The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-08-21
HAWAIIAN PICNIC
The Quaint Ceremonies That At
tend a Kanaka Feast
Mysterious Native Dishes, Rang
ing From Poi 70 Puppy

A correspondent OF the New York
Post, writing from Hawaii, says: Il
was your correspondents good fortune
to be asked 70 a native pionio-vor-
nacular: Luau This one took the
place Of the midday meal. aud was
held out 10 a favorile resort near Wal
kiki, where the bathing beach is best
Under q we'll covered canopy OF trees,
where the sun would not seorch AID
burn, were spread on the turf grass
mats, about 30 feet long by ten or
twelve feet wide. In the centre Of
this a small long piece Of embroidered
linen served "a tablecloth, but II
was 30 covered with leaves aud how-
ers, carefully laid out in patterns, that
but little OF tho damask showed. On
this table we're set the dishes and
plates, but only one plate to each guest
Around each plate we're gathered small
dishee, cOOoanut kalabashes, cups,
saueers and bowls, each one contain
ing some special preparation in the
way OF native dish. At one end Of
tho mat vas a large dish containing
three small roasted sucking pigs; at
the other end a similar di1h with sew
eral roasted fowl-but the latter was
only present out Of compliment to
the foreign guests who might go
hungry, not liking the native food
Every man. woman and child had for
themselves o huge bowl Of poi, a sort
of meal made from pounded taro root,
boiled and allowed to ferment until it
becomes somewhat sour. This is the
dish above all others beloved by the
Hawaiian and he will eat half n gallon
of it at any time during the day or
night
The first ceremony Of the Luau is
the welcoming Of the guests, aud dec
Grating them with wreaths and gar.
lands called leis of flowers, strongly
made and sewn on to a pliable leaf
These are hung around the neck or
across the breast, and when there is
hat to be worn wreath is made for
that This love of flowers and uni
versal use Of them for decoration is
one Of the most charming customs
obtaining, among these delightfully."-
hospitable, warm hearted, good-na-
tured islanders Then follows the
washing Of the fuger-tips, a necessary
procedure, asRO forks or knives APP
pear, except the carving utensils for
the pigs aud fowls. A large, highly
polished wooden kalabash with mint
leaves and geraniums floating in the
water passes around. Each guest dips
his or her fingers in and dries them
by squeezing or swapping them. No
towels or napkins. Here all formality
ends, except that the host, hostess, and
their nearest of kin are at all times beg
ging their guests to eat more and urg'
ing upon them the special excellence
of certain untasted Dishes That the
visitor should be wary of some OF
these is but natural, as their looks are
not very inviting. Besides the poi
there were bowls of a yellow mush,
which turned out to be puree o.
sweet potatoes, but made into the
same consistency as the poi, in order
that it could be as easily eaten-witt
the fingers OF course. Heaped III
plates Of sort Of stew, looking anC
and tasting like rabbit cooked Will
spinach, were everywhere. This wa
really the most tasty and well-seasoneC
and eatable dish, although not a
palatable as good mutton O
beef. After your correspondent
had eaten most of this dish
with his fingers, cleaning them in thu
way Of early childhood, by sucking
them-he inquired and was told tina
1t was 'iust dog" and that puppie
are carefully kept and fattened for thi
special dish. There were raw fish
dried fish. and fish cooked in variou
ways, black.horned crabs, sea-egg
docking like mussel-shell filed wit
black and yellow caviare; small mus
sells the size Of a fve-cent piece; ra,
leeka to be eaten with red salt as W
eat celery little cups of pounded kut