This year marks the 250th anniversary of American independence and the 67th year of statehood for Hawaii. Many people abroad may associate the United States with Hollywood films or McDonald’s; however, having been born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, ETA Victoria Djou experienced America in a different way from fellow ETAs. While Hawaii is part of the United States, it has its own language, traditions, and art forms, all of which are elements of American culture that Victoria wanted to share with her school community.

From February 15 to April 25, Victoria led a community engagement project introducing the Hawaiian tradition of hula dancing to her school. Hula is more than a dance; each movement tells a story rooted in Hawaiian history and culture.

Students learned two songs: Ke Anuenue, which celebrates the beauty of the rainbow, and He Mele no Lilo, which tells the story of Hawaii’s last King and Queen. Before each practice, Victoria guided discussions on the lyrics and their cultural significance to the dance. For the final project, students traveled to Kalianda on April 25th to perform and record both dances on the beach.

Throughout the project, students were encouraged to ask questions and communicate in English, learning key vocabulary such as “bend your knees” and “spin.” Through learning hula together, students practiced English while gaining insight into a unique part of America.

Victoria Djou is currently teaching at SMAN 5 Bandar Lampung, Lampung.