luau, a modern Hawaiian banquet. The word luau originally denoted only the leaves of the taro plant, which are eaten as a vegetable; it came to refer to the dishes prepared with the leaves and then to the feasts at which the dishes were eaten. Today the term designates the modern informal feast, as distinct from the ancient ceremonial banquets that were ritualized and attended only by men.
The standard luau is eaten at a low table that is covered with ti leaves and decorated with fruits and flowers. Traditional dishes include poi, pig baked whole in an underground oven, lau lau (luau leaves and pork wrapped in a ti leaf and steamed), lomi lomi salmon (marinated raw fish), baked sweet potatoes, fish or chicken cooked in coconut milk, shellfish, and sweets. Dancing and music accompany the feast.