“Matariki Festival of Aotearoa”- An evening of Maori culture in cafe

With food, laugh, and performance, BYU-Hawaii students and facility members gathered to celebrate the Maori New Year Harvest in cafeteria on March 22. BYU-H Food Service served guests with the New Zealand menu including carved leg of lamb, Maori Boil up, and steamed bread pudding, etc. 

“We want to give students a different experience. We did a lot of Asian culture in the past and it is time to do Polynesian culture,” said Marilou Lee, BYUH Club Dining and Vending Manager, explaining the purpose of the event.

“The event was a result of a lot of communication and collaboration,” said Lee. “Café cooperated with the Kiwi Chapter and the community members for the menu. They showed us the recipe and we try to be as close as possible”

Agreeing with Lee, Katai Mariteragi, Club Dining supervisor, gave thanks to whoever helped to bring the event alive. “Food Service can’t do it alone. We always invite students to involve in any event. Like this one, Kiwi Chapter helped to provide decoration and entertainment…We have schedule for other Polynesian culture in the soon future too.”

For chapters which have the will to showcase their culture, Lee extended the invitation and said, “Contact us for an event. BYU-H is so diverse. We should use the chance well to learn from different culture.”

Spencer Tan, the Executive Chef, said “If you try the salad, you would see a strange curly plant, it is the fiddlehead fern. We order if from New Zealand. We did the research few months ahead for the special order.

Serving the guests food plus a big smile, Paul Mooso, a biochemistry sophomore from Indiana, who called himself a “Dish Washing Captain in café”, said he was proud because “the students kept come back for second plate. They look really excited about the food.” 

“I am certainly going for more food,” said William Tokaduaskux-Swagger-duadua, an exercise science freshman from New Zealand, who had 6 empty plates and 2 baskets in front of him. “I am very skeptical about the food, but Café brings me home today. I always tell my friends about the food in New Zealand, today Café back my word. I feel proud my culture is on plate. Now students can experience my culture, food, and performance.”

Also from New Zealand, Shaquille Byrnes, a history sophomore, complimented the decoration. She said, “Everything looks amazing and everyone looks happy. Tonight is a good first step for students to know our culture. It is a good and close representation.”

Without a meal plan, Mathias Tov Lubega, an IT sophomore from Uganda, said he paid to come and it was all worth it. “The food is very cultural. I like the soup. It is delicious and reminds me home. We use pumpkin, photo, and sweet potato in soup too. I wish café can have event like this every week.”

“I came for an adventure,” said Janell England, a psychology sophomore from Calif., confessed she knew nothing about New Zealand culture. “I do like it and surely I will go back for more food.”

The next coming event of Food Service called the “Earth Week” which aimed to bring awareness about food waste and earth protection to BYU-H on April 23 -25.

Clover Cheng