Samoan Ifoga – a lecture to the powerful peacebuilding for wrong doing

To introduce students how other culture resolve conflict, Michael Ligaliga and students were gathered to learn about Ifoga - a Samoan atonement of apology and ritual of forgiveness sponsored by David O McKay Intercultural Peacebuilding on March 14 in McKay Foyer.

Ifoga – means bowing down in the Samoan language – is a traditional and physical ritual apology for the guiltty party demonstrates remorse by begging for forgiveness in Samoa culture. It has been practiced over 200 years with the aim to ten le va (maintain a good relationship), said Ligaliga.

Before dawn, the guilty party arrives with gifts and kneels outside the house of the offended party. Once the offended party decides to accept the ifoga, they take the mat that covers the guilty party which symbolizes atonement and forgiveness. Then both parties would have a feast together as a symbol of peace again.

An important part of ifoga is the fine mat which symbolizes a high value in Samoan culture. This leave-made mat can be very costly and takes years to complete, according to Ligaliga. He said his family has a mat that cost over US$10,000.

An ifoga might take place when people commit wrong doing such as rape, murder, beat near death, insect, or adultery.

As a collectivism society like China, harmony has an important function in the Samoan culture. He said, “When Samoan first meet, they ask ‘who is your parent?’ In Samoan culture, there is no such a concept ‘me’ but ‘us’. A person is a relational being and we are all apart of the circle.”

In another words, everything gets affected when there is something goes wrong. Ligaliga said, “It is like the Samoan proverb says ‘stone maybe reduced to sand but words never decay’.”

Shame is a key element that makes the ritual powerful. “Shame in ifoga can be best explained by another Samoan proverb ‘I rather die than being shame’. It is similar to the English slang ‘take it for the team’,” said Ligaliga.

Since it is considered as shame to offend others and also shame in not accepting an ifoga, it is the first option in Samoan culture to stop a conflict. He said, “I’ve never heard a rejection to ifoga my life. But if an ifoga ever be rejected, the offenders would leave but come back soon and try again.”

Besides harmony and shame, fear also plays an important role in the ritual. “Nothing can be hidden under the sun,” Ligaliga explained with a Samoan proverb. “People fear to be punished by God and Aitu (supernatural) because all punishment will always be revealed in a due time. Children might suffer from the parents’ wrong doing.”

“Although ifoga is a powerful practice to maintain peace in Samoa, it might not able to be understood to the west,” said Ligaliga.

        Sarah Yeung, communication sophomore from Hong Kong, said she can relate ifoga to Chinese culture. “Hong Kong is still pretty collectivism although it is highly westernize. We have similar rituals like kneel, bow down, and offer tea. Traditionally, we also offer gifts like food or money. Today, we still give present as an offering and visit the family for apology.”

        Chantel Hunt, an anthropology senior from Utah, said she expected to learn how peace is built outside the west. She said, “I don’t know much about Samoan culture and I want to see the alternately want of conflict resolution. A western worldview sometimes makes a conflict resolution more difficult. We should learn from the collectivism culture.”

Clover Cheng

Hula on ice: PCC performed in the 64th Sapporo Snow Festival in Japan

       While most BYU-Hawaii students were enjoying sunshine in Hawaii, a group of students were dancing with snow in Japan. PCC were invited to perform hula in the 64th Sapporo Snow Festival in Hokkaido, Japan from February 1 to 8.

        J. Alan Walker, the Admission Sales of Polynesian Cultural Center, was the leader of this PCC promotional entertainment team. He said dancing in front of the snow sculptures of Maruko, a Japanese well-known animation character, was a remarkable experience.

“The performers actually performed their first show in bare feet [on ice],” he said. “That was more of a painful memory than a fun one…. The performers further improvised by wearing normal socks covered with a plastic bag and thermal socks on top of that. It kept their feet warm.”

Walker continued, “We performed three times a day: on a snow stage outdoor, in the underground walkway stage, and also for the Hokkaido Prefectural government leaders at the Hokkaido Prefectural Government Office in Sapporo.”

These on-ice-hula performances were also covered by local regional television and newspapers, said Walker. “The thought of hula dancers in the snow was very unique and attractive to the media and general consumers,”he said.

The PCC promotional entertainment team was sponsored by JTB Hawaii, Hawaii Tourism Japan, and Hawaiian Airlines to visit Japan aimed to promote Hawaii and the new direct Hawaiian Airlines flight between Sapporo and Honolulu. Team members included six student dancers, PCC Theater Directors Ellen Gay and Dela Rosa, and the Musician & Sound recording/arranging Specialist Milton Kaka.

Walker said PCC has schedule another special plan in the soon future. Including the three-time World Fire Knife Champion David Galeai of Laie, PCC is invited to perform at the 2013 Odaiba Hawaii Festival in Tokyo, Japan with a 15-man promotional team in late April and early May. 

Rani Anandan, an anthropology senior from American Samoa as well as a performer in Ali'i Luau, PCC, said dancing with bare foot is not easy. She said, “As a dancer, I wouldn’t mind or worry about the natural condition. Dancing with the spirit is more important. It is a cultural pride to dance regardless the natural condition.”

“Although the weather was cool, I can see a warm spirit surround the dancers,” said Miki Mateo, an ICS senior from Japan. When she saw the performers’ photos on facebook, she said she was impressed by their attitude. “The dancers were smiling the whole time and it’s awesome. I know Hokkaido is a very cold place.”

The Sapporo Snow Festival is one of Japan's largest winter events which attract a growing number of visitors from Japan and abroad every year. About two million people visit Sapporo to see the splendid snow statues and ice sculptures every winter, according to the Sapporo Snow Festival 2013 official website.

Clover Cheng

Peacebuilding ads: Be a peace builder regardless major, race, and language

       Walking around BYU-Hawaii campus, there are 2 colorful posters on campus lately – one about Nichel Warwick and one about David Whippy. They are the IPB ads sponsored by McKay Center of intercultural peacebuilding aimed to increase the awareness of student body about peace building. Mackenzie McLeod said, “You don’t need to be an IPB major to be a peace builder. We are all peace builder.”

Meet Mackenzie McLeod, an art junior from Calif. as well as a member of the IPB ads team. She is a missionary-to-be, a gamer, a sushi-eater, a painter, and a baseball lover. She is a peacebuilder.

McLeod and her teammates are currently doing an IPB certificate. All of them are from different majors. “Like ‘I am the Mormon campaign’, we want to show others we are normal people who want to do something in our life,” said McLeod. “I am just like you. I am no better then you. I am a psychology major, but I apply the IPB theories in my life.”  

Since the beginning of this semester, McLeod and her teammates gathered potential people’s photo and story. They then make it into poster and publish it around campus as well as uploading on Facebook. The poster would be renewed once per week with different spotlight. “We try to highlight around two people per week and we will have nine more people on the way,” McLeod explained.  

“We chose David and Nichel because they are very personable and they are very involved in their major,” she said. To learn more about the story behind these peace builders, McLeod invited students to check out the link on the posters and read the blogs. “We are also doing a big poster soon with 9 people and we are trying to get diversity,” she said.   

Feeling excited about the IPB ads, Denise Burnett, an IPB senior from Washington, said “I think the IPB major for me is something that solidified my reason to be here [BYUH]. I learn a deeper understanding of how to be a disciple of Christ. I think that every student at this campus or students in general would be benefited by taking at least one IPB class because it is going to enrich all aspect of their life.”

Adam Eastburn, a fine art sophomore from Calif., said he used to think IPB is a “lie”, “brainwashing major”, and “major for people who don’t know what they want to do in life”. He said, “Now I am in the program. It is very helpful and I think it is like a secular gospel. The language of peace is a mutual language for everyone to speak and can speak. I don’t know what brought me in [the program], I just feel right.”

Clover Cheng

Bridge the gap of difference with understanding: IPB opening social invited attendees to be a peace builder

        On a breezy evening, over 100 BYU-Hawaii students and Laie community members responded to the invitation of David O McKay Center to the intercultural peacebuilding (IPB) opening social on March 5 in McKay Foyer.  

        Attended the activity, Seeley Dopp, an IPB junior from Idaho, said she wanted to show support to her IPB fellows. “I love the IPB program. It is about learning people’s story and bridge the gap that separate people.”

        Opening the activity with welcome, Dr. Chad Ford, Chair of the IPB, introduced special guests of the evening Stephanie Catudal, the first IPB graduate from BYU-H, and Richard and Paula Vial, the board member for McKay Center IPB.

Visiting from Arizona, Catudal is planning to be a professor in BYU-H regarding to IPB topics in the soon future. “Peacebuilding is all about daily interaction, academic, and life,” she said. “It helps people to grow in credibility with colleagues and peers because people can sense that you are different, which means you are quicker in turn with people’s need. This knowledge in pacebuilding allows you to reach out to people and see them as people instead of object.”

        As member of the board, the Vials help to raise fund, find students jobs, and to support the faculties as well as department to do research. “I think relationship is the most important in the world,” said Richard Vial and explained why he wants to aid IPB over other programs. “No business can be successful without a good human relationship.”

        Leading by IPB students, the opening social were divided into 3 workshops. The first one told the story of Mckay Mural. As President David O. Mckay prophesied, BYU-H was built for a special purpose: students would leave the school as a peacemaker in their country.

        The second workshop taught the Arbinger theory - a theory of leadership and self-deception by Terry Warner. It is about different way to view people. The theory says a true leader sees people as human with strength and weakness, but a leader with self-deception oftentimes see people as objects like tool, obstacle, or someone does not matter.

        Students can learn more about mediation from the third workshop. Michael Ligaliga, a McKay Center Graduate Intern, was invited to introduce the IPB major and certificate. He urged students to “be the change that you want to see and needed to the world”.  

        Concluded the evening with his experience as alumni of BYU-H, Dr. Chad Ford said, “I was a trouble maker, but BYU-H changed my life. It changed the way I see the world: Zion isn’t zion if there are conflict and disagreement. It will fall short.”

Student got watery eye when he related his testimony with IPB. Ford said, “Think of the cycle of pain, prejudice, hatred, and hopeless you see on news. There are people out there having the desire to change, but they don’t know how. They even doubt if change is possible. Peace is possible and we are not here [BYU-H and the Earth] by chance. We are here to learn how to be one with different people, race, and language. We are the model of the world and the instrument of God to give people hope and peace.”

Clover Cheng

Campus Comment: “What is your opinion to PDA? (Public Display Affection)”

"Personally I don’t really care if people do it or not. I think it’s normal when people are in love. But I don’t want to do that with my girlfriend. Something like that I want to keep it private.”

~Uuganbaatar Tsogoo, Business, Freshman, Mongolia

“If it is in a classroom, then I think it is annoying and if it is in sacrament meeting, then I think it is weird. Sometimes, people put their hand on a weird part and I don’t feel comfortable to see it. But I guess it is probably a part of the American culture.”

~Iris Lin, Graphic Design, Senior, Taiwan

“It is not acceptable to do it in public. I think holding hand is okay but making out is not okay. It is distracting and annoying. Even if I have a girl friend, I won’t do something like this in public.”

~Josh Remington, Pre Biology, Senior, California

“I am a Latino, so for me it is normal. It is a part of the culture. People are very expressive and physically comfortable with each other. But I won’t do it personally. Making out in public is kind of disrespectful and I feel like it screws my public image.”

~Miguel Medina, Hotel & tourism management, Senior, Honduras

“I think there is should be an unspoken designated area [for PDA] and as long as it is not inside a church building. I’ve married recently and now I make out with my wife in our house.”

~Jay Yung, Marketing, Senior, Florida

“Holding hand is fine. Kissing in public is not okay if it is longer than couple of seconds. It is a stereotype that American makes out in public because they like to show off. It is actually depends on the person. It makes me uncomfortable, especially when it is in the library.”

~Olivia Warren, Elementary education, Junior, Virginia 

Clover Cheng

Grandma's goodies

When Grandma Lee took her pot pies out of a mini-stove, the smell of flour and meat filled the air. Grandma Lee is a new seller in BYU-Hawaii Farmer’s Market with her hot and ready-to-eat pot pie. “If you are hungry, come and visit Grandma Lee,” she said and laughed.

Grandma Lee said her granddaughters Becky and Amanda Lapenes are the reasons to bring her to BYU-H. Through sharing her cooking skills, Grandma Lee said she wanted to fundraise for 16-year-old Becky’s speech trip “We the People” in Washington DC and 14-year-old Amanda’s gymnastic lessons.

Grandma Lee used to be the owner and cook of two restaurants. She also worked at BYU-H food service for 7 years, while David Keala, Director of Food Services Administration, and Spencer Tan, the Executive Chef, were her student workers.

        With the menu of beef pot pie, mango pies, and the best seller - Thai style curry chicken pot pie, Grandma Lee wants BYU-H students to know her love to Thai culture. She said, “I used to live in Thailand for 4 years and my son also went on mission in Thailand…. I love Thai food, so I put it [the element] in my pot pie.”

        “You should all come because my grandma makes the best quality of things,” said Becky Lapenes who came and helped her grandmother to sell pie. “My grandma is a self-learner and you gonna taste our family recipe,” said Lapenes.

        Sister Henderson, a senior missionary from Utah, bought her husband Elder Henderson a chicken pot pie for lunch. She said, “It is my 3^rd time buying pie from her [Grandma Lee]. Pot pie is a nutritious and quick meal. The crust is perfect…. I know how to make it, but it takes lots of works.”

         Jessica Enos, a psychology senior from Calif., also brought a chicken pot pie. “I like curry and it looks delicious,” said Enos. “I won’t eat it right now. I am going to enjoy it at home.”

Clover Cheng

Give children wings and roots - a feature of Pacific Heritage Academy

With aloha, BYU-Hawaii welcomed the Pacific Heritage Academy (PHA) on a sunny day. Ofa Kinikini Moea’i, the Executive Director and Founder of PHA, brought her 8^th grade students to present their researches to BYU-H regarding to vanishing cultures and climate change on February 8 in Stake Center.

This cultural-based charter school from Utah has a special connection with BYU-H. Moea’i used to be an administration and counseling on the campus of BYU-H. The other kumus (teachers), like Kaau Alapa, the PHA Director of student family and community affairs, is a BYU-H alumnus; Nephi Prime, the PHA Director of Language & Cultures, used to work as a Māori Cultural Ambassador for the PCC while attending BYU-H.

Moea’i said the mission of PHA is to “give children root and wings, so they know where their home is and how to fly high.” She said the 21st century is an age of creativity. Through purposeful curricular and environmental supports in the school and in the home, PHA prepares children for their adult’s life by connecting children to what make them joyful and marketable.

Arranging the visit, Tevita Ka’ili, Associate Profession in anthropology, said the purpose was to “help BYU-H especially ICS students to learn about diversity and how culture be used out there. And this [PHA] is the practical level of culture in the real life.”

Cowdery Crisanto, an anthropology grad from Oregon, was the first intern with the PHA. He descried it as a remarkable learning experience. “We can build a bridge of peace over conflict of different by understanding the cultures,” he said. “Diversity is the spice of life. Without differences the world would be very boring.”

Spending time in the Polynesia Cultural Center and BYU-H, children of the PHA expressed gratitude to the field trip. Fauhiva Olive, with Tongan heritage, said, “The things I saw in the PCC strengthen my knowledge of my culture.”

Agreeing with Olive, Ariana Thompson, with English heritage, said, “BYU-H is an amazing place….it makes me want to be in this school someday.”

Christ Schaelling, with Mexican heritage, also said, “BYU-H is better than any school ever. I love the different culture on campus.” 
For more information about PHA, please visit www.phlearning.org