TALK STORY

MOST RECENT STORIES

Younger_Steve

From 16mm to Streaming: How PCC’S story of Aloha endures

Matuauto Steve Lāʻulu, Island Manager at the Polynesian Cultural Center, reflects on his journey from student employee to leader, shaped by culture, hard work, and opportunity. Featured in The Aloha Experiment (1978) and now witnessing Sharing Aloha (2025), Lāʻulu sees both films as testaments to cultural preservation and student empowerment. For him, the PCC is a living museum—one that preserves Pacific Island heritage while providing life-changing educational opportunities for students far from home.

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Anna Faʻaumu and Earl Cropper

Combining Love for Hawaii, BYU-Hawaii and the PCC

Earl Cropper’s life reflects a deep connection to Hawaiʻi, education, and service. After serving a mission in Hawaiʻi (1962–64), he enrolled at Church College of Hawaii and worked in the early days of the Polynesian Cultural Center. A former student body president, Earl built a career and family in Utah while giving back generously through the Matthew Cowley Society, believing education transforms families, communities, and future generations.

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Eric Workman

Home Base: Returning with Interest

Returning to Lā‘ie after his mission, Eric Workman never imagined how deeply his life—and career—would be shaped by the Polynesian Cultural Center. From a chance meeting with his future wife to decades of leadership marked by innovation, service, and resilience, Eric’s journey reflects a lifelong commitment to people, purpose, and place. His story is one of returning home with vision, stewarding growth through change, and leaving a legacy rooted in Aloha.

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happy-return-article

Happy Return

A forgotten $5 bill, kept for decades, carried more than monetary value. When it was quietly returned to the Polynesian Cultural Center, it revealed a promise, a love story, and a meaning far deeper than anyone expected.

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don't-poke-the-bear

Donʻt Poke the Bear

A late night, a crowded courtyard, and an unexpected poke stopped everything. What a 92-year-old grandmother whispered next—followed by a raised cane and contagious laughter—left a lesson that stayed long after the night ended.

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That's-my-friend-article

That’s My Friend

A shy little girl. A tangled headband. One quiet moment that changed everything. What happened next—without a shared language—left everyone smiling, and revealed a simple truth about kindness you won’t expect.

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Jiiiiiiiiimmy_article

Jiiiiiiiiimmy

In the early 1960s as a missionary in Sāmata, Savai‘i, I once joined a high chief for breakfast, served *sua pusi*—moray eel cooked in coconut milk. A guest refused to eat, noting that not even flies would land on it. Later that day, a truckload of villagers was rushed to the hospital with food poisoning from that same eel. My companion and I, protected by the Lord’s promise, felt no sickness at all. I’ve never eaten eel again.

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