Attend Luau in Hawaii

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Luau is the name of a dish that is served at a celebratory Hawaiian feast that has come to be known by the same name. Luau (the dish) is a chicken recipe that is baked with coconut milk and select leaves from the Hawaiian taro plant. Luau, the celebration, is a commemoration of ancient Hawaiian times and the culture and the traditions of Hawaii’s people. Traditionally, Hawaiian men and women ate their meals apart and women of all ranks were also forbidden by the ancient Hawaiian religion to eat certain delicacies as were common citizens. Much loved King Kamehameha II changed all of that when he abolished some of the traditional religious practices in the 1800’s. The King arranged a feast where he ate with women as a symbolic act of his banning of the segregatory practices and the Luau was born. The traditional Luau feast was eaten on the floor and utensils were never used. Participants sat on mats with beautiful centerpieces made of ti plant leaves, ferns and native flowers. Bowls filled with staples of the Hawaiian diet and platters of meat were set out with other foods like sweet potatoes, dried fish and meat. Everything was eaten with the fingers. Poi is one of those traditional staples of the Hawaiian diet served at Luaus. It’s made from the root of the taro plant and mixed to various consistencies identified by the number of fingers needed to eat it, such as, three-finger, two-finger, or in the case of the thickest, one-finger poi. The Luau in its present form became popular with the growth of tourism to Hawaii. Visitors were eager to experience Hawaiian customs, food and entertainment. Hula girls and ukuleles, typically part of the celebration, became an iconic image of Hawaii. Entertainment is combined with traditional food like the original chicken dish, Lomi Salmon, Kalua pig (pit roasted), Haupia (coconut pudding), sweet potatoes, rice and all versions of tropical drinks and fruit. Utensils are allowed. Luau’s are almost always held outdoors and presented at a number of locations around the Hawaiian Islands. The celebrations are so popular that most venues stage Luau’s seven nights of every week. Guests usually number in the hundreds.

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