La 'Umi Kumalua o Kalikimaka (Twelth Day of Christmas)



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On the 12th Day of Christmas, my Tutu gave to me ...

... 12 Samoans drumming!

What's a luau without the drums!  From the Polynesian Cultural Center,

Hula and musical festivities have always been an integral aspect in the luau celebrations. In Old Hawaii, before the introduction of Western mediums like the guitar or iconic ukulele, Hawaiian luau music consisted mostly of drums and other handmade instruments. A staple in most musical performances was the deep-voiced pahu drum, which got its dark resonance from its shark-skin drumhead. The ipu was a gourd-like drum often accompanying the pahu. The ipu differs from traditional drums because the player either uses a horizontal surface or the palm of their hand to create sound. Hula performers also took part in the musical process with several instruments that were incorporated into their dances. Several rattles were commonly used; the ‘uli’uli—a gourd filled with tiny beads or seeds, and adorned with brightly colored feathers—and the pu’ili—a bamboo rattle that dancers struck upon their shoulders or upon other pu’ili—are probably the most recognized. Dancers also took smooth stones between their fingers and used them in castanet-fashion to create an instrument called ‘ili ‘ili.

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In honor of the 12 drumming Samoans, I am giving away 12 Hawaiian Calendars - 12 pages of beautiful scenery to keep you warm through the winter and inspire you in the summer.

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To enter the giveaway,

1. Leave a comment about what your favorite musical instrument and/or favorite musical band (anything goes).

2. For the duration of the "12 Days of Christmas", comments for all posts will be open through January 6. I will randomly draw winners for each day's prize(s) on January 7. Prizes will be mailed NLT January 10.

3. The "12 Days of Christmas" is only open to US residents. However, I will mail a special Hawaiian treat to any international reader who sends their mailing address to sos.america@yahoo.com.

Hau’oli Makahiki Hou!
Happy New Year!

Kim in Hawaii


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The Hawaiian language only has 12 letters:

5 vowels:  a, e, i, o, u

7 consonances:  h, k, l. m, n, p, and w. 

Just so you can practice your Hawaiian, try this phrase from Hawaii Department of Education

'Ike aku, 'ike mai, kokua aku kokua mai; pela iho la ka nohana 'ohana.

Translation: Recognize others, be recognized, help others, be helped; such is a family relationship.

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