The Polynesian Cultural Center's Ali'i Luau can trace its roots back to the old Laie Hukilau program, which provided the inspiration for the widely known Hukilau Song:
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What a wonderful day for fishing |
To understand the Laie Hukilau, it's important to know that missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly known as LDS or the Mormons) purchased a 6,000-acre plantation in Laie, Oahu, in 1865 as a headquarters and gathering place. When LDS leaders dedicated their temple — the first one built outside the continental United States — in 1919, Laie truly became the spiritual center for all the Pacific Islands and even Asia for the next several decades. Other Polynesians, especially Samoans from American Samoa, began to migrate to Laie.
The chapel accidentally burned down in 1940, but because of restrictions caused by World War II, they were unable to start rebuilding it until 1948. The local church members decided to start a hukilau as a fundraising activity for the new chapel.
A hukilau is an ancient Hawaiian fishing method in which a large net is laid in the ocean with lengthy ropes extending to the beach tied to each end. Long leaves, or lau in Hawaiian, which are bound along the length of the ropes, flutter in the water and help scare the fish into the net as the community pulls (huki in Hawaiian) the ropes, gradually bringing the net to shore.
Hundreds of visitors and island residents attended the first Laie Hukilau, which was held at Laie Bay's beautiful sandy beach (to this day Hukilau Beach, with its commemorative marker, is one of the finest and least crowded on Oahu). The Latter-day Saint Polynesians demonstrated and sold arts and crafts, invited the visitors to help huki the nets at the appropriate time, served a traditional Hawaiian luau in the canoe house, and afterward entertained them with traditional Hawaiian and Samoan music and dance. That first Laie Hukilau was a huge success and inspired Jack Owens to write The Hukilau Song.
The program continued periodically over the next 20-plus years, and also clearly demonstrated to leaders at the Church and the adjoining Brigham Young University-Hawaii that visitors were willing to drive from Waikiki to Laie to enjoy the warm hospitality of the Laie residents.
Since the Polynesian Cultural Center first opened its gates on October 12, 1963, more than 33 million visitors have experienced that same aloha spirit, which continues to be embodied by the Ali'i Luau. Many of the old Laie Hukilau performers were among the early PCC workers and villagers; and occasionally, Laie residents still put on a hukilau for special events.
Today, over 15,000 BYU-Hawaii students have also helped finance their education by working at the Polynesian Cultural Center.
