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The term lu`au as
defined in the Elbert/Pukui Hawaiian English
Dictionary describes 1. The young taro tops,
especially as baked with coconut cream and
chicken or octopus; and 2. A Hawaiian feast,
named for the taro tops always served at
one; this is not an ancient name, but goes
back to at least 1856, when so used by the
Pacific Commercial Advertiser; formerly a
feast was referred to as a pa`ina or
`aha`aina. The pa`ina describes a
small dinner party as compared to the `aha`aina
which refers to a large banquet type
gathering.
Traditional `Aha`aina
`Aha`aina - means feast; feasting -
Traditionally feasts were held for human
comfort and social enjoyment or to
communicate with and seek the help of or to
appease the Gods. In its supernatural
context - we are referring to Hawaii's
pre-Christian deities and rituals. The term
`aha`aina is derived from the root
words `aha which means a meeting;
gathering; or assembly and `aina which
refers to eating or a meal.
In pre-missionary Hawai`i, both special
religious occasions and human milestones
were observed with feasting. Food in early
Hawai`i was very often scarce and precious.
What food they had, they shared with each
other and with the gods. For feasts and even
ordinary meals were important ways of
communicating with the gods and one's fellow
man. During the feast or meal, the ancestral
gods were usually brought out and they were
also given their share of the meal - beyond
a ritual offering of the spiritual essence
or (aka) of the food.
In old Hawai'i , the `aha`aina feast
was both a religious experience and an
important part of the early ohana
(family) way of life. The food prepared for
the feast was precious to the early
Hawaiian, for it provided vital source of
life's nourishment from the gods.
Today, the
observance of the religious significance of
the aha aina has all but disappeared and a
feast, as it is hosted and celebrated in
contemporary times, has become essentially,
a purely social affair.
While today's menu is similar
to the food that was served at a traditional `Aha`aina,
much of the religious significance and symbolism of the foods
are usually forgotten.
About
Us • How
We Began • Dances
of the Pacific • What
is a Luau?
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