The gray bricks of the GSU Metcalf Ballroom shone brightly as hula dancers swayed across the stage, their light steps keeping rhythm, their faces decorated by smiles visible from the back of the room. “Star of Gladness: Hōkūle’a Hula” was printed on the screen behind them, followed by a giant red “BOSTON UNIVERSITY” sign just below the screen. Handmade white paper flowers donated by Friendship Park twirled in students’ hands. Five thousand miles away from Hawaii, surrounded by inflatable fish balloons, you could almost feel the tropical energy and island breeze.
On April 12, 2026, the Boston University Hawaii Cultural Association (BU HCA) hosted their 30th annual lu’au, named “Kai Ho’ohui,” which translates to “ocean that unites.” Brooke Carias, president of BU HCA, chose this theme to signify the love and connection shared with those oceans away.
The three-hour celebration of heritage, togetherness, and joy was complete with group activities, musical and dance performances, giveaways, and of course, food. Krysti Chen, social design chair of BU HCA, says the planning started at the beginning of the academic year. “Planning an event where over 100 people attend is not easy, but I am glad we took up the challenge,” she said. With half of HCA’s e-board studying abroad, this lu’au represented not just a celebration of their heritage, but of their dedication to making it work with what they had.
There was no shortage of delights. A packed night of raffles and competition was punctuated by a couple rounds of food, featuring a delightful miso eggplant katsu, Kalua pig, and ahi tuna poke. The star of the show was dessert, where an assortment of flavored butter mochi (breakfast, classic, ube, matcha, s’mores, and chocolate chip), donated by Pixlcat Butter Mochi in Charlestown, captivated the mouths of the 100-plus attendees. It was a perfect pairing brought together by the students at Unleashed PR.
Another standout of the evening was ukulele player Kapono Wong. He was invited to the Luau for the second year in a row, where he kicked off the festivities with a Hawaiian tune and dazzled the end of the evening with a ukulele version of “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Wong notes that he was drawn to this event in particular because he gets to share a common language with people here. “Most of us, well, I can’t say most, but there’s a few locals that I know from Hawaii,” he said. “And you can speak pidgin [with them].”
That’s what the students were there for – the personal connection. With the “Ho Brah Find Me One” game, students raced from table to stage with a ferocity likely to result in a few bruises, and a collective effort to help their teammate win the sprints. Their dedication to attending, listening, participating, and even making a mad dash for a small prize was proof of that bond.
Chen is graduating, but Lu’au holds a special joy in her heart. “I hope that people take away [the fact] that [the] lu’au is here to stay, for hopefully 10, 20, or even 30 more years,” she said. “I hope that people recognize Lu’au as a fun event to help them learn more about Hawaii[an] culture, even if they don’t know anything about it.”
Miranda is a consumer analyst who loves to write. She is pursuing her Master of Science in marketing communication research, and looks forward to using her data storytelling skills in the media or entertainment industry upon graduation.
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