Luau of Hawaii One of the most festive experiences you can experience on a visit to the Hawaiian Islands is a luau, a Hawaiian feast with lively music and vibrant cultural performances from Hawaii and Greater Polynesia. The first party in Hawaii, which resembles a modern luau party, was probably held in 1819. In ancient Hawaii, men and women ate separately. The ancient Hawaiian religion also prohibited commoners and women of all ranks from eating certain delicacies. All this changed in 1819, when King Kamehameha II abolished traditional religious practices.
A feast at which the king ate with women was the symbolic act that put an end to Hawaiian religious taboos, and the luau was born. Genuine and old-fashioned luaus haven't existed for about 100 years. The Hawaiian word was aha`aina, or pa`ina, and that could be translated as a big dinner or banquet. The word luau actually means one of the traditional dishes included in it, a kind of Hawaiian brand of chop suey that uses chicken or squid and plant leaves; taro leaf similar to spinach, in fact, is the authentic luau.
It wasn't until the 1960s that the luaus became a tourist attraction, partly due to the growing popularity of Hawaiian culture, but also because of the increasing number of visitors to the islands. In short, today's luaus are a great way to experience elements of Polynesian culture in an entertaining way while being surrounded by the beauty of a tropical paradise. Bowls filled with poi, a staple food of the Hawaiian diet made from crushed taro root, and meat dishes were placed and dry foods such as sweet potatoes, salt, dried fish, or leaf-covered meat were placed directly on the clean leaves of you. The local menu includes dishes that you won't see in other luaus, such as poke hee (marinated octopus), pohole salad (fern sprouts, local onions and tomatoes in vinaigrette), luau kalo (stew of taro and luau leaves in creamy coconut milk), lau lau (pork wrapped in luau leaves) and guava cake.
With the advent of fast and relatively affordable transpacific air flights, a new wave of tourists arrived and a new love for tiki bars, tropical luaus and everything Hawaiian. The modern luau (the word means holiday in Hawaiian) is a mix of foods from ancient Hawaii, as well as those brought by successive waves of immigrants from Asia and Europe. In the past, luaus were commonly celebrated to celebrate a child's first birthday, aptly named “baby luau”, where they were officially called once parents had enough time to think of a name that correctly encapsulated their spirit and personality. In fact, these Polynesian holidays were often celebrated not only to celebrate a commendable occasion such as the launch of a new canoe, a victory in battle or a special achievement, but to honor the Hawaiian gods.
Guests at Paradise Cove Luau are greeted with a mai tai and have free time to explore the Hawaiian village with its traditional arts and crafts, try their luck with traditional games and learn fishing techniques with nets. While a pu, or conch shell, was often used to announce the arrival of ships, as well as the beginning of the ceremony and as an accompaniment to traditional Hawaiian chants in ancient luaus, the act is still commonly used today to signify the beginning of a modern luau. Waikiki is the second largest entertainment city in the country after Las Vegas, and many of the best singers, dancers and comics started performing for tourist luaus. Most commercial luaus today eliminate the laborious task of digging the imu and waiting for the main course.
If you want to enjoy authentic Hawaiian music, dance, sing, tell stories or do crafts, you don't have to go to a luau party. .
