Kapeneta “Kap” Suli Teo-Tafiti can scoot up a 40-foot coconut tree in less than 20 seconds — pretty amazing for a 44-year-old guy who has the build of an NFL linebacker.

“I was about 6 years old when I first started climbing coconut trees,” said Teo-Tafiti, who is originally from Samoa. “Being able to climb trees and get coconuts was a way to prove you were a man. When my mom wanted niu mamata, or young coconuts, I had to be man enough to climb the tree to get it for her. It was kind of a rite of passage.”

According to Teo-Tafiti, picking coconuts that have fallen to the ground is not desirable. “You want the younger coconuts that are still on the tree because their meat is softer,” he said. “We call it ‘spoon meat’ because it’s soft like jelly, and you can scoop it out of the shell with a spoon.”

Teo-Tafiti demonstrates coconut tree climbing, fire making and other activities at the Polynesian Cultural Center, which invites guests to experience the cultures of seven Pacific islands — Hawaii, Samoa, Fiji, Tahiti, Tonga, New Zealand-Maori and the Marquesas.

Daring visitors who weigh less than 275 pounds and who are at least 44 inches tall can kick off their shoes and attempt to climb a coconut tree in the Samoan village. This is one of four new Go Native! activities that PCC has introduced as part of a five-year, $38 million enhancement project.

Strapped in a safety harness and under the watchful eye of their hosts, guests inch their way up the tree trunk — realizing it takes more strength, dexterity and balance than they initially thought.

Some women have made it 5 or 10 feet up the tree. Big muscular men have clambered a foot and slid right back down.

“You can’t tell who’ll be able to climb a tree just by looking at them,” Teo-Tafiti said. “I’ve seen skinny little boys go higher than the 20-foot marker.”

In the Samoan village, visitors can also help prepare bananas, taro, breadfruit, coconut and fish for cooking in an umu (above-ground “oven”). The food is placed on hot rocks and covered with burlap and layers of large leaves, which seal in the heat. The “chefs” can return a few hours later to sample the delicious results.

A cooking demonstration in the Hawaiian village shares a recipe for laulau that contains ingredients guests can find in their supermarkets at home. Even better, no special equipment is required; the tasty dish made with chicken, pork, fish and spinach or collard greens can be steamed in a pot on the stove.

Known for their dramatic designs inspired by nature, handmade Hawaiian quilts can take a year or more to complete. In the 19th century, the missionaries taught Hawaiian women how to do “snowflake” paper cutting, but sewing appliqués onto a padding and cloth backing by hand is an island innovation.

Quilters’ tiny, even stitches (six to 12 per inch) form rows about a half-inch apart. The stitching follows the outline of the pattern, creating a rippling, “echo” effect. At PCC, visitors can buy a quilting kit for $23 to $28 at the Hawaiian Mission Settlement, and, upon request, receive a free lesson on how to make their beautiful keepsake.

Plans call for four other Go Native! activities to start by the end of the year. Visitors will be able to renew their vows at Te Here, a re-enactment of an ancient Tahitian wedding ceremony; dye a pareu (sarong); spear a coconut set atop a 6-foot pole; and steer a four-person outrigger canoe along PCC’s winding lagoon. Paddling teams can compete in races throughout the day.

“The new offerings are not only entertaining, they allow guests to experience what life was like — and, in some cases, still is like — in Polynesia,” said Delsa Moe, PCC’s cultural presentations director. “Watching demonstrations is interesting, but actually participating in activities gives visitors a deeper understanding and appreciation for Polynesian culture. In a nutshell, that’s the mission of the Polynesian Cultural Center.”

Halloween Haunted Lagoon

Spine-tingling special effects, spooky animatronics and a cast of 100 in creepy costumes and makeup promise the Polynesian Cultural Center’s Haunted Lagoon will be scarier than ever. Now in its fourth year, the popular nighttime canoe rides start at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday through Oct. 22, and Monday through Saturday
Oct. 24-31.

Rides geared for keiki run 6:30-7:30 p.m. on those days. Aboard each of those canoes is a warrior who carries a mystical light staff that repels ghosts, monsters and the eerie Laie Lady who drifts along the lagoon, searching for her lost son.

Reserving Haunted Lagoon tickets in advance is recommended, as seats are limited and often sell out. Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for children 5 through 15 (kamaaina rates are $19.95 and $14.95, respectively). Kids under 5 are free.

Also available are Fast Pass rates (for those who want a shorter wait), the Fall Break Special (good through Oct. 15 for Hawaii students), discounts from 7-Eleven and Pepsi, and free rides and $10 tickets for kamaaina who hold PCC annual passes.

For details, to check ticket availability or to make reservations, call 293-3333 on Oahu or 800-367-7060 from the neighbor islands, or go to www.hauntedlagoon.com.

———
Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi is a Honolulu-based freelance writer whose travel features for the Star-Advertiser have won many Society of American Travel Writers awards.