CCU students share cultural research at the University of Hawai’i
A “Talk Story” is a traditional Hawaiian event – a casual, discussion-based sharing of stories, opinions, and innovations. The social connection fostered in these gatherings is highly valued in the Hawaiian culture.
Benjamin Sota, associate professor of theatre, and Bridget Nolan, assistant professor and intelligence and security studies, are both CIE faculty fellows and led the trip to Hawaii.
The students shared what they have studied and learned while participating in several events to broaden their knowledge of traditional Hawaiian culture. These events included a Taiko drum masterclass, the study of the history of drag, examining the historical significance of Hula, visiting a Buddhist temple for a meditation practice, and learning about the third traditional gender, Mahu, among other things.
“This is an exciting opportunity for our students to present their research,” Sota said. “The goal of the conference is to create an open and inclusive space for conversation, sharing, and learning among a diverse group of people.”
Participating students were:
• Teniia Brown, a theatre major.
• Austin Bryant, a marine biology major.
• Isaiah Cook, a physical theatre major.
• Celina DeCordova, a communication and digital culture and design major.
• Hannah Flick, intelligence and national security major.
• Ansley Gaffney, a music major.
• Cooper Josties, a theatre design and production major.
• Brooke McKenzie, a women’s and gender studies major.
• Max Scivetti, a history major.
• Grey Thompson, intelligence and national security major.
The students all had different areas of expertise to showcase during their trip to Hawai’i whether it be group-led study or individual projects.
Scivetti visited Pearl Harbor National Memorial to connect with his family history while learning about the importance of preserving and sharing the stories that have created our current world. His great uncle, Chester, lost his life during the Pearl Harbor attacks at the age of 22. For his research, Scivetti collaborated with DeCordova, who is from Japan, to show a contrast of educational resources in Japan and America in their coverage of Pearl Harbor, working to provide context to the effects of war on education and how the outcomes of said war impacts the perception of historical events.
“My experience in Hawaii was life changing, as it allowed me to see a multitude of cultures working together in unison to create a beautiful community,” said Scivetti. “The history, nature, and art of Hawaii are works of what seems like fiction. The beauty is immeasurable. Hawaii provided an opportunity for me to observe a community that is accepting of every person and their experiences through love.”
Cook performed “Juggling Shakespeare: A Transnational Performance of Rhythms, Metaphors, and Imagination,” where Shakespeare’s work was molded together with different techniques of theatre to create a performance for both English and non-English speakers. Bryant taught a yoga class for all participants.
The CIE fellows also presented the Compassionate Care Through Theatre (CCTT) project, introduced to CCU in 2016 by Sota. The goal is to use theatre to foster a sense of empathy and social justice through performance. CCTT partnered with JoyMobile, a traveling theatre bus in Oahu, Hawai’i, created after the COVID-19 pandemic to bring light to the community. To learn more about JoyMobile, click here.
The CIE works to connect faculty and students in collaboration with the community to encourage and generate creative production, critical research, and socially engaged projects.