Coming soon: Ukulele Experience! PCC’s new Ukulele Experience and the Ukulele Experience Gallery, which you will find just before the Ticketed Entrance inside the PCC, will be a great place to learn more about this popular instrument that’s practically synonymous with Hawaii around the world.

For example, did you know that Hawaii’s King Kalākaua learned both to play and make ukuleles from some of the same Madeira (Portugal) immigrants who introduced their predecessor-version of the instrument to the islands in 1879. 

 Learn more about ukuleles at the Polynesian Cultural Center’s new Ukulele Experience. Perhaps it’s time to get one for yourself. You can find them on our on-line store HERE

‘Soft opening’ for the renovated Tongan Village: Contractors have almost finished renovating the Polynesian Cultural Center’s Tongan Village, and the Tongans look forward to moving in about mid-March.

“We’re planning a soft opening,” said PCC Vice President of Cultural Presentations Delsa Moe. “We’ll hold an appropriate grand re-opening ceremony — possibly with special guests — later this year.”

Mark your calendars: Our annual Samoan World Fireknife Championship and high school cultural arts festival from May 12-14, 2016, will be the Polynesian Cultural Center’s next major special event.

Huge winter surf hits Laie Point: Everyone in surfdom knows the 2016 Quiksilver Eddie Aikau big wave competition that took place at nearby Waimea Bay on Feb. 25 the first time in the past six years, and that it’s being described as the best-ever. The long time-gap is because the committee won’t call for the world-famous meet unless the surf’s running at least 50-foot wave-faces and good conditions.

But did you know some of those same monstrous waves also wrapped around Kahuku Point and bounce off Laie Point, sending explosions of white water as high as 60 feet into the air?

We mean, waves were draining over the top of Laie Point and puka (hole) rock. In fact, the waves had so much power they knocked a large rock right out of the puka that’s been sitting there for many years — as shown in the before-and-after pictures Dave Dooley, of Laie posted to FaceBook.

And the best part? You can practically drive right up to the spectacular sight at Laie Point State Wayside Park before you join us at the PCC.

Of course, waves like those we just experienced during the Eddie are rare occurrences and can also knock the stuffings out of beachside houses and certain parts of Kamehameha Highway. Even when it’s not gnarly out there, however, the view from Laie Point is spectacular any day, plus this is also the season for watching humpback whales from the Point. Aloha.

Story and images by Mike Foley

Mike Foley, who has worked off-and-on

at the Polynesian Cultural Center since

1968,  has been a full-time freelance

writer and digital media specialist since

2002, and had a long career in marketing

communications and PR before that. He

learned to speak fluent Samoan as a

Mormon missionary before moving to Laie

in 1967 — still does, and he has traveled

extensively over the years throughout

Polynesia and other Pacific islands. Foley

is mostly retired now, but continues to

contribute to various PCC and other media.