Hundreds of people descended upon the grounds of the state Capitol for opening day at the Legislature Wednesday, many of them pushing for the change they want to see in the islands.

Hawaiian culture was on display as adults, teens and young children sat on stools on the rotunda floor, pounding kalo into paiai.

Daniel Anthony from Kahaluu organized the kalo pounding, a tradition he’s led since 2011. “We want to give kids a civic experience that’s not tied to protest,” Anthony said. “We also have to build bridges.”

A dozen schools brought students to the Capitol to chant, dance hula and honor Queen Liliuokalani.

The statue of Liliuokalani was covered in flower and ti leaf lei, and about 40 school students stood in rows there chanting.

Makaio Villanueva — wearing a lauhala hat, burlap vest and a malo around his waist labelled “Made in Occupied Hawaii” — sang and beat a drum. He explained that the students’ chant is known as “eia ku‘u one hanau e.” “It’s a chant written to connect the children to the place of their birth,” he said. “It says that the sands of their birth is where they find unconditional love and the kuleana to carry that on.”

Villanueva, an assistant teacher in the ho‘ola program at Kapolei High School, and his wife, Nani, also a teacher, were there to encourage their students to engage in civic life. “We want to show legislators what’s important to us,” Villanueva said, like culture, language and land. Getting high school students interested in the political process isn’t always easy, he said. “First you compete with their ego, then whatever else is vying for their attention,” he said.

Advocacy groups in the rotunda talked to passersby, many asking for signatures.

Mark White, the state director for the Convention of States organization, wore red, white and blue and spoke about his ambition to limit the power of the federal government in Hawaii. His chances? “I’ll admit to you it’s gonna be a tough slog,” White said, explaining that most of his supporters lean conservative, a rarity in the state.

Anne Frederick, executive director of the Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action, set up a table in the rotunda to raise awareness for the group’s political leadership program, while Megan Wong came to the Legislature for the first time. “We just want to see what this is about,” said Wong, a Kauai resident focused on food sovereignty.

Gabe Johnson, the Maui County Council member representing Lanai, said he was at the Capitol to support a bill that would allow counties to decide their minimum wage, and another that would cut costs for shipping local produce between islands. He also wanted to drum up support for a publicly owned ferry between Maui and Lanai.

“I don’t want Larry Ellison to own it,” Johnson said, suggesting the county or state could instead.

After the Legislature’s opening ceremony, the politicians returned to their offices on the floors above, where constituents, judges, elected officials and lobbyists came to network or snack on green tea ice cream, a whole roasted pig, musubi, shave ice and haupia — depending on the legislator.

At the office of Sen. Donna Mercado Kim (D-Kalihi, Fort Shafter, Red Hill), where shave ice and musubi were available, an aide tracked gifts to his boss. “Mostly lei,” he said.

Advocates who dropped in on legislators were vying for change on everything from drunken driving, to the minimum wage, and even cats.

Rick Collins, the director of the Hawaii Alcohol Policy Alliance, was going senator-­to-senator, pushing to lower the threshold that defines what it means to drive under the influence. “We’re trying to reduce the blood alcohol content level from 0.08 to 0.05,” Collins said.

Tom Holowach, director of the Oahu Cat Sanctuary, asked Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole (D-Kailua, Kaneohe) to look into finding distressed land on the Windward side for a cat sanctuary and handed him his card.

Sergio Alcubilla III, executive director of the Hawaii Workers Center who ran against U.S. Rep. Ed Case, came to push three priorities: paid sick leave, paid mandatory breaks and ending the sub-minimum wage known as the tip penalty. Alcubilla also brought kids from Kalihi to witness the workings of government.

“I wanted them to feel this is their place,” he said, despite the suits.