonderfully
00:57:26supported you
00:57:28with no doubt
00:57:29be excited to see you.
00:57:31We love you,
00:57:31Leilani.
00:57:32Congratulations.
00:57:32I'm excited to come
00:57:45to my parents,
00:57:45my dad especially.
00:57:46I've been away from home
00:57:47for a little over four years.
00:58:00Leilani's route to Tonga
00:58:01is long
00:58:02and anything but direct.
00:58:04Over the next 36 hours,
00:58:06she will fly from Hawaii
00:58:06to Los Angeles,
00:58:08then back across the Pacific
00:58:09to New Zealand.
00:58:11From there,
00:58:11she will fly to Fiji
00:58:12where, due to COVID,
00:58:14she was stranded
00:58:14the last time.
00:58:16The last leg of her journey
00:58:17takes her home to Tonga.
00:58:19After landing in Tonga,
00:58:20however,
00:58:21she still has one last leg to go.
00:58:23The last four hours
00:58:24of her journey
00:58:25will be spent on a ferry
00:58:26that will deliver Leilani
00:58:27to her tiny home island of Ewa,
00:58:29population 5,000.
00:58:32It didn't feel real
00:58:40up until the time
00:58:41that I get to come here
00:58:42to Tonga.
00:58:43Ever since COVID happened
00:58:50and the whole time
00:58:51I wasn't able to come home,
00:58:53oftentimes I have that picture
00:58:54in my mind,
00:58:55that picture of me
00:58:56coming into the wall
00:58:57and my family standing there
00:58:59and greeting me.
00:59:00And so I got a little emotional
00:59:03because arriving at the wolf,
00:59:05I realized that all of them
00:59:07are here,
00:59:07like I'm really home.
00:59:08when I hugged my parents,
00:59:21that's when they hit me.
00:59:22It's real.
00:59:23It's not a picture anymore.
00:59:24It's me looking at it right now.
00:59:25It's me looking at it right now.
00:59:27I can't see it right now.
00:59:47I'm starting to see my families my uncle my cousins just seeing them coming out
01:00:01one by one I'm like like all of them are here like I'm really homes I got all
01:00:06these mixed feelings like I'm home I'm excited like when I'm excited I cried
01:00:11also and so that's just part of my expressing of my emotions I still can't
01:00:15believe I'm home Leilani's first full day in Tonga is business as usual within 24 hours
01:00:25Leilani finds herself bound for the family plantation to do what she's done every
01:00:30day since she was a little girl when I came back home I already in my mind like
01:00:35I already know we're gonna work at the farm like it's just tradition ever since
01:00:40growing up in the morning we go through that and so when I call my brothers hey
01:00:47I'm coming home they're like oh yeah well get ready we're going to the farm you
01:00:50know the trail and I was like what I'm not getting a special treatment this time
01:00:54they're like no so wherever you go you come back home that's still how we do it
01:00:58coming here to the plantation is our everyday life here
01:01:28and and with my family it's like we spend most of our time here because this
01:01:33is where we get our living everything we need is here in our plantation we don't
01:01:37bring water or anything here because we know the coconut is cool enough during the
01:01:41morning
01:01:55family time is what I miss most here from home because we do everything together
01:02:01and if one struggle everyone struggles
01:02:03and if one struggle everyone struggles
01:02:08my family is what I'm giving you I want to feel like my family is my family and I'm
01:02:11both friends, but if you're in our house I'm getting home to the family and that's
01:02:15how they can do that, I will no longer offer from us
01:02:18I'm gonna get up and they don't lie into us
01:02:20from all time
01:02:21family time is so close to me
01:02:22family time is crazy
01:02:23family time is right
01:02:25family time is nothing
01:02:27family time is
01:02:28family time is
01:02:29family time is
01:02:31family time is
01:02:34family life time is
01:02:35family time is
01:02:36with a special excursion that he's arranged with a friend,
01:02:39something rare and unique in all of Polynesia.
01:02:42Oh, yeah, it's over there.
01:02:45It was scary for me at first.
01:02:47Like, I didn't want to get into the water,
01:02:48but going with my dad gives me the strength.
01:02:50When he got in the water, I was like, okay, I can survive this.
01:02:54It's just jumping in and being able to have that experience with him.
01:02:59Throughout Polynesia, the whale is considered to be symbolic of peace,
01:03:03wisdom, and longevity.
01:03:06It feels like there's a connection between you and them.
01:03:09At one point, I was able to make eye contact with two.
01:03:12They came up together, but I wasn't scared at all.
01:03:14I feel like I wanted to be in the water forever.
01:03:22To get to swim with the whales, it's like, it's a different level.
01:03:26It's like, it's beautiful, and yeah, you kind of feel this spirit of the islands.
01:03:31Like, this is beautiful. This is my island.
01:03:36Wow.
01:03:41This used to be a big school to me when I was little,
01:03:43but now looking back at it after going to America and places like that and come back,
01:03:48you're like, oh my gosh, this is so little.
01:03:50See that forest over there? Full of wonderful fruits that you can get.
01:03:55So if you need fruit for lunch, you go there.
01:03:58And my parents couldn't afford to give us any lunch money or lunch.
01:04:01So when we finish, when it's lunchtime, we always rush back home.
01:04:04We're like, kids will stay here, eat their lunch and stuff like that.
01:04:07But we go home because, not because we go to eat lunch,
01:04:10but because we're ashamed that we didn't have lunch to stay here, eat lunch.
01:04:13We all understand that parents couldn't afford us lunch,
01:04:27so we just got to learn how to make lunch, like, pick up guava, being independent at a young age.
01:04:45I thought we were reached.
01:05:15But now growing up, I know we were so poor,
01:05:18but we're rich in a sense where we were taught to be independent
01:05:23and learn to budget everything that we have at a young age.
01:05:27Just looking back at who I was and my little dream when I was little
01:05:30and my dream now, I think it motivates me to keep dreaming
01:05:34and keep trying to hit those dreams that I can achieve them.
01:05:37I'm just happy to be here and I'm trying to enjoy every minute that I have here,
01:05:42being here with my family. It's a great strength that comes from them.
01:05:44When I make a Christmas trip, it's only the time I have here with my family.
01:05:50I love it. I love it.
01:05:54I love it. I love it.
01:05:56Leilani's last day at home is full of mixed emotion.
01:06:01Yes, she will miss her family, and they will miss her.
01:06:04But they all instinctively know the nature of the environment she's going back to.
01:06:08For centuries, Laie has been a place of refuge.
01:06:29In ancient times for Hawaii, it was a puʻu honua.
01:06:33One of the boundaries for the puʻu honua runs right through our nursery here at PCC.
01:06:37We're standing here at the boundary.
01:06:40The boundary name was Papaʻa Koko, named after an event that happened when a warrior was trying to escape his enemies
01:06:49and just about ready to get him, but he made it over the wall, and so they stopped and he was safe.
01:06:54Puʻu honua was a place of refuge.
01:06:57The puʻu honua changes people's lives.
01:07:00When you leave the puʻu honua, you're a totally different person.
01:07:04Over the years, thousands of students have experienced the spirit of puʻu honua,
01:07:09truly a place of refuge, which perhaps explains why so many former students have returned for the 60th anniversary.
01:07:16We are all related, and I'm from the class of 89.
01:07:19Class of 85.
01:07:20Class of 68.
01:07:21Class of 66.
01:07:22Class of 63.
01:07:23Over the next three days, former student employees will gather from around the globe.
01:07:29We're excited just to go back.
01:07:32I wanted to take my family too.
01:07:34I'm excited to take Lauren so we can see the place where we met.
01:07:38So when I was ushering here, there was a performer named Tani Falivai.
01:07:42Come, my Johan, give ear to the story of my father's and yours.
01:07:47And he, at the time, was doing mana.
01:07:49Go, go, go, go, go!
01:07:51Man, this guy was a solid performer.
01:07:53He knew what he was doing.
01:07:55It's almost been five years since we've been at PCC.
01:07:59It was my life, like, in Hawaii.
01:08:02No matter where they go in the world, they always come back to PCC, to home.
01:08:08For them, you know, this is where they went to college, make friends, they grow up, married.
01:08:13So it's a very special place for them to come back to.
01:08:20There's so much spirit of love and aloha on that stage.
01:08:23And so we learn by Ohana that the breath of life lives on.
01:08:28Everybody says their time, their show is the best.
01:08:31I can say that my time was the best time.
01:08:33But, you know, like, we already passed the torch, so it's their time.
01:08:37And hopefully they do it better than us.
01:08:52Many alumni will have the opportunity to dance together one more time.
01:08:56A private show just for alumni and their families.
01:09:00Like, this is the only chance that I'll be able to perform with people that are older than me.
01:09:05Like, during the show, I was only performing with, you know, my generation.
01:09:08But it would be good to perform alongside with them.
01:09:10There are some that, like, they were the lead character or lead performer on their time.
01:09:15So being able to be with those guys and rub elbows with them and talk to them a little bit and hang out.
01:09:23It's getting a little rusty, but yeah.
01:09:25Hey, what's up, man?
01:09:28This is Big Tane.
01:09:29This is the big mana, the big Maui.
01:09:31When I first came here to PCC, this guy was the face of the PCC for a while, man.
01:09:35This is who I aspired to be.
01:09:36And a few years later, he trained me.
01:09:38So he's the one who got me to where I am.
01:09:40When I do mana, this is why I'm trying to be like this guy.
01:09:43Because I used to watch him every night as a usher.
01:09:44It was great.
01:09:45Tane! Tane!
01:09:46Tane!
01:09:47Tane!
01:09:48This is the other mana.
01:09:49This is the next mana.
01:09:50This is the one nice.
01:09:51One, two, three.
01:09:52Yeah, next generation mana right here, man.
01:09:53This is the guy I trained.
01:09:54Aloha mai kakou and welcome home.
01:09:57Let's enjoy our alumni show for the 60th anniversary of the Polynesian Cultural Center.
01:10:10You can see in the eyes of these people who performed over the years, genuine and authentic appreciation for the place.
01:10:19They were celebrating a very, very important thing that the PCC did for them early on in their lives.
01:10:25Hello you loud!
01:10:27I know in the eyes of a county it's best way to be with me, how it is and it's a very amazing sacrifice,.
01:10:32I know.
01:10:34I know you can see it zero.
01:10:37It's a very, very quiet place to be with you, how it is, I know it's a very modern life.
01:10:40More didn't know it's not a great place to be with us, from one of our worlds.
01:10:42Today, last aspect of the draußen fame for us.
01:10:43You can see there are many times with us, grown up and this never mind and this year to own life.
01:10:46The Makar, this is one of our outta detail!
01:10:48The 60th reunion has come and gone, and long-standing relationships rekindled.
01:11:03But for the students who have called this place home, nothing is more iconic or more
01:11:08meaningful than graduation.
01:11:10I'm excited for graduation, but I'm kind of scared because I don't know what I'm going
01:11:20to do next.
01:11:20I feel like so much of our time at school is working to, you know, graduate, graduate,
01:11:23graduate.
01:11:24And now that I'm almost there, I'm like, oh, wait, there's so many things I have to do
01:11:27after this.
01:11:30And being here at PCC and being at BYU, I've learned to really get outside of myself.
01:11:35With graduation coming up, just, yeah, it's going to be really hard.
01:11:38For me, it's like having another daughter leave and not ready for it.
01:11:43At least she knows that she was loved, supported, that it's time for her to go to the next job.
01:11:50I really look forward to walking over during graduation and to just be finished with school.
01:11:56As much as I loved school, I think I loved the environment and the PCC a lot better.
01:12:01The reality of my job is that make sure that they come here, get an education, graduate,
01:12:06and leave.
01:12:07These kids are not staying.
01:12:09And that's the hard part, to finally let them go.
01:12:13It's hard.
01:12:14We never get used to it.
01:12:15You can never replace them, but you hope that there's somebody like them that's going to come along.
01:12:23Graduates, family, friends, and guests, aloha kakou.
01:12:26At this commencement, BYU-Hawaii will award 418 degrees.
01:12:33Our graduates represent 34 different countries.
01:12:36It's an incredible group that's going to do wonderful things.
01:12:39I just want you to know that I love you, and I'll miss you.
01:12:43Congratulations.
01:12:44From Australia, Miller, Catherine, Marcin, Tully, Magda, Krumlau.
01:12:54Hard work is finally going to pay off.
01:12:55You know, there are so many people behind us, rooting for us.
01:12:58There are so many people who have supported us in our journey and just getting here.
01:13:00So it will be good to finally graduate and give them something, you know, here.
01:13:03We made it.
01:13:05From Tahiti, Atiyah Jesse Lee Chipsa.
01:13:12Looking at myself now, I just feel like I have so much more to bring.
01:13:15It was really good to be able to come here, work, go to school, and then at the end, I'm
01:13:43going to be fine.
01:13:45Graduation for me, like, even though I get to receive my diploma and to finish my path
01:13:53in school, I think for me, the most important part is that I developed all these relationships
01:13:57with these people, with all my friends.
01:13:59We can really feel that he's made lots of friends, and he found another home.
01:14:05Other institutions, especially private universities, are so astronomically expensive that most students,
01:14:12when they graduate, are in debt for almost for life.
01:14:14The mission isn't about being a top tourist destination, it's about employing students
01:14:20for the benefit of them going to school.
01:14:22Students are able to get an education almost for free, which is unheard of.
01:14:27I believe the purpose here is to be an example.
01:14:30To show the world that we don't have to hide from the complexities of being diverse, that we can come
01:14:35together, celebrate that, and benefit from it in really incredible ways.
01:14:40A lot of us kids were able to come from the islands, be able to get an education because of this place.
01:14:50PCC impacted our lives so much because it created a family for us.
01:14:56I found a place here, I found a family here, I found people who benefited my life in the most positive way.
01:15:02Kind of like a refuge, right? So we talk about Pu'u Honua.
01:15:05This place is a place of refuge for me.
01:15:07Physically and spiritually and academically.
01:15:09There's happiness and joy everywhere you see people, you can't help but smile.
01:15:13Tourists come here, get a rest from their day-to-day lives, students come here and work, we get a rest from our day-to-day lives.
01:15:19Our hope here at PCC is that everybody who comes upon our grounds will feel some peace, leave the cares of the world behind.
01:15:27There is an actual aloha environment there and a sense of safety, a sense of protection from the turmoil of the world.
01:15:36That's a pretty special place and any organization that ends up funding education is good by me.
01:15:41Because the more educated people we have, the more tolerance we have, the more economic opportunity we have, the better families do.
01:15:47People came here with a bunch of problems, but there's a special spirit over here that can heal people.
01:15:53And I think that's why people come to Polynesian Cultural Center and go home and they feel different.
01:15:59If they come here and they spend time with our students, it will feel something different.
01:16:04And it will be something that they can't forget and always want to be part of.
01:16:07Here at the Polynesian Cultural Center, we find common ground.
01:16:11We find that we love the same things, we find we have the same sense of humor, we have the same goals,
01:16:15we find we all love our families more than anything.
01:16:19If they can see here at PCC what we want the whole world to experience,
01:16:24then I think it gives us hope that, yeah, we can live in a world of peace.
01:16:29It means that by coming here, by allowing us to share aloha with you,
01:16:33and you in turn sharing aloha back with us, you become part of our family.
01:16:37We become wanauhana sharing aloha.
01:16:40And then it's our hope that this feeling that you had of saying hi to perfect strangers
01:16:46at the Polynesian Cultural Center, sharing a laugh with other people,
01:16:49you take that with you, and that we collectively help the world become wanauhana sharing aloha.
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