The luau originated in Hawaii in 1819 as a feast to end religious dining taboos. The name luau changed from referring to a plant to a dish. Today, luaus are popular tourist attractions with traditional Hawaiian food, entertainment, and the famous imu pit-cooked pork.
The concept of the luau began with a feast hosted by King Kamehameha II of Hawaii in 1819 to symbolize the end of religious taboos associated with dining. These restrictions had included separating the sexes at mealtimes, as well as banning certain foods for ordinary citizens and all women. Queen Kaahumanu was a strong influence in bringing about this change.
This event changed the language. The name luau originally referred to the young tops of the taro plant. But luau came to mean a particular dish that gave the party its name. In this dish the taro meat and leaves are cooked in coconut milk. That wasn’t the only word that changed: Gathering together for a feast to celebrate a special occasion—such as births, harvests, and military victories—was called ahaaina. Today such a gathering has been called a luau.
The royal luaus became a custom and commemorated the celebration of coronations and birthdays. These could be lavish affairs, with large quantities of food and – in at least one case – guest lists of 1500. The traditional luau included a range of Hawaiian dishes, including bowls of poi, a taro root dish that is been pounded, sweet potatoes, coconuts, salt and fresh fish, chicken and pork.
Today, luau parties are still celebrated by Hawaiians, but additionally, a luau is often considered one of the highlights of a Hawaiian vacation. These are often prepared by a commercial organization that specializes in this holiday. You can book to attend a luau just like you would a restaurant or a show, and some luaus last long enough, even all day long! There are luaus on the various islands hosted by different organizations, and some include transportation, so you might want to check before choosing one.
If you go to a luau, you can expect to be greeted with a lei and then enjoy a range of delicious foods. Luaus offer South Pacific entertainment, which can draw on other Pacific cultures and Hawaiian traditions, such as hula. Typical dishes include lomi lomi salmon, poi, kalua pork, luau or lau lau, huli huli chicken, and sweet potatoes. You may also have the opportunity to participate in Hawaiian arts, crafts, and games or see reenactments of Polynesian cultural practices.
The imu is probably the best known luau feature. It is the pit where all the pork is cooked. To prepare the imu, the pit is dug and lined with kiawe logs topped with rocks. A fire is lit in the pit, which heats the rocks and reduces the wood to embers. At this point the banana stems are superimposed on the rocks, followed by the banana leaves, on which the pork is placed, with sweet potatoes and lau lau. The food is covered with banana leaves and ti, and wet burlap sacks, and the pit is covered. Six to ten hours later, depending on the size of the pig, the food is ready for the luau feast.
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