Moms and their WSU students can take a dive into Hawaiian culture and become one big ohana at the third annual Mom’s Weekend Luau, themed this year as ‘Ike aku, ‘ike mai kokua aku, kokua mai, pela ka nohona ‘ohana.”

The theme’s translation reads “Watch, observe, help others and accept help. That is the family way.” Hawaii Club’s Mom’s Weekend Luau is one of the club’s biggest fundraisers, providing food and entertainment for Cougars and their moms.

The student-based performances began earlier this semester, with support from grad students and parents back home in Hawaii.

“It opens other people’s perspective of what we do and how we value our family and friends,” said Hawaii Club treasurer and sophomore hospitality business management major Pulama Nitta. “We’re like one big ohana.”

The luau includes Hawaiian-themed food like kalua pig, rice, lomi salmon, and haupia, all of which will be made by the club members. It’s an event mainly for relaxation and entertainment, Nitta said.

Kawai Shiroma, a senior liberal arts major and co-director for the luau, said the event is an opportunity for the club to show Hawaiian culture to the community through entertainment.

“A lot of the breaks in between (performances) are educational,” Shiroma said. “We’ll be teaching Hawaiian words and what they mean … and basically showing our lifestyle.”

The bulk of the Hawaiian culture on display will include language, dancing to Hawaiian songs, and preparing food.

7-10 dances will be performed, with a mix of all-boy, all-girl, and coed groups. The costumes are more modern to match the mix of traditional Hawaiian dancing and the modern hula.

“There’s a lot of stress but we end up pulling through because we all work together,” Nitta said.

The moms who come will receive a handmade hair clip decorated with shells as a gift. Each year, a gift is provided for the moms to make them feel special since it is their weekend, Shiroma said.

For Hawaii Club, the luau isn’t just an event but a chance to bring exposure to its presence in Pullman. The event provides entertainment for the community while educating about Hawaiian culture.

“We want to show that we’re not just grass skirts in the huts,” Shiroma said. “(We) share with them what we know and what we’ve grown up with.”

The Mom’s Weekend Luau will take place at the Gladish Community Center on Saturday from 5-7 p.m. Tickets are available for pre-sale in the CUB from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and are $10 for WSU students and $12 for general admission. Tickets can also be bought at the door for $15.

Reporting by Catherine Kruse