POIPU — Koloa Plantation Days continue to roll out fun after opening Friday with a three-day rodeo. On Wednesday, traditional Hawaiian games took place at the Outrigger Kiahuna Plantations before an audience of more than 100 keiki. Youngsters were treated
POIPU — Koloa Plantation Days continue to roll out fun after opening Friday with a three-day rodeo.
On Wednesday, traditional Hawaiian games took place at the Outrigger Kiahuna Plantations before an audience of more than 100 keiki.
Youngsters were treated to a hands-on education of traditional games and competition from ancient Hawaii, including ulu maika, the foot race, spear throwing and throw net.
Patrick Key of Alabama got help from his dad Jason in flipping the wooden discs (stone ulu maika were too heavy for young keiki hands) through the uprights, one of the few youngsters who accomplished the feat.
Following the workout under hot, sunny skies in Poipu, everyone was treated to snacks, including the traditional shave ice.
The Hawaiian games followed an evening of Polynesian cultural dances that attracted droves of people to the Poipu Shopping Village for the free Polynesian revue presented by Urahutia Productions under Kumu Minei Oliver Martin.
Starting with a spectacular Tahitian opening in garb resembling the warm setting sun, Urahutia dancers worked through the islands with hula, stepping back in time to days of “hapa haole” hula, and moving to Makana, a place on Kauai where fire brands were used to demonstrate a young man’s love for a wahine.
The standing-room-only audience was treated to dance from New Zealand, Samoa, including the well-known and well-received fire dance, before returning and closing with a Tahitian number.
Today’s events include a look back through the sugar era, hosted by the Grove Farm Co. at the site of the Koloa mill. Reservations are required for this event due to space limitations.
The Plantation Days Putting Contest takes place at 2 p.m. at the Poipu Bay Resort Golf Club, followed by talk story sessions at the Garden Island Credit Union, Koloa Branch at 3:30 p.m., and at the Koloa Missionary Church from 4:30 p.m.
More hula is on tap Saturday during the historic parade and park celebration at Anne Knudsen Park starting at 9 a.m.
