Bright green lavalava (wrap arounds) and puletasi (women’s attire) for Samoa. Photo by Polynesian Cultural Center.

The team behind the costumes 

Creating the costumes was a collaboration between a group of people. Allred said the role she played was drawing things because she’s not very familiar with traditional clothing.

“I’m Samoan but not familiar with other cultures. The way it happened was I sat down with Aunty Cathy, wardrobe supervisor of the Center, who has years of experience as a dancer and working in the wardrobe. We drew some stuff together then we showed it to our director, Ray Magalei, then he reached out to cultural specialists to get their input,” she said. 

Allred emphasized the importance of involving cultural specialists to respect traditions and avoid mistakes. “For instance, we had a cultural issue with the Tonga men’s belt. Apparently, having diamonds on men’s belts is a no-no because diamonds are more associated with women. So, now we’re making rectangles to fix that,” she explained.

The collaboration added a genuine touch while deepening the team’s appreciation of different cultural aspects. By paying close attention to cultural details in the costume design, the final product was crafted to be both respectful and true to the cultures portrayed in the show.

Finished Hawaiian costumes for Huki. Photo by Polynesian Cultural Center.

Overcoming challenges in the preparation 

Planning and preparing the Huki costumes required careful effort and attention to detail from the start. They aimed to distinguish this new show from the previous version of Huki but faced challenges in translating their overall vision into specific costume elements. Simplifying the show’s storyline took longer than expected, which led to the simultaneous development of a new track and the choreography of the dances. According to Allred, the extended planning phase caused costume considerations to be pushed to the last minute. Despite tight deadlines, the team impressively produced 300 individual costume pieces in just three weeks.  

Allred said that under normal conditions, they would typically produce 100-150 items per month. Regardless of the intense pressure, the team’s dedication to quality and performance ensured that all the costumes met the high standards expected by their audience. 

Elizza Keni, assistant seamstress supervisor from Australia, said, “You got to do what you got to do so the performers will look nice for the guests. The bottom line is the guests are paying so much money to come here and see a show, and they shouldn’t be looking at stuff that’s not good quality.

Some sketches of the costumes. Photo by Jesse Allred.

The rewarding experience of bringing Huki costumes to life 

Each costume embodies not just fabric and thread but also the tradition and history of the performers’ background. Keni said, “In the sewing room, you see all the pieces but when you go out there, it makes you proud. It’s all worth it. I want to yell out there and say, ‘I made that!’” 

Allred said, “It was cool when I saw some of the night show dancers model the costumes when I first went to the lagoon. It’s rewarding to see. I never grew up dancing, but when I watch Polynesians dance, I feel very connected to the culture of my family and ancestors. Even though I’m not a dancer, being able to make costumes and help people be part of that, share the culture and see them dance together is cool for me. One particularly touching moment for me was witnessing the joy and pride on the performers’ faces as they showcased their costumes during rehearsals. Additionally, seeing the performers’ connection to their cultural heritage through the costumes we created is incredibly fulfilling.  

“Watching everyone come together, from seasoned seamstresses to eager student employees, is truly inspiring and highlights the collective effort involved in bringing the show to life,” Keni said. Allred added, “We’re grateful for our sister missionaries who volunteered. They come in and pretty much work full-time hours every day.” 

Keni, who has been working in the Center for over 15 years, said, “Seeing the whole outfit complete is very rewarding. We wouldn’t have been able to do it without the help of our students and the senior missionaries. These are things that they’re not used to doing like putting clothing together and making dresses. It’s a bit out of their box, but they did it.”

We would like to express our gratitude to the seamstress and wardrobe department who truly demonstrated exceptional effort and creativity in the creation of the Huki costumes. Their dedication to craftsmanship and attention to cultural authenticity have greatly contributed to the overall success of the production.

Antoniette Caryl Yee-Liwanag, a Filipina, currently resides in the beautiful island of Oahu, Hawaii. She speaks Tagalog, Kapampangan, English, and Spanish, which helps her connect with people from various backgrounds while working at the Polynesian Cultural Center. Her blog explores exciting journeys of food, travel and culture. Though it may seem unusual, she enjoys the simple hobby of keeping her home spotless, reflecting her love for order and detail. 

The post Huki is Back: Crafting costumes for the long awaited return appeared first on polynesia.com | blog.

All of the Polynesians come together as one family during the finalé of the Polynesian Cultural Center’s new canoe celebration, Huki: One ‘ohana sharing aloha. (PCC photos by Mike Foley)

The Polynesian Cultural Center will officially launch the grand premiere of our new Huki: One ‘ohana sharing aloha canoe celebration on August 18, 2018. (‘Ohana means “family” in Hawaiian.) We present Huki each afternoon the Center is open at 2:30 on the freshwater lagoon near the Samoan Village. Huki is included in all PCC admission tickets.

Huki succeeds Rainbows of Paradise canoe show

The Center actually began a “soft” launch of Huki on July 12, 2018, when it replaced the popular Rainbows of Paradise canoe show. During its 18-year run approximately 10 million visitors enjoyed the more than 5,000 performances of Rainbows, and more than a thousand of our PCC “cast members” helped bring the colorful show to life. Typical of the close bonds that exist among the PCC “family” of employees, some alumni even returned on July 11 with special permission to dance in the final performance of Rainbows, while others joined the audience.

A very unique canoe celebration

Delsa Atoa Moe, PCC vice president of cultural presentations, explained that “Huki is a very unique canoe celebration. It’s very different from anything PCC has done in the past. We’re not focusing on the individual cultures as much as we are on the ocean and how it pulls us all together. We also use this theme to tell the story of Laie, and how the Polynesians came together in this place.”

Earth Mother and the legendary demigod Maui are part of Huki‘s storyline.

PCC canoe show manager Jon Raymond Mariteragi said Huki starts with dramatizations of the legendary demigod Maui harnessing the sun and dragging up the islands with his magical fishhook. Though living far apart, the people on the Polynesian islands use the ocean as a “highway” to interact with each other, as portrayed in a canoe-borne cultural exchange, marriage and even warfare among the islanders.

Huki’s storyline continues: With western contact, the Polynesians adapted music and instruments, then added their own rhythms, words and motions to both traditional and contemporary songs. Choral music also became an important part of Christian worship.

The Laie Hukilau sets the precedent

Then, to raise funds to rebuild their chapel, which was destroyed by fire in 1940, Polynesian Latter-day Saints living in Laie combined island entertainment and a luau with a traditional hukilau fishing event.

Huki portrays the role of the Laie Hukilau in establishing the Polynesian Cultural Center. (PCC photo)

The guests loved it all, including helping to pull in the fishing nets. The Laie Hukilau became a tourist attraction from its opening in 1948: The aloha spirit and talent of the local islanders, combined with the Hukilau Song and Uncle Hamana Kalili’s famous shaka sign, helped spread its fame around the world.

Hollywood helped, too

One segment of Huki portrays how popular singer Elvis Presley filmed part of his 1965 movie, Paradise Hawaiian Style, at the Center and even adapted our signature song, Bula Laie, into the English version Drums of the Islands.

When Brigham Young University–Hawaii (known as Church College of Hawaii from 1955–1974) started up, more Polynesians and others came to Laie; and university and church leaders soon adapted the Hukilau concept to found the Polynesian Cultural Center in 1963 as a means to help students pay for their education.

The Polynesians have gathered together again at the PCC

As the canoes come together for the finalé of Huki, the emcee says, “Now you know my story…and why the Polynesians have gathered again at the PCC in beautiful Laie, for the waters around us do not divide us. They unite us into one ‘ohana sharing aloha.”

“The overall takeaway from the show is that we are all a member of a worldwide family,” Moe said.

Three-plus years of planning

Moe also pointed out that a special creative committee has been working on Huki for more than three years. Members of the committee include Elder David T. Warner, a Latter-day Saint Area Seventy, and Ross Boothe as consultants. “They were also both consultants for us on Hā: Breath of Life, and they’re back on this project.”

PCC performance specialists are Steve Laulu, Samoa; Rāhira Makekau, Aotearoa (New Zealand); Kalivati Volavola, Fiji; Pōmaika’i Krueger, Hawaii; ‘Alamoti Taumoepeau, Tonga; and Jon Raymond Mariteragi, Tahiti.

“Dallin Muti composed four original songs for Huki, and he’s also responsible for the entire soundtrack; Roger Ewens, Cathy Teriipaia and Fatai Feinga oversaw all of our costuming and wardrobe, and Lance Aina was responsible for canoe choreography,” Moe said.

Muti, who started at the Center in 1986, recalled the new theme song he wrote came to him as David Warner was discussing the concept of Huki. “I grabbed a guitar, and the words to the song just came out. It just felt right,” he said. “To me, this is a special place, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to work here,” he added.

Moe also said PCC carvers created the custom-built canoes used in Huki, “including a miniature version of our Fijian camakau outrigger canoe, and a Maori-style double-outrigger. They also carved the magnificent wooden drums and many other custom-made props and accessories worn by the performers.”

The Polynesians celebrate after Maui fishes up the islands during Huki.

Launching Huki takes PCC-wide support

In addition to these people, Mariteragi said he strongly feels that the new canoe celebration is much more than a theater department production. “Every division in the Center has been heavily involved. We’ve all pulled together to help launch Huki.”

For example, “blue-shirt” Physical Facilities workers and labor missionaries have extensively expanded the seating capacity around the lagoon. The tech crew installed an all-new surround-sound system, and wardrobe ladies and labor missionaries created hundreds of new costumes.

Always grateful for those who came before

Mariteragi also expressed gratitude for the previous Rainbows canoe pageant. “There’s always going to be a time at the Center when something that’s been with us for a while has had a nice run, and then something new comes in. That’s always been part of our legacy. That’s what makes the Center great. Because of things that have been passed down, we’re always grateful for those who came before.”

“I honor all the individuals who poured their heart and soul into the making of Rainbows, and all our alumni and current employees who kept it going over the years. This is part of the spirit that really makes the Polynesian Cultural Center unique. We have a history of honoring those who have come before, and being grateful for the legacy we have.”

“I love the new canoe celebration because while we’ve always had recurring themes, this is one of the first times we’re actually telling the story of the Polynesian Cultural Center. Huki portrays actual people and events, and we’re putting that on display,” Mariteragi said.

Creativity and historical legacy

“There’s both a very creative, contemporary side of the show, and a historical story of our heritage. As Delsa [Moe] reminded us at one hard point in the planning stage, from the times of the legendary Maui our people were resilient.”

“We are excited to share a brand-new canoe celebration with our guests,” said Alfred Grace, president and CEO of the Polynesian Cultural Center, in separate remarks. “Our team has been working tirelessly to ensure that Huki’s story authentically captures the unique history and folklore of Polynesia and that our facilities are renovated and reinvigorated to ensure that the experience is elevated for all our guests.”

Get ready for the new HUKI canoe celebration at the Polynesian Cultural Center, Summer 2018

Story and photos (except as indicated) by Mike Foley, who has been a full-time freelance writer and digital media specialist since 2002. Prior to that, he had a long career in marketing communications, PR, journalism and university education. The Polynesian Cultural Center has used his photos for promotional purposes since the early 1970s. Foley learned to speak fluent Samoan as a Mormon missionary before moving to Laie in 1967. He has traveled extensively over the years throughout Polynesia, other Pacific islands, and Asia. He is mostly retired but continues to contribute to PCC and various other media.

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…or rather, the re-new-ed PCC

The Polynesian Cultural Center has been open now for 55 years, and in addition to its age and the routine wear-and-tear from working with many millions of visitors, Hawaii’s beautiful natural environment can also wreak havoc on the Center’s upkeep.

For example, “the “life cycle of air conditioners is pretty short here,” said Jerome Uluave, PCC vice president of Facilities Management (pictured at left in the photo above). Uluave, a Laie native, first worked at the Center as a teenager. After obtaining a degree in construction management and more practical experience, he rejoined the PCC in 2014.

“Our gentle trade winds cool us, but also carry salt spray that can be ‘corrosive’ in the long run; and our tropical climate encourages hungry termites to devour traditional building materials.” Consequently, he continued, “the first thing we always want to do is make sure we take care of what we have, so that our existing facilities last longer than the normal.”

To do this, Uluave shared that about 10% of all PCC employees, including an even higher percentage of senior missionary volunteers, are directly involved in maintaining and improving the facilities.

Using their skills, plus outside contractors when needed, the PCC has recently completed a multi-million-dollar overhaul to almost all our physical facilities over the past decade.

Getting prepared for the second 50-years

David Duffin (pictured at right in the photo at the top), PCC Facilities planning manager who earned a degree in facility and property management from BYU in Utah said that starting about 11 years ago, PCC began planning the years-long round of adding new capital improvements, renovating virtually every major facility at the Center. “The ‘bucket list’ they generated from 2008-2010 has all been completed.”

Duffin and Uluave pointed out a selection of these key projects and improvements — the same changes you might notice, if you haven’t been to the Center for a while, during your next visit to the Polynesian Cultural Center.

Senior missionaries work hard to update many areas around the Polynesian Cultural Center. Pictured are Elders Green (left) and Nelson. (Photo by Mike Foley

Getting ready for PCC’s new canoe celebration this summer

■ Most recently, for example, the PCC added a deck by the lagoon, near the Hale Ohana luau venue and Hawaiian Mission Home Settlement, that seats about 900 guests. Their view will be perfect when the Center’s new canoe celebration, “Huki” premiers this coming summer (more info to come on this exciting development).

Duffin said it took the PCC “blue-shirt team” about three-plus months to build the deck, designed by a senior volunteer missionary who previously worked in that business. When a moth infestation affected the normal supply of Hawaiian ohi’a logs from the Big Island, the Center substituted ironwood rails from nearby Kahuku.

“We’ve had a lot of good senior missionary volunteers helping us,” said Uluave.

Behind the scenes…

■ Meanwhile “behind the scenes,” the senior volunteers have created eight new fiberglass molds for the new production’s canoes, and revamped the carvers shop. Nearby, original PCC labor missionary and long-time master carver Sione Tuione Pulotu is busy creating drums for Huki drummers

■ A combination of contractors and PCC “blue shirts” recently reroofed the PCC employee building, which houses laundry and costume seamstress operations, along with the Center’s large central kitchen; and they redid the exterior of the training building and fixed several drainage issues.

Balancing and improving human resources…

Duffin explained using in-house people vs. contractors “is generally a question of resources. Any time we use in-house workers, we’re sacrificing something in terms of maintenance and preventative maintenance. So, we’re careful when we calculate those on the planning side, and we’re getting better and better at it.”

Duffin is also involved in upgrading the in-house staff through National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER) training, a nationally accredited trade-specific training and certification program. “We use our skilled senior missionaries as master trainers to teach our men.”

“We’re actually a certified NCCER location,” Uluave added. “This is one of the ways we allow our people to grow and provide them with opportunities they wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford.”

David Duffin, Facilities Planning Manager at the Polynesian Cultural Center shows the beautifully machine milled wooden doors in the Fijian Village. The Center recently acquired milling equipment from the estate of a former Sunset Beach man.

In the public eye…

The PCC has completed a number of large capital improvement projects as part of the overhaul:

■ The 24,500 square-foot Gateway dining and multipurpose venue was one of the earliest facilities the PCC renovated. On Nov. 11, 2011, hundreds of VIPs, industry leaders and other special guests attended the grand opening ceremonies, and for the first time saw its magnificent 5,000-plus square-foot mural sequences — one of the largest in the world — and huge Polynesian design elements.

In addition to the hundreds-of-thousands of meals served there on a daily basis, the PCC’s Gateway — originally opened about 40 years ago — has also hosted concerts, royal receptions, employee and community meetings, and even our 50th anniversary ball.

■ During the PCC’s golden jubilee celebration in 2013, we completed the complete renovation of our large-format media center into the Hawaiian Journey Theater — turning the design motif into a volcano, and premiered our own 15-minute media experience, Hawaiian Journey, on March 29 that year. The film portrays the deep feelings of native Hawaiians to their ancestral islands with stunning imagery

“That was a big project,” Duffin said, noting that in addition to the extensive exterior changes to the building, the inside of the theater got all-new digital audio and visual equipment as well as special seats that enhance the Hawaiian Journey experience.

■ The PCC partnered with the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame in 2014 to create the permanent PFHOF museum display in the Welcome Center, opposite the Gateway venue. Each January since the PCC and PFHOF participate in an annual enshrinement program in Laie. Tongan architect Norman Harris designed the museum. Each January the PCC and PFHOF participate in an annual enshrinement program in Laie. As with other features of the Hukilau Marketplace, admission is free.

■ The recent free-admission Hukilau Marketplace has been a big hit since it opened to the public on Feb. 20, 2015, after several years of extensive work. Its more than 40 shops, eating and entertainment options have become popular with visitors, community residents and kamaaina [Hawaii residents] ever since.P

■ In March 2016 the PCC finished a complete makeover of our Mahinalani Gift Shop on the edge of the Hukilau Marketplace, which included adding the Ukulele Experience, where guests can see how ukulele are made, and even take a free ukulele lesson.

Aerial photo of the popular Hukilau Marketplace now at the entrance to the Polynesian Cultural Center.

And in the villages…

“We’ve ‘touched’ every village and rehabbed them since the projects began,” Duffin continued. Some of the specifics include:

■ The Hawaiian Village got a complete facelift in timed for the PCC’s 50th anniversary in 2013 and held grand opening ceremonies on March 29th. Recent new additions include the permanent hale wa’a [canoe house] for BYU-Hawaii’s 57-foot Iosepa, a traditional twin-hulled sailing canoe that capable of traveling interisland — and does, from time to time.

■ Also in 2013, the PCC completely refurbished the Islands of Aotearoa, bringing back Taka Walker from New Zealand, the last surviving member of the carvers team which created the original panels in the Maori Village.

Duffin also pointed out that they rebuilt the tititorea [Maori stick game] hut, added new sidewalks, improved drainage, and reinstalled the magnificent 40-man waka taua [war canoe], which Center carvers have completely restored. In addition, Uluave noted the Maori carvers building has also been remodeled, and will reopen in approximately one month.

The king and queen of Tonga in front of the quarter-scale replica of the late Queen Salote’s summer palace at the Polynesian Cultural Center.

■ In perhaps one of the most celebrated facelifts, the current king and queen of Tonga came to the Polynesian Cultural Center on June 10-11, 2016, to “reign” over the grand reopening of the Tongan Village. Of couse, that visit meant lots of Polynesian protocol for HM King Tupou VI and HM Queen Nanasi Pau’u.

In one of the more subtle changes to the Tongan Village facilities, Uluave pointed out that PCC crews dismantled the replica of the late Queen Salote’s summer palace, which she originally authorized for the Center in 1962, so they could raise height of the paepae or foundation, thus appropriately lifting the unique building higher than all other structures in the village.

■ Uluave also said the PCC has most recently completed renovating the Fijian Village.

Restoration projects at the Pacific Theater, which hosts Ha: The Breath of Life, have been very successful.

And still more…

■ When electrical power to the PCC is interrupted, guests are usually not even aware of an outage.  This is because one of the overhaul projects included adding a 2 megawatt generator with automatic switching capabilities several years ago.

■ In 2017 PCC made structural improvements to the 2,700-seat Pacific Theater, “and we’re currently redoing the Pacific Theater roof,” Uluave said. He added this does not include the many theater technology changes recently made for the PCC’s world-famous evening show, Ha: Breath of Life; “and next year, we’re going to work on the ‘mountain’ [four-story volcano backdrop].”

Looking forward…

Future projects already slated include increasing the number of solar panels at the PCC, as well as expanding the capabilities of the Center’s nursery, which currently covers seven acres.

Duffin shared that PCC continues to work on future master planning. “I think we’ve made a lot of progress, not just ticking projects off a list, but also in developing relationships all around and getting better at what we do.

“I love our team, but I’m never satisfied,” Uluave said. “I’m glad I came back. I love the company. Our group is always looking to improve. It’s good to be a part of a group that’s progressive, and we have fun while we do it.”

Story and photos by Mike Foley, who has been a full-time freelance writer and digital media specialist since 2002. Prior to that he had a long career in marketing communications, PR, journalism and university education. Foley learned to speak fluent Samoan as a Mormon missionary before moving to Laie in 1967 — and still does. He has traveled extensively over the years throughout Polynesia, other Pacific islands and Asia. He is mostly retired now, but continues to contribute to PCC and various other media.

When he was a student worker at the Center in the 1960s, Foley recalls the maintenance shop was the size of a car garage.

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Huki is unique not only in the tale it shares, but in how it is presented. Live musicians set the tone while native performers present our epic story while dancing on large double hulled canoes upon a picturesque lagoon.

The new show is powered by a rich cinematic sound system in high-definition surround sound. Drawing on the authentic traditions of ancient drumming and chanting, the music includes classic island favorites and memorable contemporary songs that our guests will remember for years to come. They will also enjoy the expanded seating, and be impressed by the extra large doubled hulled performance canoes built right here at the Polynesian Cultural Center. Our Costume Department is also busily creating elaborate costumes ranging from historical to fantastical, making this production a feast for both the eyes and ears.

The story begins, as tradition holds, with the great demigod, Maui –who founded the Polynesian nations of Hawaii, Aotearoa, Fiji, Tahiti, Tonga and Samoa as he explored the vast Pacific.

Throughout the centuries the people of these cultures took the traditions given to them from their ancestors and created a legacy that they cast out across the seas, binding thousands of hearts together through love, service, courage and example.

Huki shows how, through this tradition, the little town of Laie created a community that drew these Polynesian cultures back together, and laid the groundwork for building the Polynesian Cultural Center – which today shares the majestic Polynesian legacy with millions of visitors from across the globe.

The excitement is building as we place the final touches on this new and exciting presentation. The story, the music, the performances and the venue are fantastic! We promise to keep you updated, so check back often!

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