Hawaii PavilionThe pavilion's 80 foot high Aumakua Tower with a ring of flaming torches at the 55 foot level, formed a gateway to a complex of structures; the Aloha Theme Pavilion, a Tourism and Industrial Exhibits building, the Five Volcanoes Restaurant, an arcade of shops, an ancient village and the enclosed Aloha Theater. The area was landscaped with coconut and hala trees, orchids and other tropical plants.The exhibition hall in the hexagonal Aloha Theme Pavilion had numerous displays of the islands' history and culture, including carved reproductions of the old Polynesian gods, thrones of the monarchy and views of the state today (1964). One exhibit depicted the influx over the centuries of peoples from many Pacific lands. In the Tourism and Industrial Exhibits, motion pictures focused on Hawaii's wonders. Wall maps depicted travel routes to the islands. In the Ancient Hawaiian Village, craftsmen demonstrated native skills; how to construct a grass hut, shape stones into tools, and weave blossoms, seeds and strands into leis without thread or needles. Beach boys offered rides in outrigger canoes. A one hour show "Hawaiian Extravaganza" featuring island entertainers, was presented six times daily in the Aloha Theater. It was built on a man-made peninsula that jutted into Meadow Lake. The Five Volcanoes Restaurant had an indoor dining room, a Lava Pit Bar and an outdoor area seating 500. At night, a three-hour, 12 course luau was held outdoors, complete with traditional dishes, rituals and dances. |