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The Hawaiian Islands are well known for their beauty, tranquility, and unique culture that have shaped this state into what we see today. The special bond that the natives have formed between themselves and nature is not exactly one of a kind, but it is something that can truly be admired. Around approximately 300 AD, Hawaii was discovered by Polynesians who arrived by canoe from Tahiti. These migrants brought their polytheistic spirituality and formed a large intricate society with hierarchies consisting of many chiefs. Alongside the ruling of the chiefs, the newborn Hawaiians followed a strict belief system known as Kapu akua otherwise known as the “law of the gods”. The Kapu was a strict set of rules and restraints that dictated all aspects of ancient Hawaiian life, including political. These rules were used as a means to control the lives of lower class and female population in order to honor their gods and maintain balance within their Mana.
Mana was spiritual energy infused in most people and things, including words. Chiefs were thought to have more mana than others; while a small group of people called kauw [untouchables] had none. The Kauw, were forced to live apart from everyone else, so their lack of mana wouldn't drain it away from others (Segisys). Instilling of the Kapu, just like the caste system in India, those who were at the bottom of the social ladder were not allowed to have any type of contact with the higher class, and even less with the chief’s. One Kapu law included punishment to those who would cast their shadow on a king/chief and even those who attempt to look at them directly in the eye. Other examples of these regulations included the forbiddance of men and women from eating together or ...
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...riffith, Joan Conrow, Pauline Frommer. Pauline Frommer's Ancient Hawaii. Hoboken: Wiley Publishing, 2006.
Destination: Hawaii. Perf. Patti Kim. National Geographic. 1996-2010.
Hart, Joyce. Hawai'i. Tarrytown: Marshall Canvendish Corporation, 1998.
Holman, Janet Susan. The Enlightenment and Captain James Cook : The Lono-Cook-Kirk-Regenesis. Bloomindale: AuthorHouse, 2008.
Horwitz, Tony. Blue Attitudes: Boldly Going Where Captain Cooke Has Gone Befoe. New York: Picador, 2002.
Oaks, Robert. Hawai'i: A History of the Big Island. Chicago: Tempus Publishing, 2003.
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Sonia P. Juvik, James O. Juvik. Atlas of Hawaii. 3rd Edition. Hilo: University of Hawai'i Press, 1998.
Thompson, Rob. "HISTORICAL SITES ." Christian church and heiau sustain damage 17 October 2006: 7C.
While sitting on the beach looking into the ocean, rubbing the sand and enjoying the beautiful weather at Cabana’s beach; in beautiful Hawaii on the west side of the island of Oahu is a blessing. Listening to “Hawaii 78” by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole at midday at three-thirty pm sparks a sense of uneasiness to a Native Hawaiian, Who are my ancestors? Who is Israel Kamakawiwo’ole? What is the land used for? Has Hawaii really changed, what is the difference between today and one hundred years ago? The importance of the logo “Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka Aina I Ka Pono O Hawaii” http://www.netstate.com/states/mottoes/hi_motto.htm
The Hawaiian culture is known throughout the western world for their extravagant luaus, beautiful islands, and a language that comes nowhere near being pronounceable to anyone but a Hawaiian. Whenever someone wants to “get away” their first thought is to sit on the beach in Hawai’i with a Mai tai in their hand and watch the sun go down. Haunani-Kay Trask is a native Hawaiian educated on the mainland because it was believed to provide a better education. She questioned the stories of her heritage she heard as a child when she began learning of her ancestors in books at school. Confused by which story was correct, she returned to Hawai’i and discovered that the books of the mainland schools had been all wrong and her heritage was correctly told through the language and teachings of her own people. With her use of pathos and connotative language, Trask does a fine job of defending her argument that the western world destroyed her vibrant Hawaiian culture.
Queen Ka’ahumanu was also his most powerful wife. When the King died on May 5, 1819, he left Ka'ahumanu a share of the governance over the islands. On the morning of Kamehameha I’s death, a few chiefs advised Ka’ahumanu to do away with the kapu system, but she thought it was too soon to act. The kapu system was the ancient Hawaiian set of laws and regulations that forbid many acts. Kapus were strictly enforced, and breaking one often led to immediate death. One of the main causes of the Hawaiians beginning to question the kapu system was seeing the foreigners break the kapus with no consequences. Ka’ahumanu had also secretly broken the kapu multiple times with no consequences. Two weeks following Kameha...
Niles, Patricia. “The Enlightenment.” Novaonline. Niles and C.T. Evans, 7 May 2011. Web. 13 Feb. 2012. .
Thurston, Lorrin A. “A hand-book on the annexation of Hawaii.” Foreign and Commonwealth Office Collection (1897).
Jovik, Sonia P. and James O. Jovik. (1997). “History.” Atlas of Hawaii. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, p.408.
Hawaii is a beautiful place once filled with kind native Hawaiians, who welcomed every foreigners into their islands and treated them with respect. However, the foreigners took advantaged of the Hawaiians and sought more power to control their government. On January 17, 1893, the white officials from the Hawaiian government, supported by the US Marines, surrounded the Iʻolani Palace and demanded that the Queen abdicate her throne. Fearful of the sight before her, the Queen ceded. The US government took over the Hawaiian kingdom and the rest is history. The US takeover of the Hawaiian Kingdom changed the social institution of economy of the islands primarily through the introduction of the tourism industry. The tourism industry became the main
David Kalakaua was born on the day of November 16, 1836 in the prosperous town of Honolulu, Hawaii. As a child, he attended the Royal School to receive an education. Subsequently, at the age of 16, Kalakaua served in the Hawaiian Government and became an impactful leader in a group called the “Young Hawaiians,” whose ambition was to bring back Hawaii’s long forgotten culture and arts (“The Merrie Monarch”). Shortly after the death of King Kamehameha
American Hawaii Hawaii is known for its beautiful beaches, it’s nice year-round weather, and its culture. Thousands of vacationers come to Hawaii each year to get away from the stressful city and relax. But do they know how cruel the Americans were to the natives? Do they know how we corrupted their culture and their religion? Do they know how Hawaii really became a state? Probably not. When most people think of Hawaii, they think of happy Hawaiian babes hula dancing and palm trees swaying in the warm breeze. Hawaii has still held on to many of their traditions although they were invaded by Americans. But you have to go to a museum to see their old way of life. Hawaii is now populated mostly by Americans. Native Hawaiians have adapted to our American lifestyle and much of their old traditions and beliefs are lost in history books. America dominated over the Hawaiians just as they did with the Native Americans. The Hawaiians didn’t even stand a chance against big brother. They probably feel the same way towards America just as a child does with stubborn parents. Now I will tell you about the history of Hawaii so you will see how the United States came to annex Hawaii. Hawaii was first inhabited by the Polynesians. They came in canoes from other islands around the pacific. They called the new found island "Hawaii", which means "home" in Polynesian language. Hawaii was their home until the white man came in and took advantage of these simple, happy aborigines. The corruption of this unique and fragile culture first started when Captain James Cook ran into the islands on January 18, 1778. After Cook’s discovery, many other foreigners (mostly American) visited the islands. They brought clothes, livestock, orange trees, horses weapons and souvigners. Foreigners also brought with them a handful of deadly diseases such as smallpox, measles, syphilis, tuberculosis, and whooping cough. During the time period of Cook’s arrival in 1778 to 1820, the population of Hawaii dropped from 300,000 to 135,000 due to the diseases! Another problem was the introduction of alcohol. Like the native americans, Hawaiians were not immune to alcohol. Hawaiian’s were very sensitive to alcoholism. Hawaiians religion was a very complex one with many gods. They worshiped idols and they belived in many f...
Traditions and history define cultures from one another. The traditional Polynesian voyaging methods were slowly ebbing away as technology advanced. Engine powered boats and GPS rendered canoes and celestial navigation impractical. These modern day impracticalities are part of the Hawaiian culture and were almost lost. The Hokule’a and its voyages saved an aspect of Hawaiian culture. The Hokule’a is a double-hulled sailing canoe that travels across the ocean using traditional navigation. The Hokule’a voyages preserve traditional seafaring and educate current generations about it. The Polynesian Voyaging Society’s mission evolved over time and the Hokule’a’s purpose advanced. In the beginning
what I believe made the Hawaiian Islands so successful for a long period of time. This system
The Polynesian peoples have a lifestyle quite different than that of any other culture, as living on an island requires a level of flexible adaptability in order to cope with such a different, sometimes difficult environment. We see the way diverse cultures build their lives around their circumstances and how they respect them in their cultural myths and stories. The Polynesian legends emphasize the physical environment that they live in. They are quite different than any other region in the world, but the beauty and individuality of the Polynesian culture is prominent as seen in their mythology.
Since the kalo plant was believed to have arisen from the prior born child, many Hawaiians thought of kalo to be even greater than man. In addition to the kalo plant’s reputation of creation, the kalo plant also had a relation to the concept of family. Cho also shares, “The Hawaiian concept of family, ‘ohana, is derived from the word ‘ohä, the axillary shoots of kalo that sprout from the main corm, the makua” (02). Hawaiians are all about traditions and by genetically modifying kalo, scientists and researchers are not only hurting the kalo plant, but also potentially endangering beliefs the kalo plant
...e" (Trask xix). This incident beautifully illustrates and signifies tourism's impact in American society. Like most Americans, this woman uses a discourse that has been shaped by tourist advertisements and souvenirs. The woman's statement implies that Trask resembles what the tourist industry projects, as if this image created Hawaiian culture. As Trask asserts, Hawaiian culture existed long before tourism and has been exploited by tourism in the form of advertisements and items such as postcards. Along with the violence, endangered environment, and poverty, this exploitation is what the tourist industry does not want to show. However, this is the Hawai'i Haunani-Kay Trask lives in everyday. "This is Hawai'i, once the most fragile and precious of sacred places, now transformed by the American behemoth into a dying land. Only a whispering spirit remains" (Trask 19).
No matter where you go in Hawaiʻi, the Hawaiian language, or ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, is sure to be found. Whether in expressions like “aloha” or “mahalo”, songs like our state anthem “Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī”, or in the names of the places we live, work and play, like “Kealakekua”, “Keālia” or “Waiākea”, Hawaiian is a part of our daily life. Today, you can watch Hawaiian-language programs on ʻŌiwi TV or hear ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi on radio stations like KAPA, KHBC or KWXX. And, with Hawaiian being an official language of the state of Hawaiʻi, and with the number of speakers and learners of ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi having increased tenfold between 2000 and 2010, it is imperative for the State of Hawaiʻi and the Department of Education to make the learning of Hawaiian language a requirement for all public school students.