Word: aloha
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...about five layers of clothing I trudged through the Arctic chill blowing along the Charles River, looking for the site of MIT's third annual luau. I knew I was getting close when I saw a car parked on the curb with a large bumper sticker that said, "Aloha spirit. Don't leave home without it." I quickly made my way toward the warm glow emanating from Walker Memorial Hall where I was greeted with the brimming smiles of friends from back home, tropical flowers, and beautiful Hawaiian music...
...birth of a child or the completion of a new home or canoe, Hawaiians traditionally took time to honor their many Gods and to share their bounty with friends and family. So, in the spirit of luaus past, the Hawaiian community on the east coast converged, donning their best aloha attire (mo'u mo'u's, floral shirts, surf shorts) to leave behind mid-term studies and celebrate Hawaii's unique culture. Most of the students came from MIT, but the luau also lured students from Dartmouth, Princeton, Harvard, and Wellesley. "To us this luau is not just a dinner...
...were welcomed into Walker Hall by the sound of slack key music strumming in the background. Tropical flowers adorned the walls, people in bright aloha shirts darted around excitedly, and the familiar smell of kalua pig wafted through the room. Kalua pig, the centerpiece of every luau, is fire-roasted on red-hot stones in an underground oven called an imu. I assume that the organizers couldn't pull off the red-hot stones in the frozen MIT ground, but the pig tasted delicious nonetheless. Soon after my arrival there was the inevitable rush to the serving table, replete with...
After eating more than my share (I surreptitiously undid the top button of my jeans) I was ready for the show to start. Conversation quieted as MIT sophomore Rosie Alegado came to the stage to perform a traditional opening chant called Oli Aloha. Her rich, deep voice gave shape to the complex and poetic chant, capturing everyone's attention and setting the tone for the hula dances to follow. It was clear, that this would not be one of those oft encountered theme party caricatures of Hawaiian culture where ti leaf skirts are traded for cellophane ones, where canned pineapple...
...from the showbiz representations however, is the hula in Hawaii. In all of its sacred and ceremonial forms, the hula is an integrated system of poetry, movement and rhythm. The MIT performances displaced any Hollywoodish notions that the audience might have had, impressing upon them the beauty, power, and aloha imbued in the hula. When asked about his impressions after his first encounter with Hawaiian culture, MIT sophomore Mike Jacuba said, "This is all so much fun, so impressive. It makes you feel all warm during the winter. You can't help but leave with a good feeling...