The Hukilau Song
Don Ho Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴Oh we're goin' to a hukilau
A huki huki huki huki hukilau
Everybody loves the hukilau
Where the laulau is the kaukau at the luau

We throw our nets out into the sea
And all the 'ama'ama come swimmin' to me
Oh we're goin' to a hukilau

A huki huki huki hukilau

What a beautiful day for fishing
The old Hawaiian way
The hukilau nets were swishing
Down in old La'ie Bay

Oh we're going, to a hukilau
A huki huki huki huki hukilau
There's romance ‘neath Hawaiian skies
With a lovely hula hula maiden roll her eyes

While the silv'ry moon, is shining above
The kanes and wahinis sing a song about love
Paradise now at the hukilau
A huki huki huki hukilau

We throw our nets out into the sea
And all the 'ama'ama come swimmin' to me
Oh, we're goin' to a hukilau
A huki huki huki

Huki huki huki
A huki huki huki hukilau

Overall Meaning

"The Hukilau Song" is a fun and catchy song sung by Don Ho, one of Hawaii's most famous musicians. The song describes a traditional Hawaiian method of fishing called Hukilau, where the fishermen gather with their families and friends on the shore and throw nets out into the sea to catch fish. The lyrics talk about the excitement and beauty of the event, with everyone enjoying traditional Hawaiian food like laulau, surrounded by the lovely hula hula maidens.

The first verse starts with the excitement of going to a Hukilau, with everyone eagerly anticipating the special event. It then goes on to describe the actual fishing part of the event, with the fishermen casting their nets and catching the fish, which is then used to cook the laulau. The chorus of the song repeats the excitement of the Hukilau and the joy it brings to everyone.

The second verse highlights the beauty of the day and the romantic aspect of the Hukilau. It talks about the silvery moon shining above and how the kanes and wahinis come together to sing songs about love. The song ends with a final chorus, repeating the excitement of the Hukilau.

Overall, the song captures the spirit of the Hukilau event, with its lively music and colorful imagery of traditional Hawaiian culture.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh we're goin' to a hukilau
We are heading to a hukilau feast.

A huki huki huki huki hukilau
There will be plenty of fish at the feast.

Everybody loves the hukilau
The hukilau is enjoyed by all.

Where the laulau is the kaukau at the luau
The laulau is the main dish at the hukilau feast.

We throw our nets out into the sea
We catch fish in the traditional Hawaiian way.

And all the 'ama'ama come swimmin' to me
We catch lots of fish when we cast our nets.

What a beautiful day for fishing
It's a great day to catch fish.

The old Hawaiian way
We fish the way our ancestors did.

The hukilau nets were swishing
The fish were caught in the traditional Hawaiian nets.

Down in old La'ie Bay
This is where the hukilau was happening.

There's romance ‘neath Hawaiian skies
There's a romantic atmosphere in Hawaii.

With a lovely hula hula maiden roll her eyes
The dancers are beautiful and charming.

While the silv'ry moon, is shining above
The moon is casting a beautiful light on the festivities.

The kanes and wahinis sing a song about love
Men and women are singing love songs together.

Paradise now at the hukilau
The hukilau is a paradise-like place.

A huki huki huki hukilau
We catch a lot of fish at the hukilau.

Oh, we're goin' to a hukilau
We are excited to go to the hukilau feast!

Writer(s): Jack Owens

Contributed by Charlie C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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