HONOLULU, Hawai’i – Brigham Young University Hawaii Tongan students gave a Tongan culture brief at the Polynesian Cultural Center to Nevada State Partnership Program and Task Force Oceania personnel and prepped Umu, a dinner ritual, during a mid-month visit in August. Umu is the process many Polynesian cultures use to cook. Food is wrapped in taro leaves, then placed inside a hole with heated rocks. The hole is then covered with banana leaves and mats that steam and cook the food. Tongan students included Similoni Filikitonga, Sione Mitford, Melissa Tomu , Sieli Paletua, Laona Tonga, Siosi'a
HONOLULU, Hawai’i – Brigham Young University Hawaii Tongan students gave a Tongan culture brief at the Polynesian Cultural Center to Nevada State Partnership Program and Task Force Oceania personnel and prepped Umu, a dinner ritual, during a mid-month visit in August. Umu is the process many Polynesian cultures use to cook. Food is wrapped in taro leaves, then placed inside a hole with heated rocks. The hole is then covered with banana leaves and mats that steam and cook the food. Tongan students included Similoni Filikitonga, Sione Mitford, Melissa Tomu , Sieli Paletua, Laona Tonga, Siosi'ana Tonga'onevai Toutai, Lesieli Noema, Matangiake Talamai, Matangiake Jr Talamai , and Misinale Kautai. Nevada SPP and Task Force Oceania service members helped make the Lu Pulu and Lu Sipi for the Umu. Lu Pulu is a traditional Tongan dish utilizing coconut milk, onions, tomatoes, and canned corned beef. Lu Sipi has the same ingredients except lamb is used instead. While the food cooked for a few hours, Alamoti Taumoepeau gave a tour and briefed service members more on Tongan history. The Polynesian Cultural Center had the privilege of having Halaevalu Mata'aho ʻAhomeʻe, the late Queen Mother of the King of Tonga, support the construction of one of the dwellings, known as a fale, at the Polynesian Culture Center. Ulise Funaki was dressed in traditional formal Tongan wear, a ta'ovala over a tupenu, when he gave his educational brief on Tongan culture. He put clarity on how cordial the Pacific islands really are and how they came to be known as the “friendly islands”. In the end, Ulise quoted Cesar Chavez by saying “the people who give you their food, give you their heart” to express the BYU-H Tongan students’ thoughts and feelings. As the food was enjoyed, Tongan students and service members walked up to the microphone to give thanks as a Tongan tradition. There were many thanks given to the Polynesian Cultural Center for providing space for the event, to
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