Luaus Make Great Party Themes

By Marci Nielsen


There are many wondrous things for which Hawaii is known such as the beautiful foliage colors, amazing white and black sand beaches, and great weather. The islands were formed from the lava of many volcanoes, some still active, which gives the exotic state a unique landscape. The multiple cultures of Polynesia have traditions and customs including luaus, parties used for gathering people for food and celebration, for which they are known.

In the early days, Hawaiian servants, children and women dines on common foods away from the men who ate richly prepared meals. These religious taboos were abolished in 1819 when King Kamehameha II that everyone, regardless of sex or status, eat together as equals. Thus he began the glorious celebratory feasting traditions of the islands.

In an authentic scenario, the feast setting would be an open outdoor area with a lot of brilliant foliage, bright decorations and lots of room for people. Guests would sit on mats upon the ground and eat traditional dishes without the use of utensils. Everyone receives an aromatic lei as they arrive, Hawaiian music fills the air, there will be island dances and thrill performances provided.

When hosting a party based on the traditions of this festive Hawaiian celebration, there are a few things that need to be represented. How truly representative one wants the gathering to be is going to depend on their level of dedication to authenticity. Substitutions can be made on many aspects to suit what is readily available in the designated area.

The first things most people think of when they hear there's going to be a luau are leis. These are brightly colored necklaces traditionally made from fresh flowers, ferns, shells and kukui nuts but can be given a fun twist by using silk blooms, money or candy to make them. Passing these out to welcome all guests will not only create a festive atmosphere but also lends an air of authenticity to the gathering.

Food is yet another important aspect to throwing one of these tropical themed parties. By tradition, pit cook pork, poi, lomi-lomi salmon, squid, sea snails, and a gelatin like dessert called haupia, would be served along with beer and tropical fruits. However, as many non-Polynesians find these dishes difficult to handle, kebabs, ribs, barbecue chicken, teriyaki, salads, punch and Mai-tais make great substitutions.

One of the biggest challenges might be to provide authentic entertainment, though this is not an impossible feat as there are groups who specialize in this. Some things that usually go over well are musicians playing island drums and ukuleles, tropical birds, Elvis impersonators and especially hula girls in grass skirts. If the idea is to throw an extravaganza and the means are available, warrior dancers, flaming knife twirlers and fire poi spinners are always sure to thrill the crowd.

Backyards with plenty of open space, park shelters or beach tents are great locations for these parties. If something more on the formal side is needed, one may consider booking a hotel conference room, or renting a boat or yacht for the occasion. To give the selected area a more festive and tropical ambiance, decorations like colorful streamers, parrots, coconuts, bamboo, rattan, potted hibiscus, palm trees and tiki torches can be very effective.




About the Author:



Aucun commentaire:

Enregistrer un commentaire