Pacific Islander Club hosts night of fun and dance

Part of the uniqueness of Fort Vancouver High School is its designation as an International School. On a Saturday night in mid-May, that uniqueness was put on full display when family, friends, and guests were treated to performances, dancing, and food by the school’s Pacific Islander Club.

The night kicked off with a series of performances by dancers from the nearby Anavai O Te Ora, Vancouver’s only Tahitian dance studio. Dancers of all ages - some students from FVHS - performed a variety of dances designed to highlight the many cultures encompassed by the Pacific Islander Club. The dancers, accompanied by a live band, got the crowd involved by pulling volunteers from the crowd and teaching them some moves.

Following the studio’s performance, club members took the stage for a series of fantastic dances. The evening wrapped up with everyone invited to the floor for dancing and fun.

It would be hard - no, impossible - to talk about Pacific Islander Night without mentioning the amazing food available for all to enjoy. Hawaiian Style Grill, located near the school, provided plenty of mac salad, huli huli chicken, and kahlua pork. Fort’s culinary department chipped in with SPAM musubi and cake to round out the meal.

In addition to family and students, several teachers and administrators were in the audience. Associate Principal Luis Castro Quintanilla said the night was a special one. “It’s always great to see our students and families come together, and always fun to watch the students show their pride in their performance. I hope we see more of these evenings in the future.”

Pacific Islanders have played a big role in the Vancouver area since the late 1700’s. The Hudson’s Bay Company hired islanders from all over the Pacific to work as trappers, laborers, millers, sailors, gardeners and cooks. Over time, the island culture became an integral part of life in the Pacific Northwest.