How old is the tradition of holding a luau feast?

Feasts and celebrations in the Hawaiian culture date back to ancient times but the type of luaus today date back to 1819. When Kamehameha (the Kingdom of Hawaii’s first king) died his wife Kaahumanu and son Kamehameha II abolished the Kapu system of laws which forbid women eating with men. From this time on men and women feasted together. 1. Maui Luaus