2008 Woodie Awards
HAPA: Humans Actively practicing aloha
Melanie Maxwell
Issue date: 9/26/06 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
If you are interested in learning about the rich Hawaiian and Polynesian culture, then Humans Actively Practicing Aloha is the club for you. Formerly Da Hawaii Club, they began this year by changing their name to Humans Actively Practicing Aloha (HAPA).
Malia Chung, HAPA's financial officer, explained that one of the reasons behind the name change was that there are "not a large number of students from Hawaii [at Saint Mary's]." One goal was to make their name to sound more inclusive. HAPA is not just for Hawaiian students, it is for anyone interested in the Hawaiian and Polynesian culture. The club is also for people who are from the states but are of Polynesian decent and people involved in traditional Hawaiian activities like hula. The name HAPA is also a clever play on words. A Hawaiian word, Malia explains, "hapa means a mixture of Hawaiian and something else." She says this is a fitting name because HAPA is a club with a mixture of Hawaiian students and students of other races.
In its third year, HAPA's main goal is to share the Hawaiian and Polynesian cultures with the Saint Mary's campus. They just had their first fundraiser of the year selling Hawaiian shaved ice and are planning more shaved ice fundraisers in the spring. Thanks to HAPA and the Women's Resource Center, on November 15th Hawaiian activist Haunani-Kay Trask will be speaking during community time. Also in November, Saint Mary's will be looking forward to HAPA's Hawaiian barbeque that will share, according to Malia, "the taste of the islands," with students.
HAPA's biggest event of the year, however, will be their first annual Luau. Tentatively scheduled for May 12th, Malia says the Luau will feature, "food, entertainment, Hawaiian dancers, performers and music," in the Soda Center.
With about 15 active members (members who not only attend meetings, but help plan events), Malia says, "It's a fun club, [with] fun people. [HAPA] is not only for people from Hawaii, we are here to share the Hawaiian and Polynesian culture with the rest of the school, even if you don't know anything about it."
HAPA meets in Delphine from 6-7 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month. If you have questions about HAPA you can send them an email at Hawaii@stmarys-ca.edu, or contact Brandon Elefante, HAPA's president, at extension 5872.
Malia Chung, HAPA's financial officer, explained that one of the reasons behind the name change was that there are "not a large number of students from Hawaii [at Saint Mary's]." One goal was to make their name to sound more inclusive. HAPA is not just for Hawaiian students, it is for anyone interested in the Hawaiian and Polynesian culture. The club is also for people who are from the states but are of Polynesian decent and people involved in traditional Hawaiian activities like hula. The name HAPA is also a clever play on words. A Hawaiian word, Malia explains, "hapa means a mixture of Hawaiian and something else." She says this is a fitting name because HAPA is a club with a mixture of Hawaiian students and students of other races.
In its third year, HAPA's main goal is to share the Hawaiian and Polynesian cultures with the Saint Mary's campus. They just had their first fundraiser of the year selling Hawaiian shaved ice and are planning more shaved ice fundraisers in the spring. Thanks to HAPA and the Women's Resource Center, on November 15th Hawaiian activist Haunani-Kay Trask will be speaking during community time. Also in November, Saint Mary's will be looking forward to HAPA's Hawaiian barbeque that will share, according to Malia, "the taste of the islands," with students.
HAPA's biggest event of the year, however, will be their first annual Luau. Tentatively scheduled for May 12th, Malia says the Luau will feature, "food, entertainment, Hawaiian dancers, performers and music," in the Soda Center.
With about 15 active members (members who not only attend meetings, but help plan events), Malia says, "It's a fun club, [with] fun people. [HAPA] is not only for people from Hawaii, we are here to share the Hawaiian and Polynesian culture with the rest of the school, even if you don't know anything about it."
HAPA meets in Delphine from 6-7 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month. If you have questions about HAPA you can send them an email at Hawaii@stmarys-ca.edu, or contact Brandon Elefante, HAPA's president, at extension 5872.