Ukelele – Songs of Hawaii ( and South Florida )

The Ukelele has recently enjoyed a somewhat surprising resurgence in popularity recently. YouTube features thousands of homespun Ukelele players offering updated renditions of pop songs from ‘Hey Soul Sister’ to ‘Over The Rainbow’. At Drums of Polynesia special event company, our musicians enjoy performing ukelele music as part of our authentic Hawaiian island / Luau / Polynesian events and parties for over 30 years! No wonder people have rediscovered it. The music of the ukelele has quite a merry tone when played. It provides accompaniment to Hawaiian songs like “Hiilawe,” “Cockeyed Mayor of Kaunakakai,” “Little Grass Shack” and “Mele Kalikimaka,” a song once recorded by Bing Crosby as a traditional Hawaiian Christmas song. It is part of American tiki culture now as well.

Luau Songs for Ukelele

There is nothing more entertaining than a Luau. The popularity of Luaus is not limited to tourists visiting Hawaii. Many charitable organizations raise funds by presenting an authentic style Hawaiian Luau, complete with ukelele musicians and Polynesian drummers and hula dancers and whole pig roasting on an open spit. One of the most popular Luau songs is “Hukilau” This is a song about how Hawaiians fish with Hukilau nets “that go swishing down in old L’ie Bay.”

Create a Traditional Hawaiian Luau

In addition to the ukelele as accompaniment, other Hawaiian musicial instruments include:

  • Ili ili, stones played like castanets
  • Pu Ili, bamboo sticks struck together
  • Ipu, a calabash drum
  • Uli uli, feather gourds shaken like rattles.

To create a traditional Hawaiian Luau entertainment program, musicians and both male and female dancers are needed. There is nothing quite as spectacular as male dancers performing with pahu drums or fiery batons, while female dancers sway to a traditional Hawaiian song like “Kila Kila Haleakala”.

In South Florida, Hawaiian Luaus replete with ukelele songs provide entertaining shows with lots of humor. One such song, “Princess Papuli” is performed by awkward male dancers dressed as female hula dancers to the surprise of the audience. Ukelele accompaniment and lyrics to this song always bring gales of laughter from Luau patrons. especially when the male dancers are from the “audience.” Luaus are fun for any occasion, bar mitzvahs, birthdays, civic and charity fund raisers and backyard parties. If you love Ukelele music and want to hear it at your next party or event, contact Drums of Polynesia today. From Miami Beach to Fort Lauderdale, Deerfield Beach to Boca Raton, Delray Beach to West Palm Beach, we’re ready to make your next special event come alive with the feeling of the islands! Call (954) 351-5069 or click here to book us.