Thoughts of Oahu

Part II: Polynesia

We spent our first day on Oahu at the Polynesian Cultural Center, which was very fun, very educational and a great introduction to Hawaii. Did you know that Hawaii was part of Polynesia? I sure didn’t! (This doesn’t bode well for my students, I know.)

Seven Polynesian islands are showcased in the form of a series of villages: Hawaii, Samoa, Aotearoa (which is a funky way of saying New Zealand), Tahiti, Tonga, Fiji, and the Marquesas. You can take a boat tour up the river and then make your way back down, stopping at all the villages and learning about their way of life.

We watched a coconut husking contest, learned the hula, (natch), and saw a Samoan guy scooting up a 40-foot coconut tree like, well, like he does it every day. Our day was topped off by a luau feast and the remarkably well-choreographed and totally enjoyable performance of “Horizons: Where the Sea Meets the Sky.”

Of course we took a ton of photos. Here are a few of my favorites.

Easter Island

A Polynesian Temple

A gal who sat behind us on the boat tour. I liked her hat.

The Hawaiian court

The Maori people of New Zealand

“Cousin Benny” (He was so cool.)

The Samoan tree climbing dude

Not the clearest photo, but isn’t her smile lovely?

The Gratuitous Tourist Shot
Note that by this time my husband has had several mai tais.
I’m kidding! The Polynesian Cultural Center is a Mormon-run institution. There is no alcohol.

The “Horizons” Show

Samoan Fire Juggler

Having grown tired of juggling his flames, Mr. Samoan has decided to try consuming them.

And that was our first day on Oahu! By the end of it my eyes were burning with fatigue, (having stepped backwards–literally–into that Twilight Zone known as Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time), but I was happy.

Next up, local color: shrimp trucks and shave ice; surfer dudes and snorkeling.