Oahu is a beautiful island, surrounded by sandy shores, green forests, and unique species of plants and birds. When Hawaii was declared the 50th State of the United States of America, Honolulu was named its capital, and Waikiki, the main tourist attraction city. Its main industry was sugar since the days of the Kings, however, tourism became the most viable industry since its "annexation" and becoming part of US.Millions of people traveled to Hawaii for pleasure, business, and education. That explains why 
Waikiki beach is packed all year round, but besides Waikiki, there are other places that make Oahu an unforgettable place to visit. Toward the Northshore area is Polynesian Cultural Center, a center of education, recreation, entertainment, and relaxation.
Waikiki beach is packed all year round, but besides Waikiki, there are other places that make Oahu an unforgettable place to visit. Toward the Northshore area is Polynesian Cultural Center, a center of education, recreation, entertainment, and relaxation.PCC is a piece of land dedicated to the Polynesian people. It is a cultural center dedicated to the preservation and demonstration of the Polynesian people, their culture, and way of life. It was built in the 1960s by pioneer Mormon familes who migrated to Hawaii from Samoa, Tonga, Aotearoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, and Tahiti. Tourists would stop to participate in a "hukilau" or a traditional way of catching fish using traditional net, and also watch islanders performing their custom dances.
But it didn't come all at once, it took a while. In the 60s and 70s, Americans and the rest of the world knew little about Polynesians, or the Pacific Islands. Tourists who visited Hawaii in those days weren't anxious to see what was going on in the Polynesian world. Pioneers who were struggling for financial support would stand on the side of the road in their traiditional attire and wave to passing cars. With little success they went down to Waikiki. They performed in the streets, outside hotels, and other designated areas just to attract tourists to visit their cultural center. Such effort became desperate as critics predicted the colapsed of the PCC within a decade. But they were wrong. After 40 years of operation, PCC has became Hawaii's most outstanding tourist center, and scholarship and employment providers. It has offered scharships to Asians, Africans, Middle Eastern, Europeans, Americans, Sout Americans, and Oceania.
By 2004, PCC has expanded from the little village level to a 48 acre of cultural villages, shops, restaurants, lagoon, Imax theater, and one of the largest theaters in Hawaii, sitting over 2,000 guests a night with a cast of more than 400 dancers, 80 percent of whom are student of the nearby Brigham Young University.
But it didn't come all at once, it took a while. In the 60s and 70s, Americans and the rest of the world knew little about Polynesians, or the Pacific Islands. Tourists who visited Hawaii in those days weren't anxious to see what was going on in the Polynesian world. Pioneers who were struggling for financial support would stand on the side of the road in their traiditional attire and wave to passing cars. With little success they went down to Waikiki. They performed in the streets, outside hotels, and other designated areas just to attract tourists to visit their cultural center. Such effort became desperate as critics predicted the colapsed of the PCC within a decade. But they were wrong. After 40 years of operation, PCC has became Hawaii's most outstanding tourist center, and scholarship and employment providers. It has offered scharships to Asians, Africans, Middle Eastern, Europeans, Americans, Sout Americans, and Oceania.By 2004, PCC has expanded from the little village level to a 48 acre of cultural villages, shops, restaurants, lagoon, Imax theater, and one of the largest theaters in Hawaii, sitting over 2,000 guests a night with a cast of more than 400 dancers, 80 percent of whom are student of the nearby Brigham Young University.
TAKE A TRIP AROUND PCC
SAMOA
The center opens at 1300 p.m. and closes at 2100 p.m. in the evening. The first village, as you enter the center, is Samoa. The huts represented huts or houses in a typical Samoan village. Most of the huts don't have walls, indicative of the humid climate of the island. The Samoan show starts at 1230 p.m., featuring one of the senior Matais who educates visitors on how to do things the Samoan way, from husking a coconut to shredding it, and from making fire using "fau" or "hau" to climbing coconut tree like a monkey.After the show, another Samoan is in the hut demonstrating how Samoans cook and what they cook in their kitchens.
AOTEAROA (New Zealand)
Next door to Samoa is the village of Aotearoa. Aotearoa is the Maori name for New Zealand, a name give to these islands by their ancestors. Above the entrance to the village is the wooden carving of one of the Maori ancestors and founder of Aotearoa, Kupe. There is a big lawn in front of the Wharenui, the ancestral house. Photos with captions of the great chiefs of various Maori tribes are displayed behind glass frames inside the house to the right side of the entrance. Standing high on the top of the Wharenui is the statue of "Paikea." One of the greatest Maori ancestors who may have been a captain of one of the waka that arrived in Aotearoa from Hawaiki. Inside the Wharenui are benches and a stage where dancers performed their traditional kapahaka dances in front of anxious guests.
The Wharenui is in fact the only house of its kind built outside of Aotearoa. Most of the materials found in this complex were shipped from Aotearoa to PCC when the center was in its infant stage. Beside the Wharenui, by the lagoon, is the Waka Taua. Hidden behind the beautiful designs of this canoe is a history worth telling. It was a canoe built as a gift to King George V of England, but he died before its completion. The owner burried it, something that most historians speculated on. However, most agreed that the owner burried the canoe as a token of sorry for the death of the king. History has it that a farmer found the canoe, dug it up and donated it to PCC.FIJI
Behind the Wharenui is a bridge which takes visitors to the village representing the Islands of Fiji. Fiji's representation at PCC is extremely controversal; These islands are predominantly Melanesian with a few islands inhabitted by Fijians of Tongan ancestries. PCC acknowledges the fact that Fiji is the "cross-road" of the Pacific, situated on the border of the Polynesian Triangle and the Melanesian region.
Standing taller than any building in the Center is the Fijian traditional temple, Vure kalou-the houses of god(s). Ancient Fijians believed that the higher the temple was, the closer they were to their gods. The building was guarded by the Chief's most trustted warriors, and performed in this type of building, at least in the past, was human sacrifice, attended mostly by selected high chiefs. The largest building of the village is the Vure levu-the Chief's house. On the sides of the doors are white shells, demonstrating the wealth of the Chief. Guarding the back door of this house is the Chief's trusted and fearsome warriors. Unwanted visitors were usually slaughtered for the safety of the chief.
HAWAII (Host Village)
Crossing the bridge from the Fiji village is the wonderful village of Hawaii. Unlike the rest of the Polynesian houses, Hawaiian houses are slightly different. The houses are low, and carefully knitted, thatched with Pili grass. The village is surrounded by Noni trees, most Polynesians used the Noni fruit as medication. Hawaii is made up of 8 major islands, ruled by mean chiefs, and powerful tribes in the past. However, it took a single determined chief, with the aid of modern weapons, to unite the Islands and declared himself KING. Kamehameha defeated all the powerful chiefs from Hawaii to Oahu and united the islands under his rule. United States missionaries moved to Hawaii, educated the royal family, and set up businesses-primarily sugar plantation.
The last remaining monarch was Queen Liliuokalani. She was overthrown by the descendents of the missionaries whose primary interest was to annex Hawaii and make it part of United States so that their Sugar plantations could enter the US market. These gang couldn't have been successful in overthrowing the kingdom of Hawaii had not the US Marines backed them with warships and artilleries. US support the annexation of Hawaii as it was battling the Spanish colony in the Phillipines and required a launching stage. Hawaii was an appropriate location.Hawaii was annexed in 1893 and bacame a State in the 1950s. President Bill Clinton offered a US formal apology for its role in the illegal overthrown of Hawaii by the US government.
The genealogy of these monarchs can be found in the building next to the waterfall. Below their pictures are brief history of the period of their reign.
Hawaiian staple food, poi-made of taro, is displayed in the Hale Wa'a (canoe house). Guests are also free to sample the Poi, but it taste alittle bit better with a little salt on it.
Hula lessons and other Hawaiian games are also taught outside the yard.
MARQUESAS
Marquesas island is part of French Polynesia, its inclusion in the center is also controversal, however, its cultural uniqueness was what caught the attention of those who built the center.
The Island is also called Te Henua 'e Nana-The island of men. Men did pretty much everything, from fishing to gardening, and tribal warfare. Women were confined to raising children and caring for the home.
TAHITI (French Polynesia)
Down the road from Marquesas village is the beautiful village of Tahiti. Known for its fast-hi-shaking dance known as Tamure. Tahiti is also known as the French Polynesia, one of the oldest French Colonies in Oceania. Insde the village is the largest house where dancers entertain and eduate visitors. Next to this house is a kitchen where guests lined up every day to sample the popular Tahitian coconut bread, made of coconut cream and flour. Also visitors learn how to weave basket with coconut leaves. Guests are also invited to participate in the Tahitian traditional dance on the stage.
TONGA
You can hear the sound of the Tongan village drums, shouting and screaming is always the attributes of the Tongan dancers. Tonga is also known as the "Friendly Islands," a name given by Captain Cook, although history claimed the Tongans chased him out of their islands.
The villagers are specialized in making and designing tapa clothes, and spear-throwing. Guests love to visit the Tongan villages for its live shows and usually guests are picked from the audience to participate in the drumming show.
Tonga is the only surviving kingdom in Polynesia, and arguably the only island that never been colonized by European powers although Britain declared Tonga a protectorate state.
Easter island exhibition is also found between the islands of New Zealand and the Mission House (home) a replica of the first chapel built in Hawaii by New England missionaries.
Other Shows
One of the favorite shows is taken place in the lagoon area between the Samoan village and the Ali'i Luau-Hawaiian restaurant feat. Polynesian foods. 
Dancers from the 7 islands performed their 
traditional dances on canoes. The show lasts for 30 minutes.The show comes in this order: Hawaii, Tahiti, New Zealand, Samoan, Tonga, and Fiji.
Restaurants
PCC has four major restaurants; the Ali'i Luau-divided to two, the other at the Hale Aloha, the Ambassador, the Gateway Buffet, and recently opened the Hale Kuai. These These restaurants cater for the different needs of those who visit the center. Dinner starts at 1830 hrs, but it is wise to take join the line at around 1800 hrs because of the number of people at the center and the time it takes to sit guests. Ambassador restaurant is design for those who purchased the most expensive super package, which includes a special treatment at the canoe-landing, the canoe pagent, and the village shows.
Pacific Theater
The show in this very huge complex begins at 1930 p.m. and ends at 2130 p.m.. The show features some of the best dancers of PCC, majority of whom attend Brigham Young University Hawaii, located some 10 minutes behind PCC. One dancer performs three times during the show; either Tahiti, New Zealand, Hawaii, or Samoa, Tonga, and Fiji. The surround side in the theater is power, and the show itself is a breath-taking experience.
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