One thing we always make time for on our Hawaii vacations is catching sunset. This time of day is so magical. In addition to the sun saying aloha for the day, it’s this time of day that tiki torches are lit.
You probably won’t have to go far to see tiki torches on your Hawaii vacations. You’ll likely see tiki torches lighting pathways and railings at Hawaii hotels, pools, restaurants and luau grounds.
Be sure to check and see if your hotel has a tiki torch lighting ceremony. Several hotels do. These ceremonies often start with the blowing of a pu, which is also known as a conch shell. Then the person performing the ceremony goes around lighting all the torches.
Perhaps one of the best places to catch a torch lighting ceremony is at Sheraton Maui Resort in Kaanapali. They have a nightly program that includes both lighting the torches and then honoring the legend of Maui Chief Kahekili by leaping off of Puu Kekaa, which is also known as Black Rock.
In ancient Hawaiian culture, the kukui nut, with its hight oil content, was used as a type of candle for light. The tiki torches of today evolved with the onset of tiki culture in the 20th century. Though tiki torches are quite common in Hawaii, they’re not technically connected to ancient Hawaiian culture. Nowadays though, Hawaii and tiki torches go together like peanut butter and jelly.
For more photos that we’ve taken of tiki torches in Hawaii, see this link. I think we may have a slight addiction of taking tiki torch photos.
Sheila Beal
