Tongan Feast For Christmas

Tongan feasting: A serious custom [Author’s note: I have attended Polynesian feasts where they cooked 200 pigs, and fed thousands of people . . . but the first time I sat down at a Tongan kaipola feast, I was truly impressed.]   An expression of love and...
Watermelon ‘Otai Recipe

Watermelon ‘Otai Recipe

‘Otai (pronounced OH – tie) is a refreshing summer drink that doubles as the perfect end to a summer barbecue or any summer gathering. It has its roots in Polynesia where Tongans, Samoans, Hawaiians and Fijians, to name a few, would enjoy this yummy...

Colorful Canoe Pageant Honors Polynesian Legacy

From its very beginning in 1963, the Polynesian Cultural Center has featured traditional canoes and, soon after opening, launched a canoe pageant that remains an important part of our daily program. The canoes and pageant not only pay tribute to the islanders’ ancient...
A Noble Heritage: Tonga

A Noble Heritage: Tonga

Mālō e Lelei, the Tongans say in greeting, as we focus on their village and activities in our November 2014 e-newsletter. Tongan culture is still very much alive, not only here at the Polynesian Cultural Center, but back home in the South Pacific and among our people...
A Tongan Wedding: Courtship and Marriage on the Isle of Tonga

A Tongan Wedding: Courtship and Marriage on the Isle of Tonga

By Polynesian Cultural Blogger Bobby Akoi, Jr.  One of my favorite times of the year is celebrating a wedding of a couple.  I’ve been to almost every ethnic wedding you can think of and had the awesome privilege of marrying some of them.  But I can honestly say that...