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Top 5 North Shore Hikes on O‘ahu

Top 5 North Shore Hikes on O‘ahu

Looking for a great way to burn some calories before spending the day at the Polynesian Cultural Center? The North Shore of O‘ahu provides amazing trails that allow you to see the beautiful island and sneak another delicious açaí bowl or serving of kalua pork.

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Polynesian Cultural Center pioneer: Patoa Benioni

More than 50 years ago, Patoa — who was born in Aitutaki in 1941 but spent most of his boyhood on Rarotonga in the Cook Islands — played a key role as an original Polynesian Cultural Center performer. Today, almost everybody calls him Patoa or Uncle Patoa, but like some Polynesians, his actual name is much longer: Te Are Toa O Te Patoa o Maouna Tama Pikikaa Benioni.

Long-time friend Pulefano Galea’i remembered Patoa … as “a great singer, leader, composer, and a great drummer. But one thing he always had in mind, he wanted to bring people here from the Cook Islands.

“Yesterday Patoa and I sat together watching a full-fledged Cook Island group. “Patoa, you can never be forgotten for all that you’ve contributed to the Polynesian Cultural Center, to Laie, and to all of us,” Galea’i said.

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