Photo Courtesy of the Museum of International Culture

 

The preservation of culture in America is an important issue that many college campuses focus on, especially for those who struggle to find authentic ties to their homeland. For example, Hawaiians coming to mainland America, Native Americans branching away from their tribes, and foreign exchange students studying abroad must find new ways to practice their unique culture. According to the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, there are national systems set in place to help this. The U.S. Ambassadors Funds for Cultural Preservation protects cultural objects, sites, and forms of cultural expression in over 100 countries.

Locally, efforts are also being made to support people of different nationalities. According to the University of Oregon’s website, it offers over 400 on-campus clubs, many of which pertain to culture and ethnicity. To summarize the demographics of the University, its Fact page states there were 153 Native Americans, 1,309 Asians, 2,451 Hispanics, and 103 Hawaiians as of the 2016 fall term. Although the University presents itself as diverse, based on pure numbers, it’s visible how some cultures may be underrepresented. That is why it’s necessary to explore cultural organizations that are currently active around the Eugene area.

Halau Hula o Na Pua o Hawaii Nei is a hula dance studio in Eugene that was established in 2008. On their main website, it states their goal which is to build strong traditional knowledge in every dancer. They offer classes in both ancient and modern hula, chants, and the Hawaiian language. For this specific organization, hula is an expression that goes deeper than the surface-level motions they perform. It’s a tie to their gorgeous Hawaiian Islands, ancestors, and history. According to OrgSync, one of the University of Oregon’s oldest clubs is the Native American Student Union. They work with other schools, organizations, and tribes to host events focused on cultural development. They push the importance of the general population learning to understand issues that indigenous people face daily.

Eugene, and the University of Oregon, both pride themselves in being diverse. But with this diversity comes the demand for cultural resources. Including the few mentioned above, it is extremely important for people to find these outlets that allow for their culture to be expressed, preserved, and shared.