Hawai’i@Brown hosted its Third Annual Spring Lū’au in mid-April, bringing together more than 200 Brown University students, faculty, and community members for a sold-out celebration of Hawaiian culture. The event explored the enduring legacy of the paniolo, or Hawaiian cowboy, through song, dance, and storytelling.
The lū’au aimed to highlight both the richness of Hawaiian traditions and the importance of understanding real communities behind them. “We’re providing a really authentic representation of what Hawaiian culture looks like,” said Skyler Recel-Chang, junior and co-president of Hawai’i@Brown. “We want to remind people that these aren’t just stories or party themes — they’re real communities, real traditions and real histories that deserve to be understood and respected.”
Attendees enjoyed traditional dishes such as kalua pork and poi alongside foods reflecting broader cultural influences like kim chee cucumbers. The event opened with an ‘oli chant followed by an educational presentation on Hawaiian history and Indigenous identity led by student organizers.
A collaborative performance with Mezcla, a student-led Latin dance group at Brown University, featured a cowboy-themed routine set to Mexican regional songs. Partnerships with other student dance companies have become a hallmark since the lū’au’s revival in 2024. “We never want the lū’au to be exclusionary,” Recel-Chang said. “[Hawai’i@Brown’s] whole thing is that we want everyone to be able to come into this space and learn and grow alongside us…”
Throughout the night there were hula performances blending movement with storytelling as well as kanikapila jam sessions where students performed Native Hawaiian songs accompanied by traditional instruments. For the first time this year, Hālau Hula Pua Aliʻi ʻIlima from New York City joined in collaboration with Brown musicians.
As attendees sang along to “Hawaiʻi Aloha,” lyrics projected on stage encouraged participation in what has become an annual tradition as attendance doubled over two years. A raffle raised funds for Waipā Foundation supporting native plant restoration on Kaua’i—a gesture reinforcing values central to paniolo heritage. “That’s the reason why we still get to practice some of these cultural arts today — people have held on so dearly to their identities and traditions,” Recel-Chang said.
