During the University of Hawaii's winter commencement ceremony earlier this month, graduate Kalā Kaawa slipped out of his cap and gown as it his turn to take the stage arrived.
He stepped forward in his malo, a traditional Hawaiian loincloth, looked out to the thousands of graduates and their families and raised his diploma proudly. As a result he received a standing ovation, while the audience continued to cheer as he walked down the aisle and back to his seat.
In traditional Hawaiian culture, nudity is not necessarily sexual, and the malo was the basic garment for Hawaiian men, both royalty and commoners.
In Kawaa's comments, he told the Huffington Post that he was deeply touched by the reaction of the crowd as he soaked in the feeling of accomplishment and pride for his culture.
"It felt really good to be received that way by such an enormous crowd,” he added, admitting however that he was nervous that wearing it on stage would bar him from receiving his diploma or that he'd be mocked for the scant cloth.
“I wanted to use the malo to remind people not to be ashamed of your culture, whether you are Hawaiian, Maori, Samoan, Tongan, etc. and to know your roots, represent and perpetuate! Not just for yourself, but for your family, your ancestors and the future generations of your culture."
Kaawa is a Native Hawaiian and was receiving two bachelor's degrees from the School of Hawaiian Studies.