This is our host for the Polynesian Cultural Center~DG. He is actually from Mongolia. The young people who work and entertain here are on scholarships at BYU-H. Their work at the center is how they pay back for the education they receive. We bought the package where you get a guide/host to take you around to all of the events. This was a good thing because they is lots going on and your guide can get you to all of the good stuff in a timely manner.
Since I Had never been to PCC, I had no idea of the immensity of the place. There is a man made river that winds through recreated villages of Tonga, Fiji, Samoa, Taihiti , New Zealand and Hawaii. In each village they have a presentation of some of their culture complete with native costumes and ,sometimes, native food.
In the mid-afternoon, each culture represents itself on a barge as they parade by. This is Hawaii and represents the royalty. Most of them were dancing as they went by and-although you can't see it in this pix, there is a young man guiding the barge with a pole as he stands on the back of the barge.
The Samoan group had quite a lively dance going and they pitched their 'driver' off the barge right in front of us!
When we asked if it were accidental or staged DG shook his head and said 'you never know with those Samoans~they love to play jokes!'
This is the 'show' for Tonga. There was a huge and elaborate drum show where they invited several people to come up and help. The guy with the yellow lei is from Japan and the 2 guys in the back are from Canada and Ohio respectively.
The T0ngon is the red was very fun with his demos of the drums and his working hte crowd in general. I have come to believe that all of the Polynesians are 'hams' after visiting PCC. These guys really knew how to work the room.
Peggy and I go a photo op with the Samoan presenter. He is not dirty on his legs or his abdomen. Those are tatoos made up of very fine points. Towards the end of the presentation, he had cracked a coconut with his forehead. There was an older gentleman in the background just before our pix who was questioning the demo. He said that he could detect 'scoring' on the coconut which cause it to break open easily. We were all shaking our heads because another Samoan had just climbed the coconut tree in the village and brought it down before our eyes before the guy husked it and cracked it.
This is the New Zealand Village. Do you all remember when Sister Riley taught Becca and Allison to do these dances?
This is the entertainment at the luau. There were many hundreds of people sitting behind us there all seated at tables with real dishes and table cloths and decorations .
The evening show was spectacular. So many dances and wonderful costumes. THe shoe told the story of a Polynesian couple and their journey through life. Dances and costumes from all of the cultures were used. The costumes were incredible and the dancing was wonderful. These young people really do a great job with all that they are asked to do.
Peggy and I go a photo op with the Samoan presenter. He is not dirty on his legs or his abdomen. Those are tatoos made up of very fine points. Towards the end of the presentation, he had cracked a coconut with his forehead. There was an older gentleman in the background just before our pix who was questioning the demo. He said that he could detect 'scoring' on the coconut which cause it to break open easily. We were all shaking our heads because another Samoan had just climbed the coconut tree in the village and brought it down before our eyes before the guy husked it and cracked it.
This is the New Zealand Village. Do you all remember when Sister Riley taught Becca and Allison to do these dances?
This is the entertainment at the luau. There were many hundreds of people sitting behind us there all seated at tables with real dishes and table cloths and decorations .
The evening show was spectacular. So many dances and wonderful costumes. THe shoe told the story of a Polynesian couple and their journey through life. Dances and costumes from all of the cultures were used. The costumes were incredible and the dancing was wonderful. These young people really do a great job with all that they are asked to do.
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