If you walked into the Campion Ballroom on the night of April 25, you would’ve been met by over four hundred attendees decked out in their best Aloha wear, crowned with meticulously crafted Lei po’o’s and Lei’s hanging around their necks. The walls were vibrantly decorated with blue waves and depictions of Hawaiian sailors, relating to the theme of the night. 

Since 1962, Seattle University’s Hui O Nani Hawai’i club has hosted their annual Lu’au. This year’s 64th Lu’au,titled “Ili Mai I Ka Aina I Ke Kai”, translates to “Rooted from the land to the sea,” relating to the Native Hawaiians’ key values of taking care of the land (Malama aina). 

The night kicked off with members of the club singing the official anthem of Hawai’i, “Hawai’i Pono’i.” Originally written in 1874, “Hawai’i Pono’i” served as the official anthem of the Kingdom of Hawai’i, as well as the Republic of Hawai’i, and to this day still serves as the anthem of the land. Club members then led the audience in singing the revered anthem of Hawai’i, “Hawai’i  Aloha.” “Hawai’i Aloha,” written by Reverend Lorenzo Lyons, is typically sung in gatherings both in Hawai’i and abroad. 

The program for the night consisted of 16 dances, choreographed by nine different instructors. Before every performance, a short video would play with an explanation of the dance from the instructor. One of the most popular dances of the night was Tahitian, which brought the audience to their feet. Originating from Tahiti, Tahitian is a high-energy dance that consists of rapid hip shaking to a quick, rhythmically driven percussion accompaniment. This year’s Tahitian consisted of almost two dozen male and female dancers, accompanied by “Tahiti Nui” by Amy Hanaiali’i. 

“All of the dances are telling stories about the history and the stories that the Native Hawaiians partook in or created for themselves,” Jaevyn Navarro, one of Hui O Nani Hawai’i’s first-year representatives, said. “There’s just meaning behind every single motion that’s put into the choreography, it’s not just something that’s added in, there’s actual intentions and purpose behind why that move is in the dance.” 

The night also showcased dinner performances by club members who performed traditional Hawaiian dances, as well as by members of outside clubs such as the United Filipino Club and Rhythmix. 

Another highlight of the night was the food. The menu consisted of two Pupus (appetizers): Kamaboko Dip and Garlic Edamame, four main dishes: Ahi Poke, Kalua Pig, Mac Salad, Chicken Long Rice and Poi, and two desserts: Haupia, made by a family member of one of the Lu’au board members, and Li Hing Apples. 

“A lot of the food took me right back home. All of the food is just how it was in Hawai’i,” First-year Computer Science major Tyler Kagawa said. 

Lu’au was primarily put on by the six members of the Lu’au board: Food Chairs Cashel Kodama and Macy Fillazar, Ballroom Chair Miki’ana Haake, Entertainment Chair Alysa Sato, Marketing Chair Sarah Toma and Logistics Chair Jaiden Bettis, who led the group. These six individuals were in charge of organizing and planning all things related to Lu’au, which included importing a hundred pounds of ahi tuna straight from Hawaii, decorating the Campion Ballroom, organizing dinner performance schedules and handling donations as well as a raffle. Hui O Nani Hawai’i’s President Nathan Shiraki highlighted the individuals who made this night happen. 

“Jaiden, Macy, Cashel, Miki, Sarah, Alysa, all six of them, and then our instructors as well… also our decks committee and our food committee, they put a lot of time and effort into this,” Shiraki said. 

This year, through the support of friends, family and other club community members, Hui O Nani Hawai’i donated $1,000 to Aina Momona, a Native Hawaiian non-profit organization that is dedicated to achieving environmental health and sustainability through restoring social justice and Hawaiian sovereignty. The organization also helps provide relief to parts of the islands that are damaged during severe storms and floods, such as the Kona Low Floods that occurred just weeks ago in March 2026. 

Though Lu’au is always one of the largest cultural celebrations at Seattle U, this year’s Lu’au sold out in just one hour, following the trend of campus cultural events selling out in record time. 

“We sold out within an hour, we had all of our seats filled, and I think this is just such a great way for our students and our club members to showcase their skills,” Shiraki said. 

After almost a year of preparation, Hui O Nani Hawai’i’s 64th annual Lu’au showcased the hard work and dedication that the club has towards preserving the traditional culture of the Native Hawaiians and the Islands of Hawai’i. 

“Hawaii Club is always like a home away from home, so coming here and experiencing Lu’au is really like me being back at home… it’s really an amazing experience,” Kagawa said.