“Polynesia in America” (0:19) is an episode of “America!”, a 1960s television show hosted by Jack Douglas. It features a look at the then brand-new Polynesian Cultural Center in Oahu, Hawaii . Established by the Mormons, the Center attempts to explain the indigenous cultures of Polynesia, New Zealand, Tonga, Fiji, Samoa, Tahiti, and Hawaii (0:25). Village, houses, kayaks (0:45). Interview with various tourists (0:55). Main titles (1:40). Modern Honolulu from above (1:50). Diamond Head (1:56). Surfing (2:00). Pali mountains, Kāneʻohe Bay (Kaneohe) (2:03). Chinaman’s hat (Mokoliʻi) (2:15). Church College of Hawaii, Laie (Brigham Young University), Mormon Temple (2:25). Students at Christ College/BYU (2:35). College president Owen J. Cook discusses Polynesian students at BYU Hawaii, 1960s (2:45). BYU Hawaii student life (3:10). Tourists exit bus (3:25). Entrance to Polynesian Cultural Center(3:31). Visitor tram (3:40). Coconut palm, thatched hut, “tiki idols,” papaya trees, visitor tram at Polynesian Cultural Center (3:56). Tahiti village at cultural center; archival footage of sign for Tahiti for tourists (4:05). Thatched huts, children playing on boat near lagoon while white tourists walk by (4:10). Tahitian women weave straw, pandanus, straw hats with seashells (4:20). Tahitian man carves wooden tiki with mallet and chisel (Pierre Kamitata) (4:50). Various carved tikis, Tahitian handicraft (5:05). Young female Tahitian-Hawaiian BYU student Nawalani Webster at cultural center (5:13). Tahitian Hula—Tahitian-Hawaiian woman tries on dress prepared by two other women; cultural performance, student workers, tourist performance in Hawaii, dresses, straw weaving, lei garland (5:25). Tahitian-Hawaiian woman and young girls dance hula on bank of lagoon at Polynesian Village (5:44). Tourists on tram (6:23). Cultural center Hawaiian tour guide Juanita Chang (6:38). Model Hawaiian historical village (King Kamehameha I era) (7:05). Woman weaves and rolls Lauhala leaves for tourists to Hawaii (7:08). Thatched huts, Hawaiian quilt work, Hawaiian woman sewing by hand (7:17). Tourists gathered at cultural center, Hawaiian band (guitars, ukulele, percussion), hula dancers (7:50). Sign for “Maori” village (8:40). Maori woman Millie Tinayo in colorful outfit doing craft, displaying Tukutuku panels (stitch-work, artistic interpretation, symbolism) (8:42). Maori straw craft, Maori handicraft, Poutama design (woven mats) (9:25). Intricate carvings and roof figure on Maori longhouse, Maori carvers (10:17). Maori stick dance and music, Maori clothing (10:39). Mormon tourists at Polynesian Cultural Center, Hawaii (11:34). Sign for Tonga village with shark (11:45). Tongan man paddles canoe (11:50). Woman makes tapa (barkcloth) (12:05). Finished tapa quilt pattern (12:25). Traditional Tongan band and dance (12:35). Samoa village (13:25). Tourists look at Samoan canoe (13:40). Samoan man with band on feet rapidly climbs coconut tree (13:55). Samoan man cracks coconut on stake / stone (14:20). Men make Samoan barbecue pit; roasted yams, pig in leaves (14:35). Tourists eat in thatched Samoan guest house; pu pu platter—Rourou / Palusami, Kumala / Kumara, pineapple, Tahitian raw fish, Po’e papaya pudding, Kale pig, leaf platter (14:50). Sign for Fiji (16:20). Men dance in elaborate costumes to percussive music at Fiji village (16:25). Fijian Kava ceremony (16:50). Men perform Fijian music (clapping, drumming, chanting, singing, derua) (17:35). “Isles of Paradise” musical performance: tourists gathering, outdoor dance performance of Polynesian dance (18:26). Tongan Church College student Harry White operates floodlight for show, Hawaiian-Samoan man Gus Forsythe sets up tapes and records for 1960s cultural dance show in Hawaii, Tongan student Jack King operates electrical system for staged show (18:40). Outdoor performances of Polynesian culture for tourists (music, dance) (19:00). Shirtless college students in dorm wake each other up (19:18). Tongan student at Church College/BYU (19:20). Wendell B. Mendenhall speaks (19:59). Serene panning shot of Polynesian Cultural Center (20:45). Jack Regas with Tongan youth rehearsing musical performance (21:15). Regas speaks (21:20). Four-piece Tongan youth band (22:00). Main sign for Polynesian Cultural Center (23:00). Tourists walking around (23:08). Jack Douglas again (23:15). End credits.

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