Pa'u Riding: What Is It?

What is Pāʻū Riding Today?

Today, pāʻū riding is celebrated through parade participation. On Oʻahu, parades like the Aloha Festivals Parade and the King Kamehameha Celebration Floral Parade showcase the tradition in full color.

Each parade features enough pāʻū units to represent the major Hawaiian islands. Units are identifiable by color and typically include a princess, her royal guards, and attendants. Preparing a pāʻū unit is a labor of love—months before parade day, members sew skirts, craft kahili (royal staffs for guards) and banners, and gather natural materials to make lei for both horses and riders.

A Brief History

Pāʻū riding is deeply rooted in Hawaiʻi’s history. When horses arrived in the islands, the Paniolo (Hawaiian cowboy) culture blossomed, and horses quickly became a popular means of transportation.

In ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language), the word pāʻū refers to a skirt. Traditional pāʻū were made of kapa—a cloth or blanket created from wauke or māmaki bark. Today, pāʻū skirts are more like the flowing skirts worn by hula dancers, but those used for horseback riding are longer and tied in a special way to allow for riding safely.

Originally, pāʻū were worn by royal women to protect their fine clothing during special rides or ceremonial occasions. This tradition dates back to the 1800s and later spread to common folk, becoming an enduring part of Hawaiian equestrian culture.

Image courtesy of PBA Galleries

Image courtesy of Lucy Bird’s “The Hawaiian Archipelago..."

'ena & the princess of o'ahu. hha archives. (king kamehameha day parade 2025)

la'ika & the o'ahu kahili bearer. hha archives. (king kamehameha day parade 2025)

Since 2021, our team at Hawaii Horsemanship Academy (HHA) has proudly participated in both Oʻahu pāʻū parades, carrying beautiful units in every color that represent multiple Hawaiian islands. Many of our lesson horses can even be spotted in parade photos, adorned in vibrant lei.

Preparing horses for parade day requires care and attention. Horses can be easily spooked, and bustling parades present unique safety challenges.

About the Parades

While pāʻū parades take place across the state, Oʻahu hosts two major celebrations:

The Aloha Festivals Parade acts as the grand finale of the largest Hawaiian cultural celebration in the nation. Often called the "Aloha Day Parade," it highlights pāʻū riding, colorful floral floats, Hawaiian marching bands, and hālau hula (groups of hula performers). Held each September, the parade runs from Ala Moana Beach Park through Kalākaua Avenue to Kapiʻolani Beach Park, drawing thousands of spectators to Waikīkī.

The King Kamehameha Celebration Floral Parade also features pāʻū riding, elaborate floral floats, marching bands,

That’s why our team works diligently to ensure every horse is parade-ready and every rider is confident, comfortable, and skilled.

What makes HHA’s program unique is that all unit members who have never ridden with us are required to take lessons before parade day. While this isn’t standard practice across the industry, we believe it’s essential for riders to develop strong horsemanship skills and confidence in their riding abilities. Most participants find the experience rewarding, and it helps ensure they shine as a team during the parade.

Once foundational riding skills are established, our lead pāʻū instructor, Kaleo Nakagawa, conducts specialized unit lessons and practices, helping riders perfect their pāʻū presentation. We are grateful for our partnership with Kaleo and look forward to continuing this tradition for years to come.

Take a look below at our horses, beautifully decked out in pāʻū skirts and lei, ready to celebrate Hawaiian culture and heritage.

How is Hawaii Horsemanship Academy Involved?

and hālau hula—but with a different focus. This parade, held each June, honors King Kamehameha I, the aliʻi who united the Hawaiian Islands. It begins at ʻIolani Palace, making it noticeably longer than the Aloha Festivals Parade, and fills Waikīkī with pageantry and aloha.

baebae & the princess of kaua'i. hha archives. (aloha festivals day parade 2022)