Situated in the Pacific Ocean, Hawaii is a state in the US.Honolulu, on the island of Oahu, is the Hawaiian capital. Nearly the entirety of the Hawaiian archipelago remains crowned by the state of Hawaii.The world recognizes Hawaii to be a nirvana unrivaled. The Hawaiian state is even nicknamed the Aloha state, ‘Aloha’ conveying several meanings in the Hawaiian language, ‘hello’ is the most popular translation used all around. It is the only state in the US to have two official languages, English and Hawaiian. The fact that the Hawaiian alphabet is made of only 12 letters makes the Hawaiian language strangely alluring to unriddle. Also known as the ‘Paradise of the Pacific’, this beautiful land is no less than a realm of wonder, for it has the breeziest of beaches, golden sunsets, and the best surfing. Hawaii, or ‘Big Island’ as it is referred to, is not just the only state in the tropics, but it is also the only state in the US wholly made up of islands, and these Hawaiian islands form the world’s largest island chain. Hawaii’s islands were all consequences of volcanic activity in the ‘hot spot’ of this territory. Some of the major islands in the Hawaiian Island chain include the Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Kauai, and Hawaii island itself. Maunakea is Hawaii’s highest volcanic peak rising over 4,000 meters above sea level, standing mighty in the north-central portion of Hawaii Island.Another majestically unique feature about the Aloha state is that it is the only state in all of the US to have a true royal residence, the Iolani Palace, dating back to the days of the Hawaiian Monarchy that ruled this kingdom once upon a time. The Hawaiian Islands are rich in natural resources, one of these resources is the fruity soil found blanketing every island, birthing flowers of a kind beyond compare. Hawaii’s soil is a great contributor to the state’s income, for it cultivates coffee, sugarcane, nuts, and crops alike that constitute an important source of revenue. Hawaii is also rich in pineapples, so much so that another one of its nicknames is the ‘Pineapple state’.The arrival of Captain Cook, the first-ever explorer from Europe, on the shores of Kauai changed the face of Hawaii’s population. Diseases like smallpox and influenza, unfortunately, led to the death of much of the population in Hawaii. Pearl Harbor in Oahu, located west of Honolulu, the capital city of Hawaii, is penned down in history as a significant event that forever marked the pages of World War II. A Japanese attack on the US naval base was reciprocated with a harder hit. Today, too, Pearl Harbor remains a military base in Hawaii, active and equipped.Hawaii is a wonderland of splendid islands, warm beaches, serene nature, and vivid cultures!If you enjoyed this article, also read about Hawaiian symbols and Hawaiian island facts.Traditions And CustomsHawaii is a world on its own with its many uniquely beautiful traditions and customs.A lei is a wreath put together with flowers, these could either be made of carnations, or blossoms of jasmine and ginger, and even of orchids. It is a garland that is presented by a Hawaiian to another person as a sort of gift meant to convey several meanings. Presenting of a lei is regarded as a gesture signifying welcoming greetings, friendship, or even love and respect. A tradition passed down by native Hawaiians, the lei has become a broader custom for it is a common and popular practice to honor visitors with this gift upon their arrival or departure, expressing love, peace, or friendship, generally conveying all emotions happy. It is also out of respect that the people of Hawaii believe in taking off these flowery wreaths in solitary instead of in front of the person who presented it. A Lei should never be carelessly discarded, it should be hung as decoration to give back to the earth, or it must be burnt or buried in it.The world is no stranger to the ‘Hula’ dance from Hawaii, a tradition of the Polynesian culture. The Hula is a graceful dance with easy movements involving the swaying of hips and waving of arms. Hula suggests a picture of men and women wearing skirts of grass, the latter group also dressed in vibrant colors, along with garlands of flowers. In the beginning, only men would perform the dance, presently, however, women participate in the Hula in a larger majority than men. This dance originated as a form of storytelling, conveying tales from Hawaii’s ancient history. The Hula is either cherished at a relaxed tempo or enjoyed at an energetic pace.Hawaiian BeliefsHawaii has always been a spectrum of beliefs that highlights its rarity.It is said that every natural speck that belongs to the land of Hawaii must not be detached from its home, for it will bring upon dark times for those who take it to an alien place. Therefore, not only is taking a natural resource from Hawaii illegal but it is advised to not fidget with the natural order, for it will anger the fiercest Goddess of all. The people of Hawaii believe in the Goddess of fire, Pele, who is also said to be the Goddess of volcanoes. It is believed that Pele resides in the Halemaumau Crater stationed at the summit of a volcano named Kilauea. The volcano of Kilauea rests within the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Taking even the smallest of lava rock from this land will anger Pele, and consequently, the taker will be shunned by a curse so powerful that as soon as they leave Hawaii to return home with their new treasure, a grey cloud of all things unfortunate will accompany them. The curse is broken only when the rock is returned to its home, back to where Pele resides. Over the years, Hawaii has received several packages returning its lava rocks, proving the weight of this legend.The people of Hawaii trust rain and rainbows to be a blessing from the Gods and Goddesses above. Rainbows even signify a bridge between the earth and heaven, making one wonder if the mysteries of Hawaii could get any more fascinating. Another belief, one that is quite superstitious but is believed to be true on the Hawaiian Islands, is to never give pregnant women a closed lei. A woman wearing a closed lei indicates the umbilical cord knotted around the baby’s throat, thereby bringing bad luck. Thus, it is only right to present a pregnant woman with an open lei. It is also believed to be appropriate mannerism to take off one’s footwear before visiting somebody’s home, and not to go empty-handed either.Hawaiian Folklore And MythologyHawaii, the ‘Big Island’, is a magical place put together with specks of its own. It is more than just beautiful beaches, skillful surfing, and golden sunsets. The many mystic legends penned in the history of Hawaii stand solid proof.Hawaii is a realm of gods and goddesses, and Hawaiian history pens down quite a few of these folklores and mythical figures. The Goddess of fire, Pele, is one of these ancient legends passed down through the centuries that the Hawaiians strongly have faith in. Pele is believed to be fierce, her temperament blazing like the fire she commands, with a very powerful nature. She is worshipped for creating the islands of Hawaii, for she is also the commander of the volcanoes, and volcanic activity is what formed the islands of this state. One of the many stories about the Goddess of fire depicts her expulsion from Tahiti, her home, by her father for her volatile temper. Pele’s temperament is well known and feared by all of Hawaii. The several tales of her matchless passion, the many battles with her siblings, every legend painting the Goddess of fire for her powerful persona canvasses the Hawaiian beliefs rather greatly. Pele is even associated with volcanic happenings, Hawaiians believe that every time a volcano erupts, it is because Pele longs for her true love, she even leaves behind traces of magmatic tears that are believed to be the little lava rocks, the long strands of her hair are conveyed by the trails of hardened lava surrounding the volcanoes.In the religion of Hawaii, Maui is a cultural hero who is depicted distinctly in a range of different stories. It is believed that Maui is the creator of Hawaii, there is an interesting tale behind it. It was on a fishing trip with his brothers, sons of a divine pair, that Maui had used an enchanted fishhook made with the bones of his divine ancestors. The unusual hook had caught something much bigger than all the fishes that Maui had challenged his brothers he could catch, and it was the many islands that stand together today to be known as Hawaii. It is believed that if it were not for one of his brothers disobeying him by not paddling further away from the tidal waves and looking back, many more islands would have emerged from the ocean. Another one of the many stories of this culture hero is the one where he is said to have brought the sun to its regular tempo. Before Maui had tamed it, the sun moved on an unsteady path, not promising its coming and going. Using his hair to fabricate snares, Maui tackled the sun before compelling it to travel at a regular pace that is known to mankind today, resolving the matter for all of humanity with his power.Influences On Hawaiian CultureHawaii’s culture is a unique blend of several other cultures, using fragments of these to piece together its own.Hawaii derives largely from western cultures, but the most dominant of its influences will always remain the Polynesian culture. History records Polynesian settlers to have been the first humans inhabiting the islands of Hawaii. Hawaiian cuisine adopts largely not just from natives of Hawaii and Polynesia, but from cuisines of Korean, Chinese, Portuguese, American, Filipino, and Puerto Rican descent. Identical to Filipino weddings, it is mandatory in Hawaii for couples to do the Pandanggo, a money dance. Hawaiian mythology is greatly linked with Polynesian mythology. Literature in Hawaii is variant, it is not restricted to mirroring similarities, and is characterized and appreciated for its diversity. Thus, Hawaiian culture is a unique blend of cultures just as rare, enhancing all that is captivating about it.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for Hawaiian culture facts then why not take a look at our article on facts about Hawaiian state flower, or the article on facts about Hawaiian history.
Situated in the Pacific Ocean, Hawaii is a state in the US.
