Hōkūpaʻa, Dartmouth's Pan-Pasifika group, functions as a home away from home for many students connected to the communities of the Pacific. Each year, we put on a Lūʻau to celebrate the continued existence and growing representation of Pasifika identities on the Dartmouth campus. The lūʻau brings together the many different parts of the Dartmouth community to celebrate and learn more about not just Hawaiian culture, but the people of the Pacific through food, song, and dance. Over the past few years, we have expanded from having around 150 to over 600 attendees at our annual Lūʻau. 

The theme of this year’s Lūʻau is Moananuiākea, the vast Pacific Ocean. Moananuiākea symbolizes more than just a physical body of water; it embodies the interconnectedness of the people of the Pacific and the ocean that sustains and connects us all. Through this theme, we honor the legacy of Hōkūleʻa and its mission to revitalize traditional navigation practices. Moananuiākea serves as a call to action, urging us to recognize the value of the Ocean and the vital role it plays in shaping our cultural identities and sustaining life throughout the region.