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
Greenwell Farms legacy began in 1850 when Henry Nicholas Greenwell first set foot on the fertile soil of [...]
Discover, create, play, and learn about island science. The Hawai'i Keiki Museum connects children to [...]
U. S. Army Museum of Hawaii housed in a 1911 coastal defense battery. Military memorabilia and artifacts [...]
Open since 1974 and located in Kula, Maui this winery produces wines made from grapes, pineapple, and [...]
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, [...]
Aloha! Our Maui Tea Farm is Maui, Hawai'i’s first and only tea farm and a local, family-run small [...]
Founded in 2005, Maui Brewing Company is Hawaii’s largest craft brewery known for quality & [...]
The Daughters of Hawai‘i was founded in 1903 by seven progressive women ahead of their time. Born in [...]
State of the art working goat dairy with over 25 cheeses including 11 National Award winners. Daily [...]
The background sound of the ocean surf against a soulful steel guitar. A welcome lei and Mai Tai. Tables [...]
Join our beekeeper for a fun and educational exploration about bees, beekeeping, and honey, where from [...]