Beth McKinnon Hunt: ‘Kiwi & Kangaroo’ days
Before marrying George Hunt of Samoa, Beth McKinnon Hunt left Australia to attend Church College of Hawaii in 1963 and ended up dancing in the Polynesian Cultural Center night show.
Before marrying George Hunt of Samoa, Beth McKinnon Hunt left Australia to attend Church College of Hawaii in 1963 and ended up dancing in the Polynesian Cultural Center night show.
Tongans at the Polynesian Cultural Center draped the queen’s summer palace in the Tongan Village in mourning the death of Her Majesty Queen Mother Halaevalu Mata’aho, who passed away at age 90 on February 19, 2017.
PCC senior missionary Sister Gayle Bleak felt angelic help in the dark.
Irene Tsu, who co-starred with Elvis Presley in the 1966 movie, Paradise Hawaiian Style, that was partially filmed at the Cultural Center during the summer of 1965, revisited “the set” for the first time since then in April 2023.
The late Emosi Damuni recalled how he first came to the Polynesian Cultural Center in 1964 during the 40th anniversary in 2003.
At 86, Sister Helen Bateman began serving at the Polynesian Cultural Center, sharing her love of quilting and donating over 250 handmade Hawaiian quilts to support students. Known affectionately as “Aunty Helen,” she continued giving long after her mission ended, leaving behind a legacy of aloha, service, and creativity.
Meet Sione Milford — born Samoan, once a Tongan ambassador, now chief of the Samoan Village at PCC. One culture wasn’t enough for this gifted performer and cultural leader.
From the Village to the World Stage: Meet Crease Tofa. Raised in the heart of Savaii, Samoa, Creasepaul Tofa brings the traditions of his ancestors to life at the Polynesian Cultural Center. From fire knife dancing and coconut husking to night diving and carving, Crease’s story is one of cultural pride, resilience, and teaching the next generation.
When Christian Wilson began writing a story as a teen about a shipwreck in French Polynesia, he had no idea it mirrored the real-life survival story of his great-great-grandparents—who nearly perished in the 1855 Julia Ann disaster. Years later, he’d find himself called to serve a mission in those very islands and eventually help pioneer PCC’s first digital systems. Discover how faith, family, and divine connections span generations in this remarkable true story.
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