Lūʻau
Scroll to Continue
Lūʻau of Hawaiʻi
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.
History of the Lūʻau
The first feast in Hawaiʻi resembling a modern-day lūʻau was probably held in 1819. Before then, the kapu system of restrictions, religion and resource management separated men and women at mealtimes, even in times of celebration. Other names for these feasts are ʻahaʻaina or pāʻina, but over the course of time, the nickname lūʻau – a reference to the taro leaves at the core of many popular dishes – stuck.
Two centuries later, lūʻau are still being celebrated. But it is important to note that despite the name and its Hawaiian roots, not all food or entertainment at a lūʻau today is Hawaiian. A contemporary lūʻau in Hawaiʻi reflects our multi-cultural society. Food at a family lūʻau is as diverse as the various branches of the family tree. Entertainment at a visitor lūʻau often includes dances and music from other Polynesian cultures.
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).
Find a Lūʻau to Attend
Where to Experience a Lūʻau
Our small group guided tours provide free pickup at Waikiki hotels or Honolulu Pier and take you across [...]
Founded in 1985, and honored by National Geographic as "Hawaii's premier helicopter tour company," Blue [...]
Greenwell Farms legacy began in 1850 when Henry Nicholas Greenwell first set foot on the fertile soil of [...]
At Big Island UFO Tours, we introduce you to the unseen world with our advanced 3rd-generation military [...]
Kualoa Hawaii is a 4000 acre Private Nature Reserve and working cattle ranch on the island of Oahu. You [...]
Here at the Kauai Coffee Estate, you’ll have the opportunity to stroll through our coffee orchard, [...]
State of the art working goat dairy with over 25 cheeses including 11 National Award winners. Daily [...]
Join our beekeeper for a fun and educational exploration about bees, beekeeping, and honey, where from [...]
Mauna Loa Helicopters has been offering private sightseeing tours over Kauai since 2006, and we recently [...]
Opened in 1971, Kula Botanical Garden was developed by Warren and Helen McCord. The garden is located on [...]
As the premier farm to cup coffee company in Hawai'i, we are focused on creating the ultimate experience [...]
Experience the intense flavors of fresh hibiscus along with our flowers in syrup, preserves and tea, [...]