Tom LaVenture The Garden Island HANALEI — For decades Auntie Louise Marston provided a bowl of Christmas Day soup and roll, courtesy of the Tahiti Nui restaurant and tavern in Hanalei. The free meals ended when Marston died in October
Tom LaVenture
The Garden Island
HANALEI — For decades Auntie Louise Marston provided a bowl of Christmas Day soup and roll, courtesy of the Tahiti Nui restaurant and tavern in Hanalei.
The free meals ended when Marston died in October 2003, but family members on Sunday revived the holiday tradition in her memory.
“We wanted to give back to the community and say thank you,” said her grandson Christian Marston Jr. “I am happy that a lot of people came.”
Many of the visitors were pleasantly surprised with his greeting: “I am sorry, the bar and the kitchen are closed today. However, we have free soup and a roll. No charge. Mahalo!”
The choices were Portuguese bean soup and Chuk, a popular Chinese-Hawaiian turkey soup with rice, ginger and cilantro. Each bowl of soup came with a dinner roll.
Marston family members said the event began when Auntie Louise welcomed extended family for Christmas at the restaurant each year. The family grew, and so did the number of friends and community until they just opened the doors to everyone.
A photo of Auntie Louise is featured prominently in the restaurant.
Her son Christian Marston Sr. now runs the restaurant.
The Tahiti Nui event lated until early afternoon, when the Marstons gathered the rest of the food to distribute to campers, homeless people and beachgoers at Ha‘ena Beach Park and Anini Beach.
The event is associated with “hanai”, meaning adopted family, according to the restaurant’s website.
∫ Tom LaVenture, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or tlaventure@ thegardenisland.com.
