Mom and Dad's Visit - Day 5

Today, we enjoyed the day at the Polynesian Culture Center.


We started the day with a canoe ride to the other end of the villages and then worked our way back to the entrance. Our host pushing the canoe was from Samoa.

We first visited the village of Hawaii where we learned how to pronounce Honolulu and ukulele. Ask mom and dad and they can tell you how to say them correctly!

We also learned about the hula and what it really is.

We enjoyed the Hawaiian Village and the things we learned there.

 Next we visited the island of Tahiti or what is now called French Polynesia. This is where the women move their hips in what we traditionally think is the hula. The girls got lessons in how to do that. Mom was a good sport!



Then the guys got lessons in how to do the steps the men do.

In the end, we didn't dance like they did but we had a good time trying.

 Next was the canoe pageant. Each of the islands come by on a canoe and dance for everyone.

We started with the Hawaiian Royalty canoe. The King and his court came down the river first.

This is the island of Aoteroa or more commonly known today as New Zeland.

 This is Fiji.

Here is Samoa.

The island of Hawaii.

The island of Tonga.

The island of Tahiti.

 The island of Tonga

 Then we were off to the village of Tonga where we were entertained with the drummers.

Then to the village of Samoa. Cap, a Samoan Chief, was great entertainment as he started fire from two sticks and then cracked a coconut with a little rock. Then he scraped all the coconut out of the shell and made coconut milk.

We also watched two of the Samoans climb the coconut tree!

 Next was Aoteroa, or New Zeland where we learned of their island and their desire for peace. They had all the veterans and military members stand to be recognized.

By now we were getting tired and were ready to eat so it was off to the luau. They dug the pig up from the ground and brought it in for dinner.

We had great entertainment during the luau with the dancing of the Hawaiians.










The children (keiki) also got into the show.


















Then it was off through the market place and to the night show. On the way through, we got to take a picture with Cap, the Samoan Chief.

We were not able to take pictures in the night show called "Ha, The Breath of Life" but it was a great show with all the islands being represented in dance and song. There were fire knife dancers and it was a great show that depicts the Plan of Salvation.

We had another fun day. More to come...