MISSOULA – Starting school and meeting new people can be stressful for many college students.
But to help bring them together, the University of Montana Pacific Islander Club held a Lu’au to celebrate their culture with fun activities, foods, and dances over the weekend.
The Pacific Islander Club welcomed people of all backgrounds and encouraged anyone interested to learn about their culture.
Hula dancers performed a couple of slow songs and even took volunteers from the audience to teach them the basics and aside from the activity, the club hopes to provide a community where students can feel at home
“When I found these guys,” said Zikomo Nahoopi, club committee chairman, and hula dancer, “they gave me a place where I felt welcome. A place right felt accepted, a place where I ate food that I missed at home you know, that my parents aren’t here to cook for me.”
“Really just the Aloha that they provide…for me it’s not the dances, or the potlucks or any of that stuff, it’s just the spirit of family that they give you the second you come around them,” Nahoopi added.
The Pacific Islander Club was formed last year and already has over 70 members.
Reporting by Donal Lakatua for MTN News
