Most traditional Hawaiian games are based on skill, and were meant to perfect and hone attributes like strength, endurance, and intellect. While the main time for focus on games and sports in old Hawaii was the Makahiki—a festival to celebrate the annual harvest, and its associated god, Lono—many of these games were played year-round in order to promote a healthy lifestyle. A number of these ancient pastimes have been kept alive, revitalized, and are used in modern luau games.
Two simple games that can be easily set up and are great luau game ideas are moa pahe'e and ulu maika. Both luau party games are similar to lawn bowling and involve some hand-eye coordination, as well as harnessed strength. In each game, two wooden stakes are set up on either side of an area about six inches apart and the goal is to slide your token through the posts. In ulu maika, your playing piece is a disc that is carved out of volcanic stone and rolled between the wooden stakes. Moa pahe'e involves attempting to slide long, wooden darts across the field. The more challenging of the two adult luau games is moa pahe'e because of the awkward shape of the darts, but the games can also be altered to match various skill levels by moving the wooden stakes farther apart.
Another option to include in your list of luau games is konane, which is the Hawaiian version of checkers. Konane is played on a wooden board with 36 indentations, each filled with an alternating black or white stone. One stone of each color is taken from the center of the board and hidden in one player's fists. The second player picks a hand, and whoever ends up with the black stone moves first. Then the players take turns jumping their opponent's pieces, like in checkers, and the jumped pieces are removed from the playing field. The winner is the player who can make the last jump, as konane ends whenever no more moves can be made. This strategy game can be quick and easily set up for leisure time during the luau.
