The annual event brought attention to Pacific Islander and Polynesian traditions through song, dance, and food.

“Nānā I Ke Kumu,” or in English, “Look to the source,” was everywhere at Mālama Hawai’i’s 2026 lū’au, from Native friends and family in the audience to fresh poke to leaf leis. They hosted the annual event on Monday, April 6, and honored the teachings of their Kumu through hula dance.

After the doors opened, tables were served with a delicious plate of rice, pork, teriyaki chicken, poke, and watermelon. We dug into our plates as the emcees, Dayson Gonzaga (CC ’28) and Marcus Nichols introduced the program. “When you’re here,” they said, “you’re in Hawai’i.”

The performances featured dancers from Mālama Hawai’i, Columbia’s Pacific Islander and Polynesian club. The first song, “‘Ulupalakua,” choreographed by Kumu Kamalei Kawa’a, centered on the pani’olo, or cowboy, culture of Maui. Mālama Hawai’i’s performers wore green lole, or costumes, and lei po’o, or flower crowns, swaying gently to the music. 

Next was “Aia Lā ‘o Pele,” bringing up the tempo, and performed with Kristian Lloyd (CC ’27) on guitar and vocals and Makalapua Kuluhiwa on bass guitar. The song was choreographed by Kumu Kapu Hoapili, who taught hula to Mālama Hawai’i Graphic Designer Mai Eckert (CC ’27) when she was a child. Closing out the first act was “Haleakalā Hula,” which featured the use of pū’ili, split bamboo sticks, adding a fun rhythmic element to the performance. 

The second act began with a contest for who could yell the best “chee-hoo!” Volunteers lined up from the audience to scream their lungs out to much applause. The subsequent dances featured songs “Taku Moemoea” and “Ku’u Pua Ilima,” choreographed by Kumu Tanisha Reshke, both about loved ones. Lū’au Chair and Bwog Internal Editor Manaia Taula-Lieras (CC ‘28) has been dancing with Tanishka Reshka since 2017, and showed her skills during an ‘ote’a with Anaïs Conley-Kapoi (CC ’29), which elicited loud cheers from the crowd.

Following the slow, beautiful songs was an arm-wrestling challenge, or in Hawai’i, uma, in which volunteers from the audience laid down on their stomachs to battle it out. After was the fast-paced “Puamana” and “Nāwiliwili,” choreographed by Kumu Uluwehi Guerrero.

After the dances, Mālama Hawai’i honored their graduating seniors, President Ho’ohicokalā Luna-Beamer (CC ‘26), Matthew Labasan (CC ’26), and Konane Morikawa (CC ’26). The emotion and effort put into the event was palpable as the students gave each other leis to honor their commitment to the club. The event closed with Hawai’i Aloha, an anthem of the Hawaiian people. Everyone, from the stage to the audience, joined hands in a circle around the edge of the auditorium to share in a moment of song and togetherness.

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