10 Things You Didn’t Know About the Polynesian Cultural Center
Posted by Maris on 1st Oct 2023
The Polynesian Cultural Center, located on the gorgeous Hawaiian island of O’ahu, is a hidden gem with strong ties to the Latter-day Saint community. The Church owns and operates it, and it has eight towns, one for each of the Polynesian islands, where native performers demonstrate traditional arts, crafts, and pastimes. We wanted to share 10 intriguing facts about the Polynesian Cultural Center’s history and future as it celebrates its 53rd birthday today!
The hukilau, a fishing festival complete with luau and Polynesian entertainment, inspired the Polynesian Cultural Center. The hukilau began in Laie as a way of fundraising, specifically to raise funds to repair an LDS chapel.
Elder Matthew Cowley, an LDS missionary, is credited with conceptualizing the Polynesian Cultural Center during the O’ahu Stake Conference on March 11, 1921. He expressed his desire “… to see the day when my Maori people down there in New Zealand will have a little village there at Laie with a beautiful carved house …the Tongans will have a village too, and the Tahitians and Samoans and all those islanders of the sea.”
President David O. McKay authorized the Polynesian Cultural Center’s construction in 1962, with approximately 100 labor missionaries aiding in the building. On October 12, 1963, President Hugh B. Brown of the First Presidency dedicated the completed Polynesian Cultural Center, which was located between the Church College in Hawaii (later BYU-Hawaii) and the Laie Hawaii Temple.
Elvis Presley came to visit for several weeks in June 1966 to film a part of his film “Paradise, Hawaiian Style” at the Polynesian Cultural Center. In the video below, you can view the moments shown in the center.
The Polynesian Cultural Center has successfully become Hawaii’s most-visited paid attraction after more than 50 years of improvement. The Polynesian Cultural Center receives about a million visitors each year, and the center’s theatrical night play, “Ha: Breath of Life,” has garnered numerous plaudits and awards.
In actuality, “Ha: Breath of Life” features solely native artists, with BYU-Hawaii providing the majority of the cast. The show takes the audience on a profound journey through life as it follows Mana, a young child who you witness grow into adulthood as he deals with life, love, and grief. The performance includes native dance and music from each Pacific island.
When you go to the Polynesian Cultural Center, you are doing much more than just having fun! You are assisting BYU-Hawaii students; 70% of the tasks in the facility are filled by students. Many of them are on a special scholarship that permits students to work at the center to help pay for their studies.
President Uchtdorf Dedicates New Polynesian Cultural Center Expansion in Hawaii
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf dedicated a new extension to the Polynesian Cultural Center in 2015. The Hukilau Marketplace is a vintage-style extension that contains Polynesian eateries and shops as well as daily local music and dancing performances. It was called after the original hukilaus, which transported busloads of people to Laie in the 1950s.
Despite the fact that the Church owns the Polynesian Cultural Center, no religious proselytizing occurs. A free tram journey to the Laie Hawaii temple is available several times during the day. One of the sister missionaries ministering on O’ahu’s specific tasks is to invite people to take tram trips, which also offer a look at various historic landmarks along the way.
The Polynesian Cultural Center is committed to conserving island traditions, helping the local community, and presenting world-class entertainment. They are delighted to spread the news about this initiative, and they are currently running a unique contest. They are giving away a family vacation for four to the Polynesian Cultural Center.