TCU CommUNITY Week celebrates the diversity of students at TCU, and Tuesday night showcased the growing population of Hawaiian students.

“Spread a Little Aloha,” hosted by the Hui O Hawai’i group, showed the audience what true Hawaiian culture is all about.

From traditional Hawaiian foods like ahi poke and Kalua pork to songs and dances from the island, the two-and-a-half hour performance offered both Hawaiian locals and newcomers the chance to experience a taste of what life is like on the islands.

The group has been preparing for the event since November, and luau coordinator, Joridan Sele, was extremely pleased with how it turned out.

Sele, a senior general studies major, said his main goal for the evening was to do exactly what the event said it would do, and “Spread a Little Aloha.”

The packed BLUU Ballroom indicated how large the Hawaiian population is in the DFW area, and Sele encouraged anyone to get in contact with him or any member of the group to join the group and expand membership.

Members of the group created a video to explain what aloha means to each of them, which varied from “hello,” to “goodbye,” and even “love.”

Throughout the night, members of Hui O Hawai’i performed songs and dances from Hawaii, Tahiti and Samoa, showing off the variety of traditions from the South Pacific Islands.

The night also offered students from the island a chance to feel at home again.

The flight distance from Hawaii to Fort Worth is almost nine hours, so it is common for students to feel homesick.

Three members performed “Kanikapila,” which is a time for friends and family to get together, sing and hang out.

The audience was also treated to the TCU Rugby Team performing “Fa’ataupati,” a Samoan “slap dance” that originated in the early 1800s.

Skyler Sigston, a sophomore criminal justice major, lived in Hawaii up until he left for TCU two years ago.

For him and many other members, “Spread a Little Aloha” was a chance to showcase not only their home, but expand diversity on TCU’s campus.

“TCU strives for diversity, so this is one event where we can actually do that,” Sigston said.

This was the first event put on by the two-year-old group, and after last night’s turnout, they hope to strive for even more next year.