Hawaii is the most potlucky place on the planet, and you would never imagine what all is offered. Maybe 20 cuisines and half of them you do not want to know what is in it...but there are stories to tell in future postings. *grin* I'm gonna love this topic!

What is a potluck? Is it the equivalent of the South African Bring'nBraai?

Mmmh, may it be the same like "Eintopf" in german? Like that ones, especially in winter.

AH!! Potjiekos! Thanks for that! Are you German, Isabel?

Look at "Music-Silly Song Lyrics" and find out more...

Could there possibly be an equivalent to Bring'n Braai? Those S Africans bring their braai along wherever they go, right ree ree head? Maybe one of the JimO potlucks comes close, they happen in Austin every second Wednesday of the month. I went to JimO's potluck last night. Jim O'Brien has legendary potlucks. Imagine yourself at a hippie gathering in the 60s. He has a house above Barton Springs, Austin's huge clear spring swimmin' hole. And it's a funky old house with psychedelic decor and a huge backyard with a fire pit, picnic tables, colored strings of lights, a big garden and a sauna with a nice deck around it. The vibe is loving and there are lots of hugs and eye contact. There are usually about 30-40 folks there, most of them in to dancing, yoga, organic foods / veggie lifestyle, or some kind of organic, live off the land mentality. There's this one lady, Patrice, who's kind of magnet. She's lithe and supple, and gives everyone hugs. She teaches free yoga classes that last for days, often out at the lake or on Patricia Dubose nature preserve. The next one's come and stay. For three days! Sometimes they're come and go. She's a total free spirit. I met a guy who came with Arati who's an independent film producer. One time before, Abra Moore (the singer) came, there is always at least one new and interesting face at a JimO potluck. Curtis A. Craven is his name with hecho a mano productions. He's the last person in the world without a website. ccraven418@aol.com. But he does have email. Someone blow his mind and send him an email and tell him you heard about him on the Spring. Lyndon got a lot of juice because it was his birthday. He's head of the local alternate money exchange, the Dillo. He's rich with Dillo Dollars. Kirsten is such a fine dancer. She's a fixture there. She's also a fine videographer and a mom. I talked to a lady, forget her name, who just bought 39 acres in Bastrop and is building a home there. (My other houses are in Bastrop county in Cedar Creek). She turned me on to a plumber who I have to look up in the Dillo Times. Maria was there. She looks like a "Farm Lady". I'll explain this sometime. She has what, five kids, and is/was the singer in Leighton and the Tendencies. Maia was there, looked like she was hanging with Lyndon. Is it Maya or Maia? Is it Lyndon or Lindon? Anyway she slept most of the night. A lot of these folks are enigmas, leading free and open lifestyles that are hard to contemplate in this age of the cellphone and hurry, hurry, hurry. There's a definite emphasis here on laid back and easy going. This gathering has a clear Austin of old feel to it. And then there's Douglas, but that's for later. And the lady in the children's play, what was her name . . .

What ... colourful! ... aquaintances you have, Terry! And yes, in South Africa, if you're invited to a barbecue, you bring your own meat - you grill it yourself as well! But sometimes people there have huge families - up to 10 kids; then they just bring along a slaughtered sheep or calf. That's why many recipies in the S.A. cookbook start with: 'Take one ox ...'

Hmh, and what is a potluck now? All I know is potlatch... which is no meal.

In Hawaii a potluck consists of dozens of main course dishes (all sorts of ethnicities in all of these categories), salads, noodles, loads of cooked sticky-rice (the only kind you can eat with chopsticks!) and a jillion desserts. Loads of red bug juice and yellow bug juice (our name for that "fruit punch concentrate that has never been near a fruit)... Everyone takes some of each of whatever looks good to them.

Did not make that very clear. Each person attending brings enough to serve them selves and several others and puts their offering on a large common table, according to category. Each person then takes enough for themselves from the collection of offerings.

That sounds great! What is potlatch? Is that where you bung all the food into a three-legged little pot and stick it on the fire? I love that! With meat and rice and meat.

I should let Alexander answer this, but I will just give a hint that in order to impress your neighboring tribe, you gather up everything everyone in your tribe owns (boats, yaks and all) and bestow them on the neighboring tribe. Thus sets off a viciousround of outdoing the last one until everyone but onw is broke.

You mean if I take the parrot from the little old lady from upstairs, and give it to the lady next to her, I might eventually end up running the law firm downstairs??

I think it only works within the tribal system of the Northwest USA and Canada and Alaska region...but you could try it and let us know if it worked!

Okay, I'll let you know!

Missed the Jim O'Brien potluck yesterday, durnit.