Composed by Jack Owens, this song pays tribute to our town Laie and Laie Bay, home of the now famous Hukilau Beach. The song was originally composed in 1948 when Jack, after helping to pull in (huki) a net of fish at Hukilau Beach, was feeling the aches and pains of the days hard work. During that time, it was one of the most popular visitor attractions. To actually pull in the hukilau nets, feast on the lau lau and watch as the ama ama went swimming by was truely a Hawaiian activity. Unfortunately, it is an activity that is rarely seen today.
The Hukilau Song was first played by Jack at a Methodist luau in Honolulu, and within a couple of days became the talk of the town. Alfred Apaka and later Bing Crosby helped to popularize the song throughout the country.
|
Oh, we’re goin’ to the hukilau,
A huki, a huki, a hukilau. Everybody loves a hukilau, Where the laulau is the kaukau at the big luau. We throw our nets out into the sea, And all the ama ama come a swimmin’ to me. Oh, we’re goin’ to a hukilau, A huki, huki, huki, huki, hukilau. What a wonderful day for fishin’ The old Hawaiian way, All the hukilau nets go swishin’ Down at old Laie Bay. |
