Hawaii may be famous for its crystalline waters, multihued beaches, lush rainforests, and Polynesian vibe, but its cowboy culture is not to be missed.
Heaps of delicious food and dancing usually translate to a luau in Hawaii, but on the Big Island, it can also mean the Paniolo Sunset BBQ dinner in the rolling green pastures of Waimea. The weekly dinner and dancing event at Kahua Ranch is inspired by the Hawaiian Islands’ long history of cattle ranching, which reaches all the way back to King Kamehameha I.
In an entertaining account from Big Island country singer Dave Toland, cattle arrived in the Hawaiian Islands as a gift from British explorer Cpt. George Vancouver to the king in the late 1700s. That one bull and six cows grew to become a major industry out of Hawaii, which is historically better known for its sugar cane plantations.
“Paniolo” refers to cowboys in Hawaiian, and according to Mr. Toland, the word came from the interaction between Mexican vaqueros who arrived to assist the burgeoning industry and Hawaiians who did not yet know how to wrangle cattle.
“When them vaqueros came over here, they were called Españols, and they spoke what they call Español,” Mr. Toland said. “Well, they couldn’t speak a word of Hawaiian. And them Hawaiian folks, they couldn’t speak one word of Español. And the problem is that in the Hawaiian alphabet, there ain’t no S. So when the Hawaiians tried to pronounce Español, it came out paniolo.”
I heard the brief history lesson over the flames of a fire pit, not far from an overlook with expansive views of rolling green hills stretching all the way to the ocean. The views can deliver spectacular sunsets thanks to Hawaii microclimates that can bring cream puff clouds over the horizon and, occasionally, a rainbow over the hills.
Dinner, eaten at communal tables, is a tightly curated menu of delicious offerings—prime rib, barbecue chicken, asparagus, potatoes, baked beans, sweet rolls, and salad. Dessert recently included thick brownie slabs and macadamia nut pie. Alcohol is served at a cash bar, while water, canned sodas and fruit juices, coffee, and hot chocolate are free.
Multiple trips to the food table are encouraged, but given the large oval plates and heaping servings given on the first round, another trip may not be necessary. All that food can be worked off with some line dancing to live music, a game of horseshoes or cornhole, or attempting to learn how to rope a steer. Attendees can also brand a piece of wood as a souvenir, grab a freshly made s’more, or take advantage of the 2,000-foot elevation to view the stars—if they’re lucky, an astronomer might be on hand with a powerful telescope.
The three-hour dinner is priced at $85 per adult and $42.50 per child over 5 years old. For comparison, admission to a luau on the Big Island starts at $130+ per person.
Most of the year, the Paniolo Sunset BBQ Dinner occurs weekly on Wednesdays, but Monday nights are added during the summer tourist season. Reservations must be made in advance online.
