Free pizza, free drinks, free snacks, and a free movie, what more can a person ask for?

The Polynesian Club presented a domestic violence film called “Once Were Warriors” in building 6, room 6202, Mar. 7 at 12:30 p.m. “Polynesians aren’t really known. We need to show people and our community that Polynesians do contribute,” said Sasa Igato, the Polynesian club president. Igato also said that they needed to get more exposure for the club on campus.

This film is about the poverty-stricken, Maori descendant, Heke family living in New Zealand. They deal with an abusive, alcoholic father, who leads the family to fall apart in the beginning. Sexual abuse, drugs, and gangs surround the Heke children causing one of their sons to live in a social services program and the other joining a street gang. In the end the mother is the one that must uphold the family.

The film truly gripped the theme of violence, alcoholism, drugs, rape, money, culture and abuse, which left people laughing at some parts involving certain cultural traditions, then appalled in most of the other scenes dealing with abuse in the household whether it was alcohol or physical.

Guest speaker, Tagi Qolouvaki, a true survivor of domestic viloence spoke about her experiences of imperialism in New Zealand, themes of tradition, culture, and much more.

“Five kids didn’t escape domestic violence,” Qolouvaki said about her and her siblings when they were younger.

Although domestic violence is everywhere, people can survive. They will live on. The Polynesian club shared this film to remind us of the tragedies which still occur today in not only their culture, but other culture as well.