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MOST RECENT POSTS
The Village Approach: Māori Child Rearing
Maori culture is built upon the premise that…“Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari, he toa takitini” (“my achievements are not of myself, but because of the many”.) Māori culture personifies the belief that “it takes a village to raise a child”.
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.
Cook Islands performers thrill at the Polynesian Cultural Center
The Cook Islands group “consists of five drummers, four female dancers, four male dancers, and two weavers plus the group leaders,” said PCC senior manager William Mahoni, who has been coordinating logistics for them. He added they perform every afternoon in a special mini-village located between the PCC’s Hawaiian and Tahitian Villages, and also several evenings each week in the Center’s Hukilau Marketplace
13 Best Beaches in North Shore Oahu
The beaches along the North Shore of Oahu are what dreams are made of. Sand, waves, tropical trees swaying in the breeze and a magical mix of colorful sea life and majestic turtles. What you may not know, however, is how distinctly unique each beach is. Want to learn to surf? Castles might be your best spot. Want to see world class surfing? Then it’s Bonzai Pipeline all the way, baby! Read more to find the perfect beach for your vacation.
MOST POPULAR POSTS
How Four Oahu Natives Went on to Change the World
How Four Small-Town Oahu Natives Went on to Change the World By Joe Kukura The quiet, little town of Laie sits on the northern shores of Oahu, far from the hustle and bustle of Honolulu. With only about a dozen roads, Laie has traditionally been a classic example of...
Explore Authentic Polynesian Food in Hawaii
Take a Bite From the Past: Explore Authentic Polynesian Food in Hawaii By Whitney Butler There are few food scenes as prolific and fascinating as that of the Polynesian islands. The term “melting pot” aptly describes Hawaii’s culinary history, with a rich legacy of...
Polynesian Football Hall of Fame
Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Opens in Oahu By Joe Kukura The world is discovering what Polynesians already...
Guests enjoy July 4th at Hukilau Marketplace
Guests filled the Polynesian Cultural Center’s new Hukilau Marketplace on July 4th to add a bit of extra island fun to this quintessential U.S. holiday. Features included a hot dog eating contest, a watermelon eating contest, barbecue cook-off contest, a side-walk...
What’s Happening in Laie in July?
Polynesian Cultural Center and Laie Community News Polynesian Football Hall of Fame announces new category The Polynesian Football Hall of Fame, which has partnered with the Polynesian Cultural Center in showcasing the organization’s permanent exhibit gallery near...
Lāʻie Days Celebration
Lāʻie Days “fireside” honors PCC “labor missionaries” Young Mormon missionaries are widely recognized around the world, but some of you may be less familiar with a unique group of Mormon missionaries who began serving about 70 years ago, originally in Tonga and Samoa....
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