Aloha!

"Poreko" means "to be born" in the language of the people of Rapa Nui.

The Fraternal Order of Moai was born four years ago today on January 1, 2005, when KukuAhu created a web forum and began inviting ohana in Columbus, Ohio, to join the next day. At the time it might have seemed like a bizarre waste of time.

According to founding member and national president Kuku Ahu:

"My intent was simply to see if I could set up a forum on the web that would serve the regional interest in tiki that I was betting a few folks in Columbus Ohio might have. I knew there were a handful of us out there, and had been conversing with my fellow founder Jim "Chisel Slinger" Robinson about the possibility of seeking them out just for the sake of it. We figured there might be a chance for a luau or two and maybe some home bar visits.

"We only jokingly thought of it as a fraternal order at the very beginning, as we had no idea at the time that our concept would be popular outside of our hometown. We did have aspirations of growth and seriousness from the start, but that was really just something we thought of as a far off possibility. It was a fantasy really.

"I sat down on January first at my computer and set up a free hosted forum. The next day I began sending invites to people I had found on the web.

"When people from other states started joining, and the growth came much more quickly than we expected, Jim and I had to rethink the whole concept almost immediately. We decided to expand our boundaries a bit, and we took a serious look at the idea of a real fraternal order."

Four years, seven chapters, two web hosting companies, and many Moai later the jury may still be out on the whole idea but now we're having a whole lot of fun donning blue fezzes and wasting time together at events large and small. Signature events like the Hot Rod Hula Hop and the NorthEast Tiki Tour are encouraging more people to join the Moai and take an interest in Polynesian pop.

We've made a lot of progress but there is more to do and 2009 is looking good already with some exciting events planned and new Moai joining us all the time.

Stop by the Port of the Initiate and see what we're up to today.

Mahalo,

— Tagata Maori Rogorogo