The Polynesian Cultural Center

Tu Tangata, Issue 26, 1 October 1985, Page 28

The Polynesian Cultural Center

\\ A otearoa!!! Where’s that?” This is a common remark of guests ar- / \ riving at the Polynesian Cultural Center when glancing at the / \ colourful brochure and see the name for the Maori Village. One of the best tourist attractions of Hawaii, on the island on Oahu with its one million visitors annually, the Polynesian Cultural Center is a definite highlight for visitors. Situated 42 miles away on the Windward side from Honolulu in Laie, the drive there takes in panoramic views on the other side of the island.

As the doors open at 12:30 six days a week, Polynesian guides welcoming guests are indeed like Maoris of Aotearoa and the resemblance is striking. Only when the guides speak, a New Zealand visitor would realise they are either locals (from Hawaii) or maybe from the Pacific Islands (Tahiti) or even United States raised Polynesian. Their different accent “explains it all.” The intermingling of the young people of Polynesia working their way through College demonstrates the brotherhood that exists here at the P.C.C. The differences and also the affinities observed prove that here is a showplace of Polynesia for the heritage and customs of the past and present are in action.

At Ipm the Aloha Festival or the introduction to the People of Polynesian a 40-minute filled welcome and a brief orientation awaits our visitors. Visitors come to Hawaii from all parts of the world on their dream vacation usually as Hawaii is referred to as Paradise.

Villages of Samoa, Tonga, Tahiti, Aotearoa, Fiji, and Hawaii are situated along a main lagoon that runs through the centre of PCC and each has a village compound of three to five houses constructed identically like on their own island home.

The busiest visitor season is June through to late August and again during the Christmas season. Already 1984-5 has been a booming year for the visitor industry in Hawaii and attendance at PCC reflects the general tourist attendance to the state.

With a replica of the late Queen Salote’s summer palace and its rounded corners and curved roofs in the Tongan Village, the display of tapa cloth making and guest participation in a Tongan game ‘lafo’ is lots of fun.

The Samoan Village exhibits its chief house and its finest example of Samoan architecture and its guest house of fine mat weaving demonstration. Simplicity of the family dwelling house is evident in the third house. Guests enjoy the entertaining coconut husking demonstration which is a crowd pleaser in the cooking area after watching the coconut climber scaling up the tree making it look so easy.

The Tahitian village features the chance to try the exciting hip-shaking

dance and the round ended house with Tahitian crafts displayed. A visit to the Hawaiian Village includes the family dwelling house and the famous poi pounding demonstration

and learning how to dance the hula. In the Fijian Village the high roofed ‘bure kalou’ or religious structure is the spectacular attraction rising above other houses there, and again as in the other villages, legends of the people and a fashion show of native costume are given. The missionary chapel of stone recalls the days of the Christian missionaries first coming to the South Pacific in the 1850’s with roofs thatched with sugar cane leaves. Demonstrations of the quilting in the homes shows again how the refined art of embroidery was taught to island women, who in turn de-

veloped their own Polynesian patterns. The lauhala (pandanus) leaves and the versatile use of the coconut leaves by Polynesian women weaving mats, fans, baskets and hats is both educational and entertaining.

Aotearoa

To the visiting Kiwi, the Maori Village of PCC is indeed a marae to be justly proud of. The meeting house is a fine imposing structure. Two smaller houses on each side of it, one is a museum with tukutuku demonstrations on its porch. Because it takes two people to make, this fact draws many com-

ments. The other house displays woven flax articles. Inside the carved gateway is the pataka, and its familiar ornate carving. The ongoing activities of tititorea and its lively participation for the guests is thoroughly fascinating and enjoyable, as well as family oriented and educational. And the tititorea rhythmical coordination skills in pairs to musical accompaniment does require a certain amount of practice but it enhances our culture considerably. Returning PCC guests always recommend this activity heartily to friends. Foreign groups with their foreignspeaking guides can enjoy it in Spanish,

Japanese, French, Chinese, Korean and German translation as well. Participation in making the poi balls; viewing our carvers at work and just admiring the solid sturdy and ornately carved structures draws most favourable comments. The different “accent”, and being Polynesian also dispels a myth about our background.

One of highlights of the 20 Maori employees in the Maori Village is hosting our people from “back home" such as the return of the kaumatua from Te Maori Exhibition in New York and St. Louis. This allows the local Maori community to welcome them and enjoy their company. It is always a memorable and moving occasion for everyone here has been overseas for a long time.

In our meeting house crowds are treated to a most informative presentation of maoridom by Tommy Taurima. Most visitors gain insight and are impressed with his sincerity and pride that he has in his culture which is imparted to his listeners. Invariably all PCC VlP's are treated to Tommy’s presentation e.g. the President of Mexico and President of Finland, highest ranking generals in the U.S. Army and other members of the diplomatic corps.

Most staff are students

Practically all of the PPC employees are Mormons. PCC covers an area of 42 acres. Ninety per cent of employees are students attending the Brigham Young University-Hawaii Campus which is adjacent to PCC. Our Maori students also must register at the university first, and then can be employed at PPC. Fees for tuition, board and books are deducted from PCC wages and then resourceful students live on S2O or even less every two weeks. Immigration law does not permit students to work anywhere else and they cannot drop out of the University either and hopefully continue at the PCC. This is in violation of their student status, or a month's notice is issued to leave the country. When students graduate, the same rule applies. University enrolment is about 2000 and they come from Alaska, Canada, Mexico, South America, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Tahiti. Students must share a dorm room with another student of different cultural background to emphasis the extremely international make up of the institution. For its size the campus has excellent and modern facilities, well laid out grounds as well as the largest most modern basketball auditorium in the

state for any university. Married students and families have a complex of housing with one, two and three bedroom apartments nearby.

There are about thirty Maori students of whom four or five graduate in June and again in December. Some Maori graduates pursue further studies at BYU-Provo in Utah or go to California. Others return to NZ; others marry over here to remain in the US indefinitely and join the workforce here. Debbie Hippolite, a Ngati Koata who lives in Hamilton is working on her doctorate at BYU-Provo and Stephen Keung, a CPA (Chartered Public Accountant) is in California now are two such graduates.

PCC Management Team On the PCC Management Team as vice president we have Vernice Wineera Pere Ngati Toa, and bought up at Porirua and Takapuahia marae as her childhood home. Ralph Rodgers from Utah is the general manager, and he is also fluent in Samoan. Cy Bridges is also vice president and his wife is Iraani Waihi Bridges who is from Bridge Pa in Hastings Ngati Kahungungu. Her husband is a ‘kumu or teacher’ for a ‘halau’ from PCC that performs at the prestigious Merry Monarch Festival held annually in Hilo on the island of Hawaii.