Hawaii Day 1: The Polynesian Cultural Center

When friends and family found that we were going to Oahu, the first question most asked was, Are you going to the Polynesian Cultural Center?  Well, Make-a-Wish provides two excursions for the Wish Child, but the PCC wasn't at the top of Annika's list.  Knowing that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opporuntity, I bought tickets for the family anyway.  I'm so glad I did!  It was definitely a highlight of our trip.

Waiting to go in.  Even though the flowers were starting to wilt, we decided this was the perfect place to wear our leis.  (Well, most of them.  One froze in the hotel mini-fridge.)

Someone's excited for the canoe ride!  (Actually, this is one of Annika's perkier photos.  Between the heat and jet lag, she wasn't feeling very well at the very beginning.  I was worried that she would get a migraine and we would have to go home, but a little rest and some shaved ice worked magic.)

The canoe ride was a great way to get an overview of the seven island villages featured at the Polynesian Cultural Center.  They have dances, presentations, games, and activities representing Fiji, Samoa, Tahiti, Tonga, Rapa Nui (Easter Island), Aotearoa (New Zealand), and of course Hawaii.  It really is fantastic!

Many of the performers are students from BYU Hawaii.  The PCC is a great place of employment while simultaneously helping to keep these vibrant cultures and traditions alive.

Annika liked the dancing, but loved the snails.  These guys are an invasive species so it is fine to love them a little too much and leave them in a bin.

Cooling off.

Getting our very own tattoos and playing a few games.  The Hawaiian ones were fun, but I liked the Maori Poi Ball twirling even more.  Also, it was great watching Eli and Jason dance.

If I remember correctly, this was part of a Tahitian wedding dance.  Jason and I even had a chance to renew our vows.  ❤  As for the kids, they were more impressed by the Tahitian coconut bread, traditionally wrapped in coconut fronds.

Annika's favorite part of the day was fishing.  Despite the fact that you didn't really catch fish, she would have gladly stayed at the pond until the PCC closed.

Laughing during the Tongan drum presentation.  The performances were really well done!

At the New Zealand House of the Warrior, Annika immediately volunteered to play some of their stick games.  Here she is lined up with the other competitors.

While Annika didn't win, the little boy in blue rocked it!  It was so fun to watch Annika cheer him on and give him a big high five for doing so well.

Fire-starting.  None of us managed a flame, but Jason came closest.

Now these Samoan warriors, they really know how to handle a flame!  It was also fun to watch them scale a coconut tree.

While they didn't let us play with flaming sticks, they did teach us how to weave these adorable fish out of palm leaves.  That was nearly as entertaining as watching Annika chase a rooster all around the village.

Only problem with enjoying such a fantastic day is that now I want to go back.

Before joining the dinner buffet, we took a quick tram tour to the Brigham Young University-Hawaii Campus.  BYU Hawaii was founded in Laie in 1955 with the purpose of providing more educational opportunities to Pacific Islanders.  The Polynesian Cultural Center was established adjacent to the campus in 1963 and has been both educating and entertaining tourists in Oahu ever since.  

It certainly would be a beautiful place to go to school!

We also got to visit the Laie Temple grounds.  I'm sure it's beautiful any time of day, but our visit at dusk was particularly magical.

Brooklyn put in papers to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints just yesterday.  Perhaps she'll get called to serve in Hawaii!

Eternally blessed.

I think the fish are kissing in the background.

Coming back from our tram tour, we headed straight to the buffet.  It. Was. AMAZING!!!  I don't know why I didn't take pictures--I think I was too busy trying to decide what I would eat next.  Annika likewise seems quite contemplative.  The seafood was definitely my favorite.  I ate so much ahi and so many clams!  The tuna was fresh-caught and served right off the bone, coming in at over 100 pounds.  Sad for the tuna but delicious for us.

Annika liked the music so much that she dragged her chair all the way across the banquet hall so that she could get a closer seat while eating her ube ice cream.  I think the musicians appreciated their attentive audience.

Last but not least, the epic show: "HA: the Breath of Life."  It was as wonderful as everyone said.  I think. If I'm completely truthful, I was so jet-lagged by this point that I nodded off a little.  Even so, it was amazing.  Afterward, Annika stuck around so that she could take a picture with the flame-throwing dancers.  Se was so excited that girls could spin fire as well.

Dream big and light the world, sweet girl!  Many thanks to all at the Polynesian Cultural Center for providing this amazing experience for all who come through your doors.