One of our family’s favorite vacations was to the Hawaiian island, Maui. It was the summer of 2022 at the end of the Covid pandemic, and the world was just starting to reopen its doors to tourists. We were chomping at the bit to get out of the house and go someplace exotic, preferably with mountains, beaches, waterfalls, and jungles.

Maui ticked all the boxes, and more. And although island life is expensive (up to 80% of its food – other than sugar, coffee, and pineapples – has to be imported), we squeezed every drop of adventure out of that trip. It was worth every penny!

First, we went on a helicopter tour of the island, high along the cliffs through double-rainbows. Dramamine came to our rescue when the pilot started showing off (he loved his job!), but we still rated the experience a 10 out of 10.

One day, we took a boat ride out to Turtle Island and snorkeled with sea turtles above a manmade reef. My husband learned the hard way that stubble makes it really hard for a snorkel mask to seal properly, but he muscled through it. The mai tai on the ride back to shore made it all better.

Another day, we hiked a mountain trail into an actual cloud, giving us spectacular views of the surrounding hills, forests, waterfalls, and coastline. It was all lush, green, and cool, even for July.

We even explored hardened lava tunnels made by volcanoes. They were formed when flowing lava developed a hard outer crust on its way to the ocean, which thickened around the still-flowing lava stream inside. We got to explore about a 1.5-mile segment of the lava tube with flashlights. It was very cool!

“I love my work. I couldn’t be luckier or happier than what I’m doing now.”

Dr. Isabella Kauakea Yau Yung Aiona Abbott, the first native Hawaiian woman to earn a PhD in science, and the leading world expert on Pacific Ocean algae.

For this World Geography Wednesday in Hawaii, we started by looking at our maps of Hawaii, its eight islands, and the capital city of Honolulu.

Then we watched “Finding ‘Ohana”. It’s about two Brooklyn-raised siblings spending a summer in Oahu and reconnecting with their Hawaiian heritage. A lot of the Hawaiian imagery and food in the film was familiar to us, and we really enjoyed it.

We also read, “High Tide in Hawaii” and “Dolphins at Daybreak” by Mary Pope Osborne. Like the rest of the Magic Tree House series, they’re a quick read with entertaining facts about history and geography woven in.

Let’s start with explorers. I learned that the culture of the Native Hawaiians has its origins in the Polynesian explorers who settled there. Polynesia is made of multiple islands that include Hawaii, New Zealand, Samoa, among others within the Pacific Ocean.

The Hawaiian language, for example, is part of the Polynesian language family. Traditional arts and crafts, such as kapa (barkcloth) making, lei making, hula dancing, and canoe building, all have their roots in Polynesia.

Just watch Moana. They explain it all very well.

Next is shakas. If you’ve ever worn a Billabong t-shirt or watched surfing on TV, you’ve no doubt seen the “hang loose” hand gesture. For native Hawaiians, shaka is both casual slang and cultural identity representing the ‘Aloha spirit’ of friendliness, positive vibes, and the laidback attitude that reflects island life. It basically signals that “everything is good.”

Hawaiians gave us shakas everywhere we went in Maui, and we quickly got into the habit of giving it back with a smile.

And of course, we can’t discuss Hawaiian culture without mentioning the celebrated lūʻau. It’s a feast featuring lively music and vibrant cultural performances from Hawaiʻi and greater Polynesia.

Some of the foods you’ll find at a lūʻau are: poi (pounded taro root, a starch meant to be eaten with everything); kālua pig (pork prepared in an underground oven, or imu, and shredded); laulau (meat wrapped in lūʻau, or taro, leaves and steamed in an imu); and haupia (coconut pudding).

Because of the five-hour time difference between Hawaii and Texas (the lūʻau began at 11 pm our time), we knew our children would’ve slept through the entire thing. So, we didn’t get to attend a lūʻau on that trip. But next time, with enough caffein, we’ll be there!

We had some truly delicious meals in Hawaii. Some of our favorites were yogurt- and granola-filled papaya, avocado and bacon bagels, and barbequed pork ribs with fried plantains. And every restaurant and food truck we visited had a family of wild chickens pecking around as entertainment!

Drinks and Nibles

Main Course

I wasn’t in the mood to dig a pit in the back yard to roast a suckling pig. So, our World Geography Wednesday main attraction was a Kahlua pineapple glazed ham. The deep rum and coffee flavors really balanced the sweetness of the pineapple and the saltiness of the ham. It was tender, flavorful, and absolutely delicious! My Iowa ham-raised husband approved.

The side dish was a simple teriyaki stir-fried vegetable medley. I also made coconut rice with mango. In Maui, they served coconut cream on pancakes, and my kids loved it. This recipe is more savory than sweet because it uses coconut milk (not cream). I’ve included the recipe below, in case you’re interested.

Dessert

For dessert, I made a sweet vanilla cake with pineapple buttercream filling. I could’ve made a pineapple upside-down cake, but this was less stressful. (If you’ve ever lost the battle with getting the caramelized pineapple unstuck from the cake pan, you’ll know what I mean.)

As promised, here’s how to make coconut rice with mango. Enjoy!

TOOLS:

measuring cup and measuring spoons

strainer

medium heavy pot with lid

stirring spoon

cutting board and knife

PROCESS:

Add the rice to a fine mesh strainer and rinse it under cool running water for 1-2 minutes, or until the water runs clear. Let it drain completely.

Pour the water and coconut milk into a medium-sized pot and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, add the salt and rinsed rice. Bring the ingredients back to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover it and let it simmer for 20-25 minutes. Check on the rice after 20 minutes to see if it’s done. (Add more water if needed.)

Once the rice is cooked, turn off the heat and add the diced mango and a sprinkle of basil. Stir gently so the mango doesn’t become mushy. Taste it and add more salt if needed.

I hope you enjoyed this post on teaching kids about Hawaii! Check back here for more ideas on teaching geography to kids. Or check out my YouTube channel, World Geography Wednesday, for delicious, kid-friendly international recipes. Hope to see you next week!