The 12 Days of Christmas - Hawaiian Style

Photo: The Clauses

Numbah One day of Christmas, my tutu give to me
One mynah bird in one papaya tree.

Numbah Two day of Christmas, my tutu give to me
Two coconut, an' one mynah bird in one papaya tree.

Numbah Tree day of Christmas, my tutu give to me
Tree dry squid, two coconut,
An' one mynah bird in one papaya tree.

Numbah Foah day of Christmas, my tutu give to me
Foah flowah lei, tree dry squid, two coconut,
An' one mynah bird in one papaya tree.

Numbah Five day of Christmas, my tutu give to me
Five beeg fat peeg... foah flowah lei, tree dry squid, two coconut,
An' one mynah bird in one papaya tree.

Numbah Seex day of Christmas, my tutu give to me
Seex hula lesson, five beeg fat peeg (that make TEN!),
Foah flowah lei, tree dry squid, two coconut,
An' one mynah bird in one papaya tree.

Numbah Seven day of Christmas, my tutu give to me
Seven shrimp a-swimmin', seex hula lesson,
Five beeg fat peeg,
foah flowah lei, tree dry squid, two coconut,
An' one mynah bird in one papaya tree.

Numbah Eight day of Christmas, my tutu give to me
Eight ukulele, seven shrimp a-swimmin', seex hula lesson,
Five beeg fat peeg (that make TWENNY!),
foah flowah lei, tree dry squid, two coconut,
An' one mynah bird in one papaya tree.

Numbah Nine day of Christmas, my tutu give to me
Nine pound of poi, eight ukulele, seven shrimp a-swimmin',
Seex hula lesson, five beeg fat peeg,
foah flowah lei, tree dry squid, two coconut,
An' one mynah bird in one papaya tree.

Numbah Ten day of Christmas, my tutu give to me
Ten can of beer, nine pound of poi, eight ukuklele,
seven shrimp a-swimmin', Seex hula lesson,
five beeg fat peeg,
Foah flowah lei, tree dry squid, two coconut,
An' one mynah bird in one papaya tree.

Numbah Eleven day of Christmas, my tutu give to me
Eleven missionary, ten can of beer, nine pound of poi,
Eight ukulele, seven shrimp a-swimmin', seex hula lesson,
Five beeg fat peeg,
foah flowah lei, tree dry squid, two coconut,
An' one mynah bird in one papaya tree.

(Numbah Twelve day of Christmas the bes', and the bes' stuff always come las'...)

Numbah Twelve day of Christmas, my tutu give to me
Twelve TELEVISION, eleven missionary, ten can of beer, Nine pound of poi,
eight ukulele, seven shrimp a-swimmin', Seex hula lesson,
FORTY steenkin' peeg,
Foah flowah lei, tree dry squid, two coconut,
An' one mynah bird in one papaya tree!

---

Written by Eaton B. Magoon Jr., Edward Kenny, Gordon N. Phelps
Music and lyrics published by Hawaiian Recording and Publishing Company, Inc., and copyrighted in 1959.

How to Host Your Own Luau

(Reprinted from the MAHula eNews June 2006 Issue and updated for the Makana Aloha eZine... Enjoy!)

Major feasts in ancient Hawai'i were originally called pa'ina or 'aha'aina. The name changed in 1856, when the local newspaper, the Pacific Commercial Advertiser referred to the feast as a luau, which is actually one of the favoured dishes served at the 'aha'aina.

Now used to celebrate all types of events such as birthdays, graduations and baby showers, luaus are a great way to spend quality time with family & friends with plenty of food & fun. Imagine a cousin starts strumming on a ukulele inspiring grandmother to get up and hula. Keiki (kids) clap and sing along. The atmosphere is casual & festive, and guests are relaxed from the moment they are greeted with a flower lei to when the last torch is extinguished for the night.

The following is a list some of the BASICS so you too can have your own Hawaiian Luau:

SETTING

Luaus, especially private family ones, are extremely casual events. The decor can encourage that atmosphere.
- Set up a low table so guests can sit around on blankets & large floor pillows.
- Place sea shells, garlands of flowers, sand, coconuts, bowls of fresh fruit, & fish nets all around your venue. (Craft stores are a great source of decorations.)
- Tiki torches & citronella candles add light, ambience and some mosquito protection.
- Greet your guests at the door with a big "ALOHA" and a fresh flower, silk flower or shell lei.

ATTIRE
- Guests should leave their shoes at the door!
- Aloha Shirts, sarongs, sundresses & muu-muus (Hawaiian sundresses in Aloha prints) are proudly worn.
- Accessorize with leis & hair flowers. Tradition states that married women wear their flower behind the left ear to show that "their heart had been claimed", and single women wear their flower behind the right ear to show their availability.

MUSIC

Hawaiian music playing in the background always adds island flavour to any venue. CDs I recommend are:
- Let's Hula
- Don Ho Hawaii's Greatest Hits
- Hawaii Calls: Favorite Instrumentals

ENTERTAINMENT

Hire a hula dancer, of course! In addition to performing some fun and entertaining dance numbers, your dancer can lead your guests through some basic hula movements. Lots of fun for all!
So, before your next luau, check our list for one near you.

MENU

- Encourage your guests to eat with their hands as the Islanders did in the old days!
- Luaus are commonly potluck events, so check out the sample menu below and give a recipe to each of your friends to try out and bring over.

SAMPLE MENU

Finger Food I - Bowls of macadamia nuts
Finger Food II - Plate of assorted papaya, lychee, pineapple & mango pieces
Main Dish - Kalua Pig (Slow Cooker Version from AllRecipes.com)
Starchy Side Dish - Poi
Salad Side Dish - Lomi Lomi Salmon (from Melekalikimaka.com)
Dessert - Hawaiian Ambrosia
Cold Beverage - Pineapple juice or Mai Tai
Hot Beverage - 100% Kona Coffee

Hawaiian Ambrosia

This is a fresh and tasty dish you can have alone for breakfast, as a side for lunch or dinner, or a healthy dessert. This is my own recipe, and I hope you like it. (Photo coming soon!)

INGREDIENTS

* 1 - 500ml container plain yogurt (low fat to full fat)
* 3 - 398ml cans of tropical fruit (papaya, pineapple, banana, etc.)
* 2 - 284ml cans of mandarin orange segments
* (optional) raisins
* (optional) dried coconut flakes, or young coconut strands, available at any asian food store
* (optional) mini marshmallows

DIRECTIONS

Drain canned fruit well. Add all ingredients together. Mix well, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Serves 6.

5 Reasons to Add Hula to Your Fitness Workouts

"I've lost 5 pounds in 3 weeks, and the only thing I've done is taken hula classes!", "The waistband of my jeans is getting looser!", and "Yeah, one more tahitian ote'a! I can take it! Woohoo!"

Okay, maybe that last one was a bit of an exaggeration (most students thing the ote'a is a form of torture), but hula fitness stories really are quite common, and as a hula instructor & dancer, I've heard and witnessed many of them. In fact, I credit my hula & tahitian practice with my own weight loss in 2006.
Even Flare Magazine considered hula dance enough of a great workout to include it... and an interview with Yours Truly... in their September 2005 Issue article "Shall We Dance"!

Yes, the hula is much more than a pleasure to watch. Don't let the gentle, fluid movements deceive you. As a workout, it's body-respecting, body-loving, and effective! Here are 5 reasons why your health could benefit from 20 minutes of daily island dance:

1: It builds beautiful lean muscles.

A common complaint from my new students after the first class is "My muscles were SO sore after that class!" Yes, it takes muscles to move those arms and hands to tell a story! You will feel soreness in the upper arms (deltoids), and depending on how deeply you bend your knees for each kaholo (the popular basic traveling hula movement), you'll also give your lower body a blast.

2: It packs a great cardiovascular punch.

My dancers are always amazed at how out-of-breath they are after a 30 minute show! Make your own half hour hula dance CD and burn 119 calories every workout...
-->double that if you mix in some short blasts of fast tahitian ote'a (each song is about 1.5 minutes of intense hip shakes). And you get that all without the joint-jarring common with other high-impact workouts.For my own workout, I created a high-intensity interval training hula CD for myself by putting in an ote'a song after every 2 hula songs. Just 20 minutes of that, and I'm done!

3: It's a weight-bearing, bone-building activity.

The continual kaholo is just like walking, and one of the many health benefits of walking is its ability to turn around rapid bone loss that occurs in menopausal women.

4: It helps build grace and coordination.

Whether you're an experienced dancer or a novice, you should always start your hula education at the beginner level. Why? Because the hula makes you use muscles that most likely have never been used in combination before. Many of us call it waking your hula muscles.
With every part of your body doing something different, many times in opposite directions, you'll find your coordination and balance challenged and strengthened.

In time, you'll find yourself walking taller with more body awareness and with panther-like grace.

5: It's fun!

Your hula workout can be as varied as the numerous hula songs and mele out there! Mixing it up with tahitian numbers, dancing with friends, and even performing for loved ones offers options that can make your hula workout unique every time!

Want to try it out? Check out our list of halau hula for a school near you, or you can try one of these great DVDs:

September Quiz

1. Have you been to Hawai'i?

2. Which is your favourite island?

3. Favourite island attire: sarong or shorts?

6 Ways to Decorate Island Style

While living in Hawaii, I learned that the key to effective island decor is to surround yourself with natural things that remind you of nature, things that re-establish your connection with the earth.
You can bring this understated tropical feel into your home very easily with some carefully chosen items and features...

1 - Decorate in the Plantation Style
In the late 1800s to mid 1900s, plantation style homes were built throughout the islands to house everyone from sugar cane field workers to plantation owners. Unlike the grand white-columned estates of the southern US, they were more modest bungalow style homes, simple and timeless. Today, these homes are very much in demand especially by those who want to restore them to their original beauty.
Characterized by creamy white walls and dark hardwood floors, this style is the easiest of the various Hawaiian architectural styles to reproduce in your home, and provide a good neutral base if you eventually decide to change style.

2 - Lots of Dark Wood
Surround yourself with dark wood that mimics the beautiful native Hawaiian koa. Many lucky Hawaiian natives have family heirloom furniture made of koa, a rich whiskey coloured wood that darkens with age. The koa is a fast-growing moderately hard wood, but because it is becoming more and more rare, use it only as a veneer or use a reproduction.
You can start small with picture frames, decorative fruit/salad bowls, jewelry/keepsake boxes. You can then move on to larger pieces like bookshelves, desks, tables and dressers. And of course there are the more permanent fixtures like hardwood floors, walls and even ceiling beams. Your options are endless!

3 - Ceiling Fan
Keep cool with tropical breezes and trade winds from your ceiling fan! You can find some wonderful styles at your local hardware store. In our bedroom, we currently have a ceiling fan with wide oval blades that mimics palm leaves. Just think tropical - you'll find the ceiling fan that's perfect for you.
Our Hawaiian apartment at Waiakea Villas had a ceiling fan in every room, and they were great at keeping us cool. The one above our bed made us a little nervous during the occasional earthquake though!

4 - Aloha Fabrics
The key with the large tropical prints is to keep it small. No, you don't have to select small prints - I mean use it on small items such as throw pillows, hand towels, table cloth borders. There are so many varieties to choose from. Just go to any fabric store and pick your favourites!

5 - Rattan, Wicker, Bamboo and Seagrass Furniture
My apartment had rattan furniture. It was very fresh and fun. So what if it doesn't shout "come and get cuddled" like our overstuffed couches here on the mainland but that's what a pune'e is for (see below).

6 - Set up a pune'e
Think Chaise Lounge on Steroids! This is my absolute favourite piece of furniture in the home, and if my husband would be okay with it, I'd make this a permanent part of our family room. A pune'e is a bed used for loungingin a more public place in the home. This day bed can be set up in a family room or even on your patio deck/lanai (if you use weather resistant fabrics). A futon is perfect for this.

If you do decide to try these things out, I'd love to see pictures of your home before and after changes. I hope you enjoy transforming your home into your own island paradise.

5 Winter Survival Tips for Your Inner Island Girl

The beautiful, humid, green, lush summer is fading away, and no matter how desperately you grasp at it, it slips through your mitten-covered fingers...

Does this mean you have to pack away your shorts, sarongs and flip-flops? Well, perhaps, unless you love that tingly frostbite feeling. But there are other ways for a Canadian Girl to live her inner Island Girl through our long, cold winter...

1. Sarong as Scarf –
Don’t pack away your sarong until the next heatwave... use it in place of your regular winter scarf. This is what I did all winter last year, and it was definitely warmer and softer than anything I’d ever used as a scarf. Sarongs that you would use around your waist are large and can be folded many times over for warmth. And it can be used over the head for added protection from –56 windchills!Of course, the beautiful lively flowery patterns on your sarong will remind you and all who see you of the warmth of summer and the Islands.

2. Tickle Your Nose with a Tropical Scent –
The fashion magazines may tell you to pick up the latest heavy and spicy scent for the fall/winter season, but will that really remind you of the tropics? Probably not.

Pick up a fresh and fruity perfume or get a nice essential oil. Scented lotions, creams and body washes come in all sorts of frangrances. Some notable fragrance notes are: ylang-ylang, jasmine, orange, lemon, mandarin, lotus, orchid, pikaki, hibiscus, water lily and coconut.

3. Little Sparkly Jewels –
Real or costume, jewel options are limitless. If you’re interested in real gold, Hawaiian Jewelry & Accessories are beautifully ornate, unique and unmistakable, and they come in rings, bangles, bracelets, anklets, and necklace pendants.
In costume jewelry, I recommend a carved wood plumeria pendant choker.

4. Hidden Treasures –
Who says that anyone else needs to know about your Inner Island Girl? Enjoy fun patterned panties and teddies at home or under your clothes. Imagine sitting in a business meeting looking out the window at the snow-covered ground knowing you have a reminder of the warm islands against your skin.

5. Aloha Fridays! –
Forget about Casual Fridays! In Hawai’i, every Friday is Aloha Friday, and instead of wearing regular casualwear (which most Hawaiians wear every day already), they wear their favourite aloha shirts and muu-muus to celebrate their unique culture! So, this Friday, pull out your favourite aloha shirt, put on your hair flower (right side if you’re available, left side if your heart has been claimed), and enjoy the warmth of Aloha.

Hula Halau in Canada

The Halau Hula listed here are the ones in Canada. 

If you are a Canadian Halau and would like to be listed on this site or would like to modify your information, please contact us.

ALBERTA

Edmonton:

A Hawaiian Holiday Polynesian Dance and Drumming Group
www.hawaiianholidaydance.com

BRITISH COLUMBIA

Aldergrove:

Halau Hula ‘O Ka Poli Mehana ‘O Lehua
www.hulainbc.com

Burnaby:

Halau Kia`i O Ka Hula
Contact: Josie deBaat, Phone: 604-435-3489

Cloverdale:

Na Leo Kani `O Hawai`i
Contact: Susan Madec, Phone: 604-576-8428

Maple Ridge:

The Kauhane School of Polynesian Dance
www.hulaspirit.com

North Vancouver:

Spirit of the South Seas
Contact: Marji Wallace, Phone: 604-986-5185

Richmond:

The Outriggers
Contact: Kalalo Fatiaki, Phone: 604-541-1793

Vancouver:

Paul Latta Dancers
www.paullatta.com/studioinfo.html
Contact: Paul Tavai-Latta, Phone: 604-257-8100

Vernon:

Hula Halau Ke Aloha
Contact: Pat Springborn, Phone: 250-379-2567

Victoria:

Tiare Polynesian Dancers
Contact: Mara Summers, Phone: 250-478-0779

ONTARIO

Brampton:

South Pacific Polynesian Dancers
Contact: Simone Narasa, Phone: 905-450-8730

Markham:

Halau Hula O Kaleiu'iokalani
fortheloveofhula.com

Mississauga:

Sionys Dance Company
www.sionysdancecompany.com

Scarborough:

Hula-La! Aloha Toronto
Contact: Lourdes Sadiua, Phone: 416-332-1264

Toronto:

The Spirit of Aloha O'hana Hula
http://www.spiritofaloha.ca/

The Hawaiian Pacific Magic
Contact: Mela Lilia Uriarte-Tan, Phone: 416-293-1279