Hui ‘O Hawai’i brought the sounds and traditions of the Hawaiian Islands to downtown Omaha on Sept. 18, performing alongside the Omaha Symphony at the One Community Cultural Festival. The two-day event, held at Gene Leahy Mall, celebrated cultural diversity in Omaha with artistic performances, food and other vendors.  

The performance of Hawaiian artist Josh Tatofi’s song “Pua Kiele” marked the Creighton Hawai’i club’s first time performing with a live orchestra. 

“It was such a unique experience to hear the orchestra bring the music to life while we performed hula alongside them,” College of Nursing senior Jaycie Tamura, president of Hui ‘O Hawai’i, said. 

The collaboration began in April through a connection with Sara Cory, Director of Development at the Omaha Symphony. Cory’s daughter, Kenzie, is a Creighton senior and a friend of College of Arts and Sciences senior Emma Akana, who sang during the performance. Cory and her family had attended Hui O’ Hawai’i’s lūʻau and thought the group would be a good fit for the festival. 

“It was a really special opportunity for us to share our culture so far away from home,” Akana said. 

The club chose “Pua Kiele” because the dancers were already familiar with the song and choreography from last spring’s lūʻau. The title refers to the gardenia flower, which the song uses as a metaphor for the deep love one person has for another.  

Akana found out she would sing in May. She practiced one-on-one with the conductor and piano earlier in the summer before rehearsing once with the full orchestra. 

“I was so nervous,” Akana said, laughing. “But it was a good experience.” 

The dancers wore white dresses to complement the song’s imagery. Tamura said the color reflected the beauty and delicate nature of the kiele flower, creating a cohesive look alongside the orchestra. She hopes audience members came away with a greater appreciation of the Hawaiian community in Omaha. 

“Hula is more than just a dance; it is a way of sharing stories, history, music and culture,” she said. 

The club’s 66th annual lūʻau is scheduled for April 3, giving the Creighton and Omaha communities another opportunity to experience Hawaiian culture.