Even when it comes to celebrating a traditional American holiday such as Thankgiving , Hawaiians give it their own special flavor. They might place pumpkins on doorsteps and paste cardboard pilgrims on windows, but chances are there will also be a turkey or a pig roasting under the ground in an earth oven or imu
Cooking in an imu is an ancient Islands custom that requires much work and cooperation among family members. Preparations begin several day before Thanksgiving, when the family goes down to the beach or to the mouth of a stream to fill sacks with smooth, rounded lava stones. They choose the stones carefully for their shape and size and for the presence of holes that will prevent the rocks from exploding when they are heated.