His Majesty King Tupou VI and Her Majesty Queen Nanasipau’u of Tonga were joined by dignitaries and guests, as well as hundreds of Brigham Young University–Hawaii students and community members, for the “grand reopening” of the Polynesian Cultural Center’s recently renovated Tongan Village.
In opening the program, PCC president and chief executive officer Alfred Grace said, “Here then in this beautiful Tongan village, we encapsulate all that is significant, worthy, and meaningful to the Polynesian Cultural Center. It is a showplace for a magnificent culture. It is a place of growth and financial support for BYU–Hawaii students and community employees; and it is a place that will bless all who visit.”
Then, King Tupou VI, speaking to the crowd in English, thanked the PCC for inviting him. “It’s a great idea that our young people can get to help spread their own culture here, as well as the center helping them to contribute toward their further discipline and education.”
“It’s also useful to observe that the PCC is a place to mature in character, where students can develop and gain strength in their own individual traits in a safe and guided environment. Character is what makes us what we are in the long run. It is what we become for the rest of our lives.”
At the Friday evening program, Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Ruth, attended with the Tongan royalty and gave some introductory remarks. Elder Renlund told the king and queen he was connected to Tonga through his mother-in-law, whose mother was born in Nuku’alofa, capital of the “Friendly Islands.” He joked how early in their relationship he had to learn to say the Tongan greeting, Mālō e lelei, correctly. Elder Renlund related from this experience how important family connections are.
Under the direction of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder O. Vincent Haleck dedicated the latest renovation of the PCC’s Tongan Village.
He blessed the village that visitors would “come to appreciate those people who are here representing and reflecting the culture of Tonga.”
He further prayed, “That our children, as they come here to see the history and the architecture in this wonderful place that they will come to know a sense of identity of who they are — not only as people of the Pacific, particularly Tonga, that they’ll understand their great identity as children of our Heavenly Father.”
In accordance with Tongan custom, the student villagers brought out gifts for the king, including three huge cooked pigs; subsequently, each of the other villages at the PCC added more gifts and performed for the royal party. Finally, President Grace gave the king a large hand-sewn Hawaiian quilt and several boxes of chocolate-covered Hawaiian macadamia nuts to take home “as tokens of our appreciation for your attendance at today’s events.”
The king’s entourage included Hon. Semisi Sika, minister of Tourism and Infrastructure—who is a 1994 BYU–Hawaii graduate; Hon. Tupouahomee Tuita, cultural director; Gary Pasina Lavaki, a cultural consultant and PCC alumnus; Mr. Motu’apuaka, his majesty’s talking chief; Mrs. Viela Tupou, lord chamberlain and private secretary; Siaosi Kaho, ADC; Siale Puloka, assistant secretary, Palace Office; and Ms. Palolo Uata and Ms. Ilaisaane Loloa, personal assistants.
In addition to the Graces, special Latter-day Saint delegations included Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Sister Ruth L. Renlund; Elder O. Vincent Haleck, General Authority Seventy and First Counselor in the Pacific Area Presidency, and his wife, Sister Peggy Ann Haleck; Elder ‘Aisake Tukuafu, Area Seventy in Tonga and his wife, Sister Lose Tukuafu; Elder Aley K. Auna Jr., Area Seventy in Hawaii and his wife, Sister Danelle Auna; BYU–Hawaii president John S. Tanner and his wife, Sister Susan W. Tanner; Eric Shumway, former BYU–Hawaii and PCC President, and his wife, Sister Carolyn Shumway; and Kalo Mataele Soukop, a former PCC labor missionary, original cast member, and emeritus member of the PCC board of directors, and her husband, Brother Harry Soukop.
Hon. Sika said returning to the PCC was like “coming home. This is where it all began for me. I changed my major here to tourism and travel. My career in tourism started through the training I went through at BYU–Hawaii and at the Polynesian Cultural Center.” He added that the Kingdom of Tonga is proud of the Tongan Village at the PCC. “It’s a relationship that’s very critical in our economic growth, especially in tourism. The promotion that’s carried on here in the center is something we could never afford to do back home. Tonga is being introduced to thousands of people on a daily basis.” With the remodeling of the Tongan village, the PCC is back to full function for its open facilities and regular activities.
Writer: Parker Lovett | University Relations |
