The Polynesian Cultural Center on the island of Oahu is an incredible celebration of the beauty, tradition, and honor found among Polynesian nations and people. It’s a place where many learn, and many others recognize and praise their incredible heritage. And one very famous Samoan celebrity recently found his way to the Polynesian Cultural Center for an unforgettable celebration of his own ancestry.
One of the world’s highest-grossing and highest-paid actors, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and his family just visited the Church-owned Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawaii. Johnson’s mother was Samoan, and he voiced the character of Maui in the Polynesian-themed Disney film Moana.
The Polynesian Cultural Center, or PCC, on the island of Oahu is owned and operated by the Church. The town of Laie where the PCC is located is also home to BYU—Hawaii and the Laie Hawaii Temple. Many of the PCC’s employees are Latter-day Saints or students from BYU–Hawaii, and the Church even has a shuttle from the PCC entrance to the Laie Hawaii Temple visitors’ center, where they offer free tours led by missionaries.
► You may also like: The miraculous story behind the Laie Hawaii Temple
Johnson shared photos and videos of the trip on his Instagram account, along with messages of gratitude for this experience, for his heritage, and for the staff at the PCC.
“It was such an honor & privilege for my family and I, to bring our entire team to experience our proud Polynesian culture,” he wrote. “I had goosebumps covering my body all day, as every Polynesian performer bared their SOUL with PRIDE & MANA (and many tears) to illuminate our CULTURE. And in a proud dad moment - the best part of the visit was seeing my two little girls stand tall and proud all day ~ even though sometimes the ENERGY of our Polynesian culture can be very scary to little kids 😊 My little ones just knew in their hearts, that this is who they are. Who they were born to be. And these are our people. Fa’afetai tele lava and thank you to the ENTIRE POLYNESIAN CULTURAL CENTER AIGA for making our visit truly unforgettable.”
As Johnson and his family left the Polynesian Cultural Center, a choir of employees sang and danced along the road to the park’s exit.
“My heart is full with pride to showcase our Polynesian culture,” Johnson said. “We love you guys and thank you so so much.”
In a Facebook post, the President and CEO of the Polynesian Cultural Center, Alfred Grace, said, “We are delighted to have hosted the incomparable Dwayne Johnson and his beautiful family here at the PCC. It was an honor to meet this icon to all Polynesian people and a real joy to witness the pride and respect he has for his Samoan and Polynesian heritage.”
► You may also like: Mickey Mouse, Stevie Wonder + 21 other famous visitors to the Polynesian Cultural Center
Correction: A previous version of this article stated that the Laie Hawaii Temple was the only temple on the Hawaiian Islands. Hawaii is currently home to two temples, the Laie Hawaii Temple and the Kona Hawaii Temple.
