Luau activities... it's party time in Hawaii, filled with delicious luau foods, great music, fabulous dancing, lots of fun and games. Hula dancing is one of the most well known activities but for those with two left feet, there are other games.
The limbo rock and the luau go hand in hand like hot dogs and baseball. For a luau, all you need is a long pole, two people to hold the pole on each end and a party spirit. Music by Hawaiian artists, surfing music by the Beach Boys or even steel drum band music will get people’s feet tapping.
Once the music starts, arrange the guests in a line and have them dance below the pole. The pole gets lower with each round and the last man or woman standing wins the prize!
Luau Activities - Polynesian Tattoos
Polynesian warriors were marked by extensive tattoos, some to identify the tribe they were from and others to mark bravery and courage. Since story telling features so prominently among luau activities, make believe you are all Polynesian warriors.
Have everyone pair up to them paint tattoos on each other’s faces and arms – using washable ink of course.
Each tattoo should tell a story and a prize – a makeshift spear - should go to the team with the most creative tattoos and stories of daring-do!
Many of the traditional Hawaiian games and activities challenged speed and dexterity, and none better in our age than the hula hoop.
Have prizes for the guest who can hold the hoop for the longest time and for the winner who can hula the most number of hoops!
Learn to Speak Hawaiian
One of the most fun activities to get into the spirit of aloha is to have each guest translate his or her name into Hawaiian.
There are only 13 letters in the Hawaiian alphabet. It is easy to download an online guide to change English consonants to Hawaiian as well as easy instruction on how to pronounce the names. Have everyone address each other by their Hawaiian names during the party.
Those who prefer to sit by the sidelines can learn to make a lei.
You need at least 50 flowers for every lei and if that is difficult to find, then plastic or silk flowers will do the trick. Popular flowers for leis are orchids, daisies, plumerias, roses or carnations,
Thread about five feet of thread or dental floss through the longest and largest sewing needle you can find, and string the flowers close together to form a full lei.
The winner with the most colorful and artistic work gets to keep the lei.
Ancient Hawaiian Games
If you ever asked yourself what kind of luau activities did the ancient Hawaiians participate in, you should know that they played games that demanded a lot of skill, strength and strategy.
Some of these traditional games were:
‘ulu maika – this is a game where a coconut-sized round rock is pitched through two short wooden stakes for points
he‘e holua – also known as mountain surfing, the Hawaiians would slide down lava rock on narrow and long wooden sleds; they would either stand up, lie down or kneel as they reached speeds exceeding 50 mph
Whether you are novice hula dancer or a dexterous Hula Hooper, you will enjoy luau activities, immerse yourself in the spirit of aloha during your Hawaii luau vacation.
