Pacific Island Review Is Live On Olelo

For the first time ever, Chaminade’s annual fall event, the Pacific Island Review, will be broadcast live on Olelo and will be streamed on its website. 

“I think it’s a pretty good experience for it because for the past two years that I’ve done PIR and Extravaganza, I’ve also worked it as well,” said student government House of Representatives chair Adam Perez. “I think it’s one of Chaminade’s best events that it holds ‘cause there’s so much people that come and there’s a lot of showcasing of food and the dances. For it to be live and to be shown with everyone else is a great experience for everyone to get because whenever we used to do online videos for YouTube, my mom and my family would be like, ’Oh, wow you guys do that? That’s nice.’”

Olelo, the local public access channel, will air PIR live on channel 54 (here in Hawaii) and can be streamed on olelo.org’s Channel 54. PIR kicks off on the Sullivan Library Lawn on Friday, Oct. 21, at 6 p.m. HST.

Pacific Island Review is hosted by the Office of Student Activities and Leadership (OSAL) and overseen by director Spencer Darden.

“PIR is our biggest program of the semester …,” Darden said. ”(It is) specifically an opportunity for the different clubs that represent Pacific Island identities to talk more about their identity, their culture and eventually, it culminates in PIR as being the opportunity for them to typically through dance to share their culture with the Chaminade community.”

Each of the clubs – such as Tau Tau Marianists, Micronesian Club and the Hawaiian Club – are looking forward in participating in PIR.

“I’m definitely looking forward to it because I’ve been here for the past two years and I’ve seen PIR,” said Bo Diego, a representative of the Tau Tau Marianists. “PIR is a fantastic way to exemplify all that Chaminade has to offer. It’s a great way to show all the clubs all the cultural aspects and just a great night to have fun.”

Six clubs are expected to perform a few dance numbers. Traditionally, the Lumana’i O Samoa (LOS), Tahitian and Hawaiian clubs have had the biggest number of performers.

“I’m pretty excited a little more nervous than anything just because it’s coming so fast and we still need to practice,” said Crishelle Young, a representative of the Hawaiian Club said. “We’re doing three different dances. So one’s going to be dedicated just to the girls, then one’s going to be dedicated just to the boys, and the last one is just going to be co-ed.”

Food will be provided starting at 6 p.m. The performances are expected to start around 7 p.m.

“In total, one of the best things I enjoy is the food obviously, because it’s a lot of work to put together and you work up an appetite,” Perez said. “I enjoy watching the people dance and I enjoy seeing people come together for that ‘cause there’s just a great variety of people from Chaminade that come to PIR that just makes it all the more real. It’s like this one huge performance that everyone enjoys coming together for.”

On social media, share your PIR moments and tweet us with #PIR2016 to keep up with up-to-date info and pictures.