By Sam Peralta
UHMC Student Activities Council members (from left) Yvonne Ladera, Cheney Ann Lima, SAC faculty adviser Francine Ching, “Oli”, Sam Peralta, Mariah Guilfoil-Dovel and Chayce Tancayo.
Members of UHMC’s Student Activities Council took part in the 2018 Ho‘opili Hou Student Leadership Conference presented by the Hawaii Association of Student Life Advisors (HASLA) Feb. 8 through 10 at Brigham Young University-Hawaii (BYU-Hawaii) on O‘ahu.
Ho‘opili Hou is a three-day, statewide student leadership conference for students, faculty and staff of Hawai‘i colleges and universities. The conference offers participants the opportunity to gain knowledge and insight about the many aspects of leadership through educational sessions, networking and “talking story.” Ho‘opili Hou is designed to encourage participants to examine the values, perspectives and actions that guide their leadership choices.
Conference participants on the way to Maunawila Heiau.
This year, Ho‘opili Hou welcomed student leadership teams, around 110 students, from eight universities and community colleges at the BYU-Hawaii campus in Laie. Several members of UHMC’s Student Activities Council (SAC)—a chartered student organization that provides programs, activities and services to serve the co-curricular cultural, social, recreational and educational interests of UHMC students—were in attendance. The theme for the 2018 conference was “Voyage in Leadership.”
On Friday, students hopped on a bus and headed to Maunawila Heiau, where they participated in the restoration and cleaning of the “wahi pana” sacred site. It was very informative and participants were able to engage with the rich history of this land. Maunawila Heiau was said to be a heiau ho‘ola (a healing temple); students got to learn about the different ancestral features and hear mo‘olelo (stories) about the surrounding area.
UHMC student Mariah Guilfoil-Dovel in action at Maunawila Heiau.
After the morning at Maunawila Heiau, the group headed to the Polynesian Cultural Center for an in-depth presentation by master carver Kāwika Eskaran, who explained the history of the Hawaiian sailing canoe, “Iosepa.” The students were able to board the waʻa (canoe), learn about celestial navigation and hear Eskaran’s inspirational stories.
The day ended with a performance of Polynesian Cultural Center’s dance show, “Hā–Breath of Life.” The show is about a child who learns lifelong values from his family and community in order to prepare him for manhood and a family of his own.
Tune in to Hoʻoulu for another recap of the Ho‘opili Hou Hawai‘i Student Leadership Conference. Want to learn more about Student Life at UH Maui College? Email uhmslife@hawaii.edu or stop by the Student Life office in the Pilina Building.
Interested in joining the Student Activities Council? Meetings are every Tuesday from 3-4 p.m. in the Student Activities Council Office. The office is located inside the Student Lounge on the second floor of the Pilina Building. Student Activities Council meetings are open to the UHMC community; everyone is invited to attend.
Sam Peralta is the Vice President of the UHMC Student Activities Council.
