Polynesian Cultural Center

One of our favorite days was our visit to the Polynesian Cultural Center on Oahu. This center covers more than 40 acres and lets you experience first-hand the islands of Polynesia. The guides are natives from the islands as well as students of BYU Hawaii. In each area you could watch demonstrations and dances and listen to music from the various islands they represented. We watched one student climb a coconut tree and then another student husked a coconut and started a fire with sticks in just a few moments. It was fascinating to watch these young people demonstrate the culture of their heritage.

At mid-day there was a rainbow canoe parade that represented each of the nations. Dancers performed on the river that ran through the center. It was amazing they could keep their balance as the canoes moved through the water. :-) Hope you enjoy just a few pictures from the parade.

Tonga

Samoa

Tahiti

Fiji

At evening time we attended a luau with plenty of wonderful food!

Hawaiian Luau

At the end of the day we watched a wonderful program of song and dance performed by the many dancers and students at the Center. The fire dance was especially breathtaking!

And last, but certainly not least, we took a haunted lagoon ride on canoes! During the month of October, the center puts together their own version of a haunted house. :-) By this time the sun has gone down and the river area of the center is pretty dark. You board a canoe and ride through their haunted lagoon where swamp creatures jump out of the water beside the canoe and come down out of the trees as you pass underneath. At one point a group of zombies grabbed a screaming young boy from the canoe and carried him off into the trees! Since I am well known for jumping at the least little thing, I wasn't sure whether I was going to regret this part of the day but it was great fun! The students certainly outdid themselves and put on an exceptional haunted canoe ride.

We flew home the next day so this turned out to be a great end of our visit to Hawaii! Maybe some day we'll be able to go again!