Day 35: Polynesian Cultural Center

Samoan actor climbing a palm tree

On Wednesday Alicia and I hit the beach early in hopes of meeting up with someone who had offered us a kiteboarding lesson. Unfortunately the wind did not cooperate so we spent the wee hours of the morning in the sun and sand with people walking their dogs on the shore. On our way home we grabbed one last acai bowl for Alicia, then headed out to the Polynesian Cultural Center where we would spent the next 10 hours.

I'd seen buses all around the island with the Polynesian Cultural Center's logo stamped on it but didn't really understand what was in store for us until we were in front of a large "amusement-park-like" complex.  I would equate my experience with a culturally-themed educational Disney World. The center is divided into six Pacific cultures, each sporting a village and people representative of an authentic island village. The "natives" in each village wore culturally-authentic garb, spoke with the accents of their respective cultures, and demonstrated arts specific to each culture.

One of six displays at the Canoe Pageant

In addition to an interactive movie theater inside a fake volcano and a sprawling river with canoe rides, little Samoan, Aotearoan Fiji, Hawaiian, Tonga, and Tahitian villages were set up at along the perimeter of the park. Throughout the afternoon we saw actors climb 40-foot coconut trees in bare feet, tattooed warriors perform war dances, tribesmen perform on a log drum (lali),  learned basic hula movements, threw spears (unsuccessfully), twirled poi balls, played tititorea (a Maori stick game designed to develop hand-eye coordination), watched the Tahitians' famous hip shaking dances, and listened to Tongan ta nada (drumming) on oversized drums. Later that evening Janine joined us at the center for dinner and a show, themed "Hā" (breath of life). A story of a family told through Polynesian dance, music, and fire knives.

The basket in the forefront holds poi

At one of the many booths set up at the P.C.C. I was able to cross an experience off my Hawai'i list: taste poi. Poi is a refined paste-like powder made from the mashed up root of the taro plant. The Hawaiian people believed the taro plant was the original ancestor of the Hawaiian people and, as such, taro was a staple in Polynesian food. To make poi the roots of a taro plant are boiled and mashed into a powder, which is mixed with water and mashed again. The finished product is a purple paste that is traditionally eaten with the fingers. At the P.C.C. a volunteer showed us taro in the many stages of becoming poi and encouraged us to try the goop with toothpicks. It was surprisingly sweet - reminiscent of sweet potatoes - and sticky in texture. Despite Janine's gentle teasing throughout my trip about not liking poi, I didn't mind the taste and would have tried more, had I been given the chance.

Alicia, Janine, and me (+ creepy man in background) at the Hā show