Pacific Island Luau-
Despite uncooperative weather our 6th Annual Cultural Awareness Family Night, "Pacific Island Luau" was a great success! We had the largest turn out we've ever seen at this event, with everyone from babies to grandparents there to enjoy the night. Cultural Awareness is an important part of our IB studies at Channing Hall. Each year our student learn about the cultures of a different part of the world. We hope that through these experiences they will gain a better perspective and understanding of our similarities as well as respect for our differences.
Anticipation for the evening started early in the day with a traditional roasting of a pig, which was set up on the playground for students to see. The event also included performances from our own students, as they have been learning songs and dances from the Pacific Islands in both Music and PE We also had a museum of student's island themed artwork created in Art class. In addition to student performances we enjoyed a ukulele and singing performance from our Middle School teacher, Mr. Marsden, who lived in the Pacific Islands for a time and from Channing Hall's Tavake family who wowed us with they're dancing, singing and ukulele performances.
During the evening there was also a museum with Pacific Island artifacts on loan to us from the Utah Museum of Fine Art, an exhibit of Island information created by each classroom, Island crafts making flower necklaces and decorating butterflies. There was a tattoo table to teach about the significance of tattoos in the Island cultures. A traditional wood carver displayed his work and demonstrated how it's done. There were food tasting tables which included the roasted pig and other traditional meats, rice, fruits and drinks.
The finale of the evening was a wonderful performance by traditional island dancers who shared dances from many different cultures in the Pacific Islands. The performance was interrupted by rain and wind, but everyone scurried to clean up and move indoors where the performance continued in the gym. Those who stayed through the rain were wowed by the grand-finale Fire-dance!
A big thanks goes out the Cultural Awareness Committee; Shauna Brown, Cyndi Moody, Sueann Fraga and Michelle Crowley, the CHAP Board and the many parent volunteers who made this night a big success! We still have our Cultural Awareness World Travel Day to look forward to in the spring.
