When OLL gets a fire knife dancer I'll go.

"No, that would be Maori, which has nothing to do with the story of Hawaii. The show tells the story of Hawaii, not New Zealand."

Are you trying to say that Maoris are not Polynesian?

Where do you think "Hawaiians" came from"? Included in their ancestors are Maoris.

Since Old Lahaina Luau purports to tell the story of Hawaii, and the Maori went to New Zealand, it doesn't make sense to include a haka in OLL.

Lee Ann

Maori also came to Hawaii.

As did Samoans.

As did Tongans.

Why does OLL just pick & choose which island nations they want to include in their dances? and not the others?

A Samoan created the Samoan fire dance after he seen baton twirling at a parade on the U.S. mainland. He already had a fire routine & while I agree that he created the fire knife dance as we know it only in recent history, it is still because of the knowledge & creativity of a Samoan that there is a fire knife dance.

All other luaus have the Samoan fire knife dance because it is the most entertaining part of a luau.

Luaus started in Hawaii & they did not even include entertainment.

Entertainment was added many years later.

The dances for all commercial luaus are for nothing else than entertainment.

The fact is there is not a demand for a second luau of that type on Maui or there would be more luaus with that type of entertainment.

80% of people that attend luaus on Maui attend a luau with a fire knife dancer. They do so because they are the most entertaining luaus.

And for your info, Polynesians are probably all descendant of the Chinese people.

Dusty's History of the Sandwich Islands, a unique version of the origins and migrations of Pacific Island people. Get it on Amazon now!

had to fw this to aunty at tihati prod. it gave her a little chuckle.

Not a luau but a great story nonetheless go see Ulalena in Lahaina, it's excellent.
http://www.ulalena.com/

>>Why does OLL just pick & choose which island nations they want to include in their dances? and not the others?<<

Ummm....because they can? :-)

Seriously, when I went to New Zealand, I didn't expect to see Hawaiian dances or eat Hawaiian food at the Maori concert and hangi we attended. So there's no reason that I should expect to see Maori or Tongan or Samoan anything at a Hawaiian luau. If I want a Polynesian revue, I'll look for one - or maybe just plan to travel in Polynesia, which would be more fun! :-D

Lee Ann