I have chosen to research and study the Hawaiian ethnicity and to widen my knowledge of the culture. I chose this topic because it is extremely interesting and differs from mine. Also, I have visited Hawaii in the past and plan to do so much more. I am planning on visiting Hawaii next summer. Also, my current field of study is nursing. My ultimate goal is to be a traveling nurse before eventually settling into one place that I call home. I would love to travel to and work in Hawaii for a period of time. I hope to learn more about the Hawaiian culture and discover some of the traditions and customs. Even though I visited Hawaii three years ago, I only got the chance to touch the surface of the Hawaiian culture. Because my knowledge is limited …show more content…
The Hula dance was invented before language was. Hula was a way to keep their history, mythology, and culture alive. During the dance there are chants and grunts that are voiced throughout that have specific meanings. There is a reason why every move, chant, and step is made. The Hula dance was a way for people to connect with nature, land, and their gods. There are two different types of Hula that exist. Hula Kahiko involves instruments including the ipu, which are different types of drums. Kahiko requires many hours of training, practice, and dedication. In addition to Kahiko, Hula Auana is another type of dance found in Hawaii. It involves modern instruments including the ukulele, guitar, bass, or piano. Luaus are also popular among the Hawaiian culture. A Luau is a type of Hawaiian feast that has music and performances throughout. A Luau is held to celebrate many different occasions including weddings, graduations, and …show more content…
There are eight main islands within Hawaii’s larger island. Each one consists of the same traditions throughout Hawaii. All main islands host events where they have a hula dance or a luau for different occasions and celebrations. There are several dishes that are common to the Hawaiian culture, but are unfamiliar to my culture. However, similar to my culture, people of Hawaii frequently get tattoos of things that are of great significance and that carry heavy meaning. Although there is a great deal of differences in the Hawaiian culture and in my culture, there are also some immense similarities. Overall, I have learned a much more than I had anticipated about the Hawaiian
Ii, John Papa., Mary Kawena Pukui, and Dorothy B. Barrère. Fragments of Hawaiian History. Honolulu: Bishop Museum, 1983. Print.
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
As every other culture, Hawaii has its own myths and stories. Holo Mai Pele tells the creation myth of Hawaii and this myth holds the same stature for Hawaiians as Genesis for Western (Christian) cultures and Ramayana for Hinduism. Holo Mai Pele is an epic saga of the Hawaiian god of volcano Pele, and her sister Hi'iaka. The major themes present in the story are sibling rivalry, love, conflict and creation. Simultaneously, it tells a story of an individual's journey to her self-awareness and reclaiming her status as a deity. The purpose of Holo Mai Pele is to keep the Hawaiian myth alive in order to pass it down to future generations. The poetic aspects of the play make it easier to remember and interesting to perform.
A small archipelago off the northwest coast of Britsh Columbia is known as the “islands of the people.” This island is diverse in both land and sea environment. From the 1700’s when the first ship sailed off its coast and a captain logged about the existence, slow attentiveness was given to the island. Its abundance, in both natural resources physical environment, and its allure in the concealed Haida peoples, beckoned settlers to come to the island. Settlers would spark an era of prosperity and catastrophe for the native and environmental populations.
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.
...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).
Hawaiians should have rights to their own land and not let foreigners disrupt their daily habits and life. If a foreigner takes allegiance to Hawai’i they not only have the accessibility of a citizen but also the perks that go with citizenship. Foreigners would be able to marry the women of Hawai’i while they have wives back home in their previous motherland. Foreigners that are aiding to Hawai’i can stay as aliens and be just as effective. There is no need for them to gain citizenship and take an oath of allegiance for their help. If a foreigner wants a piece a land all he needs to do is take an oath of allegiance and he is able to have a piece of land. If too many foreigners enter Hawai’i, their culture will take over. The majority will consist of the foreigners and their government will take over. Too many foreigners will cause much more damage to the native Hawaiian population. The number of full Hawaiians will decrease if foreigners continue to enter the island of Hawai’i.
Jovik, Sonia P. and James O. Jovik. (1997). “History.” Atlas of Hawaii. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, p.408.
In the 1960s-1970s the Hawaiian Renaissance and growth of the Hawaiian Sovereignty Movement began. During this time there were small, yet important events that sparked a completely new understanding for the Kanaka Maoli. In the past, being a Hawaiian was not something to be proud of; many did not even have much knowledge on what being a Hawaiian really was. As Hawai‘i became more colonialized and heavily influenced by various cultures, the quality of being a Hawaiian slowly but terrifyingly disintegrated. It seems that right after statehood there was a sense that a new era would come. This era known as the Hawaiian Renaissance encouraged many individuals to become more motivated and educated on the history of Hawai‘i. Especially for Kanaka Maoli, the Hawaiian Renaissance ignited a fire of revival and perpetuation for a culture that was nearly extinct. In many ways the Hawaiian Renaissance has been the defining moment because during this time sovereignty, protest, and revival were the key players in further strengthening Hawai‘i and hopefully moving it towards independence.
I chose to write my essay on these two cultures, because they are both native to their land, and they were both overthrown, for lack of a better word, from their homeland by more “Civilized” people. They were both thriving, self sufficient cultures that were living and progressing fine on their own. But others saw them as primitive and wanted to change them. This is what I think they have most in common.
Hawai'i is a land full of diverse people and ideas, starting from the Polynesians who decided to cross the ocean to settle and form the traditions practiced today by the Hawaiians. Unlike many other states, the beliefs of Hawai'i have managed to stay alive. Its unique culture is what attracts tourists most. Many people see it as a vacation spot, full of fun attractions and say, “When I go to Hawai'i I'm going to get some Hawaiian tattoos, they look so cool!” or “I'm going to buy a hula skirt, they're really pretty!” But all those hula dances and tattoos are not just for show. People do not know that there is more to it than ink or hip swaying; behind every hula skirt and every tattoo there is a story. Hawai’i’s culture consists of the significance of its dances, tattoos, and traditions that give Hawaiians their unique lifestyle.
Native Hawaiians have a low socioeconomic status compared to other ethnicities in Hawai’i. The consistency of low socioeconomic status means the Native Hawaiian population often has low education levels, low occupational prestige, the highest unemployment rates, lowest life expectancy, and often fall to the lowest quality of life scales (Rohrer, 2005, 86). Low education levels among Native Hawaiians is very important to their low socioeconomic status because education often leads to better jobs. Education also leads to higher occupational prestige. With Native Hawaiian’s low education level their representation in better paying jobs is often very low. The small amount of higher paying jobs among the Native Hawaiian population
The Hawaiian Monarchy was overthrown by the Committee of Safety, a group of American businessmen, in the year 1893 (The Overthrow of the Monarchy - Spirit of Aloha). The decline of the Hawaiian government had been going on for years before, starting in the late 1800s when the Americans took control of the sugar industry. Hawaiians began to rely on the U.S., mostly for profit, as sugar was Hawaii’s main export. The monarchy officially ended when Liliuokalani abdicated the throne on January 24, 1895. The overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom was unjust because it cemented the loss of Hawaiian independence and because the Queen was unwilling to sacrifice Hawaiian people, nothing could be done to stop it.
...Hawai`i’s economy is very dependent on tourism, however many locals are possessive of their land, and as they stereotype tourists, many do not accept others as they have a unity for their own. Numerous individuals feel the desideratum to fit the local stereotype because they prefer not to be labeled as a “haole”. It becomes tough and rather intense for an individual, because becoming haole betokens that you forgot and disregarded the local or Hawaiian quality values and ways of routes, as well as the flowing stream of life in the islands. We need to remind ourselves that regardless of where we emanate from, our skin tone, race, physical characteristics, and so forth, everybody ought to acknowledge just for who we/they are and treat one another like 'ohana and show "aloha", and subsequently, we can determinately verbally express "This is it. This is Paradise" (33).