THL- Lūʻau Paper / Emily Sirizzotti

What is a Lūʻau?
~ One of the most festive experiences to be had on a visit to the Hawaiian Islands is a lūʻau – a Hawaiian feast
featuring lively music and vibrant cultural performances from Hawaiʻi and greater Polynesia.
~ʻahaʻaina or pāʻina, are also names for these feasts but the nickname lūʻau stuck.
~ Lūʻau’s are still being celebrated to this day!
FUN FACT: Aloha is the Hawaiian word for love, affection, peace, compassion and mercy, that is commonly used as a
greeting.

History of the Luau

~ Before the reign of King Kamehameha II, women were not permitted to eat with men under the kapu system of
laws and regulations (the same held true for commoners and royalty). Similar limitations were placed on the kinds
of foods that women and commoners could eat—bananas, pork, and reef fish moi— this led to a significant divide in
society.
~ King Kamehameha II made history in 1819 when he lifted the ban. The "aha'aina"—what we now refer to as a
lūʻau—was transformed by the coming together of classes and genders. "Aha" denotes a meeting, while "aina"
denotes food or the land; smaller lūʻau’s were called pa'ina.
~ Originally, lūʻau’s were frequently organized to celebrate a child's first birthday. These events were dubbed "baby
lūʻau’s,” and the child's formal name was decided upon after their parents had had enough time to come up with a
name that accurately captured their essence. Other contemporary lūʻau events include weddings, Sweet 16 parties,
and college or high school graduations. Leis are frequently given as tokens of affection upon arrival, and most lūʻau’s
conclude with the ailao, a customary pre-war Samoan ceremony that includes fire dancing and knife twirling.

Food at the luau

~ Hawaii's multicultural society is reflected in a modern lūʻau. The variety of food served at a family lūʻau is equal
to that of the branches on the family tree. Dances and music from various Polynesian cultures are frequently
featured as entertainment during a lūʻau.
~ Food is an important part of lūʻau. Modern lūʻau’s typically feature buffets or dish sharing in the 'ohana (family)
format, however, some, like the Feast at Mokapu on Maui, serve set meals. A variety of meals from ancient Hawaii
and delicacies imported to the islands by European and Asian immigrants can be found at almost every lūʻau.

Popular Lūʻau Dishes

Poi: Pounded taro plant root; a starch meant to be eaten with everything.
Kālua Pig: Pork prepared in an imu (underground oven) and shredded.
Laulau: Meat wrapped in lūʻau (taro) leaves and steamed, traditionally prepared in an imu.
Haupia: Coconut pudding.
Poke: A term that literally means to cut into pieces, this newly global delicacy is traditionally prepared with raw fish,
shoyu (soy sauce), green onions, kukui nut (candlenut), and limu (seaweed).

Dancing
~ The focal point of a luau is Polynesian dancing, and with good reason: It has a significant role in Polynesian
culture and is used to narrate both mythological and true stories.
~ Typically, the hula is included in luaus. Hawaiian hula is a traditional dance style that is performed to music
(mele) or chant (oli). Hula has historically been done for religious rituals, narrative, and cultural preservation. It
served as a means of preserving oral history and customs.
~ Hulas feature beautiful, rhythmic hand, hip, and foot movements that are frequently timed to the lyrics and
melody of the chant or song they are performed to. Every step in Hula carries meanings that are typically associated
with nature, mythology, or historical occurrences.