First New York Volunteers Thanksgiving Luau

54a Waiakea Plantation Hawaii Thanksgiving luau 1898.jpg
54b Waiakea Plantation Hawaii Thanksgiving luau 1898.jpg

Creator

Waiakea Plantation

Title

First New York Volunteers Thanksgiving Luau

Coverage

Territory of Hawaii

Date

November 24, 1898

Description

The First New York Volunteers attended a complimentary luau on Thanksgiving in 1898 at the Waiakea Plantation on the Island of Hawai’i. The traditional feast featured fish “from fish ponds,” pig baked in ti leaves, sweet potatoes, breadfruit, beef, kukui (candlenut) relish, turkey, poi (taro), kulolo (coconut and taro pudding), soda water, and lemonade. Since the Spanish-American War had already ended, the federalized National Guard regiment soon returned home, having never reached the Philippines.