#teamSialoi: May 2015

This past week my kids took part in their school’s Poly Club Luau. The first ever for the school. It was neat to see them embrace their culture. The love for our roots is something that has to be taught, it is not inherited by birth. I appreciate their Counselor and their Aunty putting in time and effort to make the Luau a success. It was beyond what we expected given they are a small group and this was their first annual Luau. I’m grateful my kids took part in a tradition that will be passed on to the next group of cultured kids.

I’m proud to see that although they are novices to the world of hula dancing, that did not stop them nor did it deter their spirits from learning. I’m so proud of their efforts as a parent and I know a lot of behind the scenes actions made this all possible.

I thank my Sister for helping her kids out, for making them practice before and after school most days to pull it off. Thank you for hauling the kids to and from practice, thank you for sacrificing your time and thank you for always feeding them at practices LOL. It was super awesome. Job well done Sis.

Thank you to their Counselor who gave them a home, a voice, a place to belong and a platform to share where they come from. Had it not been for Desmond, this would not be possible.

Thank you to the students themselves for having the desire to learn different cultures and sharing their own. Be proud of your heritage and carry it with you where you go.

Thank you to the parents and the families that shared their culture with us. Song, dance, chant, food and language. Every lyric, every sway of the hips, every movement of the hand displays your ancestors desire for culture to be passed on.

Thank you for the laughter, the joy, the fellowship and most of all the smiles. Polynesians are people of the sun, we exuberate a spirit of love and hospitality. That is who we are. That is what we teach our children. That is what we pass from generation to generation.

Here’s to the next Poly Club Luau.

Enjoy the memories.

After our long sought out search for the perfect dress and a little help from Sis Moliga, Byrd looked like a queen.

I loved that she wanted to incorporate her culture into her dress. At first i was trying to talk her out of it, but she envisioned her masterpiece and brought it to life. Unique and sophisticated.