Wednesday, August 17, 2016 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
9
Hawaiian luau entertains hundreds
By Jodi Schneider McNamee
Correspondent
Aloha is more than a word
of greeting or farewell. Aloha
means mutual regard and
affection and extends warmth
in caring with no obligation in
return.
In old Hawaii, every
passerby was greeted and
offered hospitality whether
a total stranger or acquain-
tance, and the aloha spirit is
a well-known reference to
the attitude of friendly accep-
tance for which the Hawaiian
Islands are so famous.
Fortunately, one doesn’t
have to cross an ocean to
experience the aloha spirit;
last Thursday it could be
found right here in Sisters.
Hundreds of folks gathered
at Sisters’ Village Green to
enjoy an authentic Hawaiian
meal featuring traditional
Polynesian dance and music
for the 3rd annual Hawaiian
luau presented by Sisters
Park & Recreation District
(SPRD) and The Rotary Club
of Sisters.
The show offered up a
trip through the South Pacific
Islands with an accomplished
cast of artists performing to
the cultural music and dances
of the Hawaiian and Tahitian
islands.
Shannon Mokuahi
Rackowski, SPRD’s adult
program coordinator and
hula workshop instructor,
was born and raised on the
island of Oahu, Hawaii, and
has performed the hula dance
since she was five years old.
The hula is accompanied by
a chant or song that preserves
the stories, traditions and cul-
ture of Hawaii.
“I dance all of them, but
my favorite is the hula, the
traditional dance of Hawaii,”
Rackowski said.
Since the ukulele was
first introduced to the islands
in the 19th century by
Portuguese immigrants, the
delightful diminutive instru-
ment has been an active part
of Hawaiian music and cul-
ture. Today, its sweet and
tender sound conjures up
associations people have with
Hawaii: the warm climate,
the aroma of fragrant blos-
soms and an overall feeling of
contentment.
Hawaiian music provided
by Sisters Ukulele Group
with instructor Peggy Tehan
kicked off the luau, perform-
ing in front of the food area,
as folks waited on the buffet
line for a full Hawaiian din-
ner including kalua pig, lomi
lomi salmon, sticky rice, fresh
pineapple, coconut cake and
orange passion-fruit juice.
A special highlight right
before the dance perfor-
mances began had Toni
Abbott from England very
surprised. Abbott is a team-
mate with the UK all-star
girls basketball team, and it
was her birthday. Rackowski
arranged for all of Abbott’s
teammates, including Coach
Pearl, to deliver a beautiful
Hawaiian lei to hang around
her neck as Rackowski led
the entire audience in “Happy
Birthday.”
With hundreds of folks
spread out on the Village
Green lawn in their fold-
ing chairs or chaise lounges,
Rackowski began her tradi-
tional hula.
Rosemary Miller, dance
instructor for Halau (Hula)
Uhane dance group from
Redmond, had her group
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ready for some Polynesian
dancing. Ages ranged from 18
months up to adults.
“We have kids that have
been dancing here for three
years and have improved with
age. Our goal is for the danc-
ers to feel the dance they are
performing,” said Miller.
our goal is for the
dancers to feel the dance
they are performing.
— rosemary Miller
Musician Kurt Silva plays
everything from country to
Motown, but he has a spe-
cial place in his heart for
Hawaiian melodies. Silva per-
formed with Tanya Hackett, a
hula dancer from Bend.
Then with tiki torches lit
and traditional Polynesian
music with heart-pounding
Tahitian drumming began, a
photo by Jerry baldock
youngsters carried on the hawaiian tradition.
talented cast of dancers from
the Halau Uhane group per-
formed a fast-moving Tahitian
dance that brought a hush
over the crowd.
Mele’uhane, a new group
performing for the Sisters
luau from the Island of
Hawaii added to the fantastic
lineup of the evening.
Tw e n t y - o n e - y e a r - o l d
singer-songwriter Leokani
Lindsey and his dad,
Keikilani, kicked off the last
set as the sun descended in
the summer sky, performing
“Rain Song,” a solo instru-
mental piece he wrote.
“We have been profes-
sional musicians for the past
13 years performing every-
where in Hawaii,” Lindsey
said. “Eventually we thought
about expanding and started
to branch out and network
with other musicians. We’ve
been touring around for the
past year now from Colorado
to Washington. Mele’uhane
means ‘The Spirit of Music.’”