Laie

The Polynesian Cultural Center is a Polynesian-themed theme park or living museum located in Laie, on the northern shore of Oahu, Hawaii. Dedicated... on October 12, 1963, the PCC occupies 42 acres owned by nearby Brigham Young University–Hawaii. Within eight simulated tropical villages, performers demonstrate various arts and crafts from throughout Polynesia. Visitors may also take a free shuttle to tour the university and see the Laie Hawaii Temple visitor center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the church that owns BYU–H and the PCC. Seventy percent of the center's approximately 1300 employees are students at BYU-Hawaii. Although it is largely a commercial venture, PCC profits fund various BYU–H scholarship programs run by BYU–Hawaii. Students work up to 20 hours per week during school terms and 40 hours during breaks, many graduating debt-free. The center was opened in 1963 as a way to provide employment and scholarships for students at BYU-Hawaii and also to preserve the cultures of Polynesia.
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Hawaii is the most recent of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean. Hawaii’s diverse natural scenery, warm tropical climate, abundance of public beaches and oceanic surrounding, and active volcanoes make it a popular destination for tourists, surfers, biologists, and volcanologists alike.... Due to its mid-Pacific location, Hawaii has many North American and Asian influences along with its own vibrant native culture. Hawaii has over a million permanent residents along with many visitors and U.S. military personnel. Its capital is Honolulu on the island of Oʻahu. The state encompasses nearly the entire volcanic Hawaiian Island chain, which comprises hundreds of islands spread over 1,500 miles . At the southeastern end of the archipelago, the eight "main islands" are Niʻihau, Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi, Kahoʻolawe, Maui, and the island of Hawaiʻi.
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