Oahu Real Estate Info

Life On Oahu - Part 1

     Living on Oahu today is an interesting mix. Part of life here is truly the paradise isle image that lives in the minds of people around the world. It is common to see people on some streets and in the parks playing the ukulele; sometimes for their own entertainment, other times leading a group sing-a-long.

     Chances are, a party or family gathering on Oahu will include a young girl dance a hula as part of the entertainment to the enjoyment of everyone. In fact, it’s equally possible that the girl’s mother – or grandmother – will dance as well. Leis will be given if there is a birthday or graduation being celebrated. It’s a part of life here in the Islands that endures.

     One family get-together you can witness every weekend is the traditional ‘Baby’s 1^st Luau’. On Oahu, as well as the other Islands, a child’s first birthday is a reason to celebrate. Big. Some say that Asian immigrants brought this tradition to Hawaii. In the past, many children died from disease in their first months, so reaching this milestone was a great relief for families.

     Wherever it came from, it is celebrated in true Island style. That means there’s plenty of food and any, and every, person remotely related is invited. Go to an Oahu park on the weekend and you’ll probably see at least one Baby Luau in progress. You can tell what’s going on because there will be large banners proclaiming the reason for the party. What surprises newcomers are just how big these parties are here.

     For many Oahu families, the only event more important is a wedding. You will see large crowds gathered, with rented amusements scattered around, like inflatable moon-rooms for kids to bounce around inside. Any relative left off the invitation list will be deeply offended, so, intended or not, these celebrations become very big very quickly.

     Oahu families are known to spend thousands of dollars for their baby’s luau. Those with more money at their disposal will even rent hotel ballrooms for their child’s party. But the generosity doesn’t go all in one direction.

     Guests at the luau bring gifts for the baby, many of them in the form of checks and cash. These are meant for the child’s care and his/her bank account. When you consider the size of some of the extended families on Oahu, this can turn into college funding, gathering interest as the child grows up. When you add family members from the Neighbor Islands, who usually come over for the luau, you can see how the scope of these events can be extremely large.

     This is just one-way Oahu life is unique and reflects the family-oriented culture of the Islands that make Hawaii such a great place to live. We will be adding more articles on living in Oahu over the coming months, so stay tuned.