The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-07
HAWAITS GREAT FEASTS.
SURPRISES ron THE WHTTE NAN AT
WIS FIRST DULU.
Dusky Beauties Who Devour Raw Fish and
Live shrtmps-shark, squid, and Sea-
weed Among the Other Delicaciss-
Wond.rfuI PoI and Ita Faacinntion. |

ONhAy DNthhNNN III ONNNNA nav ~ 49,
Live ghrtmps-shark, squid, and Sea-
weed Among the Other Delicaciss-
Wondorf Poi and It's Fascination.
PoMoNA. Cal. July 3o.-"Tho diet OF the ma
tives OF Uncle Sans recently annexed Ha-
waiian Islanda" said Harmon +. Buckley, who
was local agent in Honolulu for a sugar-cane
company for Ave years. " is one Of the interest
ing things about them. What one eats indi-
Gates ones social standing in Hawaii. The
aristocruts Of Hawaii are the children OF the
missionaries who sailed from New England
around the Horn In the thirttes and %forties.
and took the Gospel to the Kanakas. The
natives were easily converted TO Chris
tianity and the Yankee missionaries and their
young wives became so happy In the beautiful.
fertile islands out in the Pacific that very few
OF them ever left the tropical paradise. Their
children intermarried with tho finest Kanaka
children. and with the Yankee spiritof industry
and Invention they developed the suEar-cane
industry Of the island. A score OF the Sons Of
missionaries from Massachusetts, and Con-
n~ecticut are millionaires in Hawaii. Several
! are multi-milionaires. The Bishop estate is
reckoned at $4,000 900. It was all made from
cane sugar in thirty years.
This part OF tho population dimes on tho
best. Cases OF oysters packed In ice come by
every boat to the rich Americans in Honolulu
from the Chesapeake. Hundreds OF heads Of
celery arc taken from Michigan to Hawaii
every wintor. Tons OF California vegetables
are consumed by Americans In the islands.
The English residents have their roast beef,
and they sometimes have to import it in cold
storage from San Francisco. The thousands Of
Portuguese in Hawaii have dishes reekinR in
garlic and chilis. while the 5000 Chinese
regale themselves on rice and dried sharks
fms. The Japanese dine on poultry and
a native vegetable like ancient squash.
Every steamer from Hong Kong and Yoko-
hama brings tons Of products for the Oriental
tables in the islands. For the Kanaka there is
abundant poi-an edible that might pass for
bill posters paste five days old-dried and
smoked squid. cooked seaweed, raw mullet.
dog roasted in ii leaves and a combustible
drink made from the fermentation of a root.
From all this provender. native and foreign. the
Kitchens Of Honolulu are able to make a dis
eliminating choice which gives the bills of fare
at some entertainments q peculiar piquancy.
THE natives OF the Hawaiian Islands are
famous eaters. They have n feast-or more
properly speaking a feed-on every possible oc-
cnsion. And 1t il truly marvellous what guam
titles of food they can stuff into themselves
without physical injury. A custom from time
immemorial among the Kanakas is to have a
luau-an enormous feast-about once every
fortnight. King Kalakaua used to have the
most gorgeous luaus in the memory of the old
est natives in Honolulu. The average native
would 90 without his grass hut and clothes
rather than forego q luau with his big family or
q company OF friends two or three times a
month. The hardest work 1 have ever seen n
KanakR do has been in preparing for a luau.
and some hard work must always be done in
getting ready for a luau that is q luau.
These feasts are usually served in the open
air. At the royal palace they took place in a
raa harn,,nk hall Thn ynHriny ta nlpnAaS
always accompanied by music on guitars and q
peculiar native strinRed instrument. like a
crude cello. The meal is served on the grass.
III leaves. a variety OF huge lilies. are used as
tablecloths. The food is heaped on the ii
leaves before the ~fcasters come, and there is no
Passing Of food to the guests. Each person at
the luau sits cross-legged Turkish fashion. on
elegantly woven grass mats about the edge of
the area OF ii leaves and food. The meal is In
one course. and the feaster eats as he likes.
There are no knives or forks. Ones fingers are
good enough for dining purposes at a luau.
r'he feast usually continues several hours.
The latest Kanakas can sit with their legs
doubled up beneath them all day and night
and never have n suggestion Of an ache. but 1t
is positive torture to an American or European
who is eating his first luau. when the feast has
progressed about an hour. have seen many
a portly American who wished to be polite per-
spire with pain while he forced smiles and tried
to be agreeable during his Kanaka hosts elab-
crate luau. Robert Louis Stevenson took as
naturally to the customs OF the luau as any
paleface 1 have ever known. The people Of
| the South Pacific had a wonderful fascination
for him. and he loved to see them at their
fcasts. He used to say that the Kanaka was
seen and studied. best at a luau, and l believe
H SIfsfhsHm to Ta Be F as t%hor I GiIS la nnSSb By s slttiHe
at a luau as II they had been horseback riding
Meat is seldom eaten by the Kanakas and
Is seldom served az, q luau. unless the Ameri-
cans predominate. Fish is served in abundance.
Of muiiet and mackerel. and the Kanakas have
about the KanaEas IS their fonedness Tor rn raw
and halt.baked fish. have seen the late King
been swimming three minutes before. The
largest fish in Hawaiian waters is a species
S Sda shdsk' II If so TTSfiGh tse is pI Esns Gi bo n69p at th h 5tg
l FhSok ISSt x,5 as turkey nner, does e i, at c an Ape ntant
is peeled, OH, and the ,steaming. 'odorif-
ero4s flesh is cut up and put on t leaves
has Often tried the nerves Of an American guest
decked young Kanaka woman reach into one
OF the wooden bowls OF water arranged at in
tRerefrom a writing muiiet about twice the
size Of n sardine, bite off It's head and munich
the nSh down. Often q nait dozen live mulletS
from an aquarium are eaten by each individ-
ual at a luau. Some of the more dainty Kan
aka women who have observed the express
sions OF amazement on the faces OF the pale
faced guests may select merely n minnOw. and
WIN content themselves by rolling it under
their tongues.
Live squid is partaken OF at a luau as a sort
q entr6e. The fish is not easily caught. and is.
therefore. q delicacy. There are squid epicures
among the Kanakas. Just as there are terrapin
island OF Kauai there are dozens Of great ponds
| OfRalt water where 6uuiQS-AS small DepipR n1the
cutie fsh-are cultivated. Ex-Queen Liliuoka-
lani had a pond some two acres IN area on her
estate where squids we're grown for the money
there was in the sale OF them and for her own
native feasts. The squid that the natives like Is
q dank. Shiny, squirming thing, with q strong
iishy smell and a great staring eye. Hold alive
sGuid up before an nssemblaGe OF Kanakas and
the effect is magical. You will see q movement
q the lips Of every one who looks upon the fish.
by strings attached to small weights. Afeaster
will repch. over now and then and break of a
creature doubles and expands in, pain at its
dismem berment, the Kanaka will chew the
! Y,nnt a nt.n mill n rin 1E Innuttn