A North Shore community strengthens ties between neighbors with food, fun and wholesome activities throughout July. At the Laie Days Pioneer Celebration, more commonly referred to as Laie Days, activities include a hukilau and a carnival known as the Summer Bash.

“Hukilau plays a big part in the history of Laie,” said Junior Ah You, 62, of Laie. That practice continues Saturday morning when members of the community join in to gather fish from Hukilau Beach.

The tradition reaches back to 1948, when members of the Mormon church in Laie held a hukilau to raise funds to rebuild a burned-down chapel. Tourists came up for a luau cooked up with the extra fish from the catch.

“There was no other place in Hawaii that had big hukilaus like Laie,” Ah You said proudly. “We have the perfect beach for it, and great fishermen.”

One of those fisherman is Harlan Kahawaii, 55, of Laie. The entire Kahawaii family is known as “the hukilau family” in Laie.

Harlan’s wife of 36 years, Sherry Kahawaii, 56, explained how the hukilau works today: “One person rows the boat out and drops the net in the water. They usually have at least five or more divers, because they are the ones who watch the nets to make sure they don’t get ripped. Then there are the people who pull the two sides of the net, up on the beach. You can have 10 on each side, or 20 or 40. When they do have hukilaus, they try to involve everyone who wants to participate.”

The hukilau is held at Hukilau Beach, south of Malaekahana Beach. It is a gently curving bay with reefs and a wide beach. The net effectively cuts off the bay from the rest of the ocean. Divers help scare the fish into the net, and everyone on the beach pulls on the ends of the net to haul in the catch.

The Kahawaii family’s nets have different-size eyes, or holes. They are tied end to end for greater length, then lau is tied to lengthen them further, so a greater area of the bay can be fished.

“They use the lau, and that can cover the whole bay,” said Sherry. Lau is a rope with ti leaves tied to it, which is why the fishing method is called hukilau, or “pulling the lau.”

Summer Bash and the hukilau are part of Laie Days, first organized about 29 years ago by Ah You, who owns the restaurant Tita’s Grill, after he was asked to find a way to unite residents.

“The community that prays, eats and plays together stays together,” said Ah You. “If you look around Laie, we are pretty much that kind of community. We pray before pretty much every activity, enjoy each other’s company and friendship and bonds. That was the theory behind it.”

He, his family, Dofi and Jack Faasou, and Kela Miller facilitated this bonding by organizing a full month of activities for the community.

“There had to be activities for the youth, the primary, the senior citizens, adults, everyone. Took a whole month to get everyone included,” said Ah You.

“Thousands of people came together. It was so much fun,” he said of past Laie Days. “People planned their family reunions to be in July so they could take part in the activities. It really strengthened the unity of our community.

“What a great time. Everyone laughing, lots to eat, and no one has to go out to enjoy the summer.”

The last party of Laie Days is today’s Summer Bash, which takes place in the parking lot of Laie Shopping Center, where picnic tables are set up under shade.

“Everything is free. Parking is free if you can find it,” said organizer Richard Vierra, 59, of Hauula.

More than 500 and up to 1,000 people attend each year.

“It fluctuates based on the performers,” said Vierra. “I’m guessing closer to 500 this time because (Brigham Young University-Hawaii) changed their academic calendar.”

This year there will be live performances by Kapena, Natalie Ai Kamauu and Tennelle, among others.

There will also be inflatable bounce houses and a rock wall to climb, according to Vierra.

Participants can satisfy their appetite at the shopping center stores that stay open, including Angel’s Ice Cream, Laie Chop Suey, L&L’s Hawaiian BBQ, Seven Brothers burgers, Taco Bell, Foodland, Subway or Pizza Hut.

Wesley Kekauoha, 26, of Laie remembers eating with friends and family, and going to the Summer Bash as a child.

“I’m looking forward to hanging out with friends and family, honestly,” he said. “Just sit back and relax and watch the next generation have fun.”

He added, “Laie Days is a celebration of people getting together and treating each other as family. It doesn’t matter if you are one culture or another, we are all cousins.”

The celebrations are open to visitors.

“Laie Days is for anybody and everybody,”said Ah You. “We welcome everybody to join us. It’s to feel the spirit and the love of that special place, of Laie.”