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
Experience an unforgettable horseback ride from the Stables at Turtle Bay Resort, one of the friendliest [...]
The background sound of the ocean surf against a soulful steel guitar. A welcome lei and Mai Tai. Tables [...]
The Kauai Museum is the cultural Sanctuary for the art and artifacts of Native Hawaiians and it nurtures [...]
Located at 276 Haili Street in historic downtown Hilo, the Lyman Museum and Mission House tells the [...]
ALOHA! And welcome aboard any one, or all three, of our Conductor Narrated Authentic Train Tours of [...]
Book a Day E-Bike Rental - GPS Audio E-Bike Tour of the Hawaii Volcano National Park and to the closest [...]
Providing deluxe helicopter tours from the Lihue Airport for over 40 years, Island Helicopters is the [...]
Here at the Kauai Coffee Estate, you’ll have the opportunity to stroll through our coffee orchard, [...]
Trail information, Natural History Museum. Open every day. Visitor programs, volunteer opportunities, [...]
Discover, create, play, and learn about island science. The Hawai'i Keiki Museum connects children to [...]
Join us for a Waikiki Sunset Cocktail Cruise! See spectacular sunset and city lights views aboard [...]
At Lappert's Hawaii, we make everything by hand from scratch using only the finest ingredients. From our [...]