[originaltext] Every part of the United States has special celebrations, dep

Every part of the United States has special celebrations, depending on the particular national groups that live in the area. In Hawaii, there are origins. Immigrants from China and Japan arrived in Hawaii in great numbers during the past century.The early Polynesians came to Hawaii from South Pacific islands more than a thousand years before any other people. The Asians left rich traditions for their younger generations to follow. Today, Hawaiians honor the memory of their ancestors with special feasts and festivals.Chinese-Hawaiians hold the Moon Festival to honor the memory of their ancestors and their native land. The Moon Festival occurs in August on the night of the full moon. Unlike the Japanese festival, the Chinese celebration is a simple family occasion. Family members gather in a garden or large open-air space in the light of the moon. They drink tea and feast on delicious moon-shaped cakes filled with meat or sweets, depending on family custom. If the family is from northern China, the cakes have meat in them. If the family comes from southern China, the cakes have sweet firings.The cakes, an important food on this occasion, represent an event in Chinese history. A long time ago, the people of China used round cakes in a special way they sent secret messages to each other in them. The messages gave instructions for the people of the north and south to join together to fight against the evil who ruled them at that time. The trick worked and the people were able to overthrow their ruler. By recalling this event in the Moon Festival, the Chinese people help to keep their native traditions alive and their family ties strong.