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Hawaii, United States
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The State of Hawaii ( or ; Hawaiian: Mokuāina o Hawaii) is one of the United States, located on an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of Australia. The state was admitted to the Union on August 21, 1959, making it the 50th state. Its capital is located in its major city, Honolulu on the island of Oahu. The most recent census puts the state's population at 1,211,537.
This state encompasses nearly the entirety of the volcanic Hawaiian Island chain, which is made up of hundreds of islands spread over 1,500 miles (2,400 km). At the southeastern end of the archipelago, the eight "main islands" are (from the northwest to southeast) Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lānai, Kahoolawe, Maui, and Hawaii. The last is by far the largest, and is often called the "Big Island" or "Big Isle" to avoid confusion with the state. This archipelago is physiographically and ethnologically part of the Polynesian subregion of Oceania.
This state encompasses nearly the entirety of the volcanic Hawaiian Island chain, which is made up of hundreds of islands spread over 1,500 miles (2,400 km). At the southeastern end of the archipelago, the eight "main islands" are (from the northwest to southeast) Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lānai, Kahoolawe, Maui, and Hawaii. The last is by far the largest, and is often called the "Big Island" or "Big Isle" to avoid confusion with the state. This archipelago is physiographically and ethnologically part of the Polynesian subregion of Oceania.
In standard American English, Hawaii is generally . In the Hawaiian language, it is generally or . Some residents of Hawaii use the Hawaiian pronunciation (with the glottal stop) in their English.
GeographyLocation, topography, and geologyAn archipelago situated some 3,200 kilometres (approx. 2000 miles) southwest of the North American mainland, Hawaii is the southernmost state of the United States and the second westernmost state after Alaska. Only Hawaii and Alaska are outside the contiguous United States and do not share a border with any other U.S. state.
Hawaii is the only state of the United States that
is not located in North Americais separated from the mainland by wateris completely surrounded by waterdoes not have a straight line in its State boundarycontinuously grows in area (due to currently active lava flows, most notably from Kilauea (Kīlauea).)
Hawaii's tallest mountain, Mauna Kea stands at 13,796 feet (4,205 m) and is taller than Mount Everest if followed to the base of the mountain - on the floor of the Pacific Ocean.
All of the Hawaiian islands were formed by volcanos erupting from the sea floor from a magma source described in geological theory as a hotspot. The theory maintains that as the tectonic plate beneath much of the Pacific Ocean moves in a northwesterly direction, the hot spot remains stationary, slowly creating new volcanoes. This explains why only volcanoes on the southern half of the Big Island, and the Loihi Seamount (Lōihi) deep below the waters off its southern coast, are presently active, with Loihi being the newest volcano to form.
The last volcanic eruption outside the Big Island happened at Haleakala (Haleakalā) on Maui in the late 18th century (though recent research suggests that Haleakala's most recent eruptive activity could be hundreds of years older).
The volcanic activity and subsequent erosion created impressive geological features. The Big Island is notable as the world’s fifth highest island.
Because of the islands' volcanic formation, native life before human activity is said to have arrived by the "3 W's": wind (carried through the air), waves (brought by ocean currents), and wings (birds, insects, and whatever they brought with them). The isolation of the Hawaiian Islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and the wide range of environments to be found on high islands located in and near the tropic, has resulted in a vast array of endemic flora and fauna. Hawaii has more endangered species per square mile and has lost a higher percent of its endemic species than anywhere else on Earth.
Areas under the control and protection of the National Park Service include:
Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail on the Big IslandHaleakala National Park in KulaHawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big IslandKalaupapa National Historical Park in KalaupapaKaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park in Kailua-KonaPu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park (Puuhonua o Hōnaunau) in HonaunauPuukohola Heiau National Historic Site (Puukoholā) in KawaihaeUSS Arizona Memorial at Honolulu
ClimateThe climate of Hawaii is typical for a tropical area, although temperatures and humidity tend to be a bit less extreme than other tropical locales due to the constant trade winds blowing from the east. Summer highs are usually in the upper 80s°F, (around 31°C) during the day and mid 70s, (around 24 °C) at night. Winter temperatures during the day are usually in the low to mid 80s, (around 28 °C) and (at low elevation) seldom dipping below the mid 60s (18 °C) at night. Snow, although not usually associated with tropics, falls at the higher elevations of Mauna Kea (13,796 feet/ 4,205 meters) and Mauna Loa on the Big Island in some winter months. Snow only rarely falls on Maui's Haleakala. Mount Waiʻaleʻale (Waialeale), on the island of Kauai, is notable for rainfall, as it has the second highest average annual rainfall on Earth, about 460 inches (38 ft. 4 in., or 11.7 m). Most of Hawaii has only two seasons. Summer is the first which is from May to October, and Winter is from October to April.
Local climates vary considerably on each island, grossly divisible into windward (Koolau) and leeward (Kona) areas based upon location relative to the higher mountains. Windward sides face the Northeast Trades and receive much more rainfall; leeward sides are drier and sunnier, with less rain and less cloud cover. This fact is utilized by the tourist industry, which concentrates resorts on sunny leeward coasts.
kona low
Hurricanes are a rare occurrence in Hawaii, although it is probable that all the islands of Hawaii have been hit by a hurricane in the past. The worst hurricane to hit Hawaii was Hurricane Iniki (Iniki) in 1992, which showed that Hawaii was indeed vulnerable to a direct hit from a hurricane.
Important townsThe movement of the Hawaiian royal family from the island of Hawaii to Maui, and subsequently to Oahu, explains why certain population centers exist where they do today. The largest city, Honolulu, was the one chosen by Kamehameha III as the capital of his kingdom because of the natural harbor there, the present-day Honolulu Harbor.
Now the state capital, Honolulu is located along the southeast coast of Oahu. The previous capital was Lahaina, Maui. Some major towns are Hilo, Kāne'ohe (Kāneohe), Kailua, Pearl City, Waipahu, Kahului, Kailua-Kona, Kihei (Kīhei), and Lihue (Līhue).
Notable featuresThe Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument was proclaimed by President George W. Bush on June 15, 2006, under the 1906 Antiquities Act. The monument covers roughly 140,000 square miles (360,000 km²) of reefs, atolls and shallow and deep sea (out to offshore) in the Pacific Ocean, larger than all of America’s National Parks combined.
HistoryThe earliest habitation supported by archaeological evidence dates to the 4th century, probably by Polynesian settlers from the Marquesas, followed by a second wave of migration from Raiatea and Bora Bora in the 11th century. The first recorded European contact with the islands was in 1778 by British explorer James Cook. Substantial evidence (Stokes 1932 for example) exists, however, of earlier Spanish, and possibly Irish, visits to Hawaii. Hawaii is one of three U.S. States that were independent nations prior to joining the United States - Vermont Republic, 1791; or being annexed by it - Republic of Texas, 1845; and Hawai`i. Of these, Hawai`i and Texas were the only ones with formal international diplomatic recognition. The Kingdom of Hawaii existed from 1810 until 1893 when the monarchy was overthrown. It was an independent republic under American rule from 1894 until 1898. It was annexed by the United States in 1898, became a territory in 1900, and has been a state since 1959.
Hawaiian antiquityAnthropologists believe that Polynesians from the Marquesas and possibly the Society Islands first populated the Hawaiian Islands at some time between 300 and 500 AD. There is a great deal of dispute regarding these dates.
Archaeologists and historians also differ as to whether there were one or two waves of colonization. It is believed by some authors that there had been an early settlement from the Marquesas and a later wave of immigrants from Tahiti, circa 1000, who were said to have introduced a new line of high chiefs, the introduction of the Kapu system, the practice of human sacrifice and the onset of building of Hieau's. This later immigration is detailed in folk tales about Paao (Pāʻao). Other authors, however, have argued that there is no archaeological or linguistic evidence whatsoever for a later influx of Tahitian settlers and that Paao must be regarded as a myth. Since there are still many supporters of the Paao narrative, this topic is still hotly disputed.
Leaving aside the question of Paao and the history of the Royal Hawaiian lineage, historians agree that the history of the islands was marked by a slow but steady growth in population and the size of chiefdoms, which grew to encompass whole islands. Local chiefs, called aliis (aliʻi), ruled their settlements and fought to extend their sway and defend their communities from predatory rivals. This was conducted in a system of aliis of various ranks somewhat similar to Feudalism.
European contact The 1778 arrival of British explorer James Cook is usually taken to be Hawaii’s first contact with European explorers. Cook plotted and published the geographical coordinates of the Hawaiian Islands, so that they could be found again. Cook named his discovery the Sandwich Islands in honor of one of his sponsors, John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, and reported the native name as Owyhee.
Cook visited the Hawaiian islands twice. During his second visit - in 1779 - he attempted to abduct a Hawaiian chief and hold him as ransom for return of a ship’s boat that was stolen by a different minor chief; the chief’s supporters fought back, and Cook was killed.
After Cook’s visit and the publication of several books relating his voyages, the Hawaiian islands received many European visitors: explorers, traders, and eventually whalers who found the islands a convenient harbor and source of fresh food. Early British influence can still be seen from the design of the local Flag of Hawaii which has the British Union Flag in the corner. Visitors introduced diseases to the formerly isolated islands, and the Hawaiian population plunged precipitously. American missionaries arrived in 1820 and eventually converted the chiefs and the remaining population to Protestant Christianity.
Hawaiian kingdomDuring the 1780s and 1790s the chiefs were constantly fighting for power. After a series of battles that ended in 1795 and forced cession of the island of Kauai in 1810, all of the inhabited islands were subjugated under a single ruler who would become known as King Kamehameha the Great. He established the House of Kamehameha, a dynasty that ruled over the kingdom until 1872.
The death of the bachelor King Kamehameha V - who did not name an heir - resulted in the popular election of Lunalilo over Kalakaua (Kalākaua). After Lunalilo’s death, in a hotly contested and allegedly fraudulent election by the legislature in 1874 between Kalakaua and Emma (which led to riots and the landing of U.S. and British troops to keep the peace), governance was passed on to the House of Kalākaua.
In 1887, under the influence of Walter M. Gibson, a group of primarily American and European businessmen, including kingdom subjects and members of the Hawaiian government forced Kalākaua to sign the derisively nicknamed "Bayonet Constitution" which stripped the king of administrative authority, eliminated voting rights for Asians and set minimum income and property requirements for American, European and native Hawaiian voters, essentially limiting the electorate to wealthy elite Americans, Europeans and native Hawaiians. King Kalakaua reigned until his death in 1891. His sister, Liliuokalani (Liliuokalani), succeeded him to the throne and ruled until her overthrow in 1893.
Overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy In 1893, Queen Liliuokalani announced plans to establish a new constitution that would have replaced the so-called "Bayonet Constitution" that was established during the reign of King Kalakaua by American and European residents under threat of violence. The new constitution would have restored much power to the monarchy, but this was opposed by (mainly foreign) business elites. On January 14, 1893, a group of American and Europeans formed a Committee of Safety in opposition to the Queen, and seized control of government. United States Government Minister John L. Stevens, responding to a request from the Committee of Safety expressing concern about possible violence directed against American citizens, summoned a company of uniformed U.S. Marines to come ashore to enforce neutrality. As one historian noted, the presence of these troops effectively made it impossible for the monarchy to protect itself.
The overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani was successful and the monarchy ended in January 1893. It was replaced by a Provisional Government composed of members of the Committee of Safety. There was much controversy in the following years as the queen tried to regain her throne. The administration of President Grover Cleveland commissioned the Blount Report, which concluded that the overthrow of Liliuokalani was illegal. The U.S. Government first demanded that Queen Liliuokalani be reinstated, but the Provisional Government refused. Congress responded to Cleveland's referral with another investigation, and submitted the Morgan Report by the U.S. Senate on February 26, 1894, which found all parties (including Minister Stevens) with the exception of the queen "not guilty" from any responsibility for the overthrow. The accuracy and impartiality of both the Blount and Morgan reports has been questioned by partisans on both sides of the historical debate over the events of 1893.
In 1993, a joint Apology Resolution regarding the overthrow was passed by Congress and signed by President Clinton, apologizing for the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
Republic of HawaiiThe Republic of Hawaii was the formal name of Hawaii from 1894 to 1898 when it was run as a republic. The republic period occurred between the administration of the Provisional Government of Hawaii which ended on July 4, 1894 and the adoption of the Newlands Resolution in Congress in which the Republic was annexed to the United States and became the Territory of Hawaii on July 7, 1898.
U.S. TerritoryWhen William McKinley won the presidential election in November of 1896, the question of Hawaii’s annexation to the U.S. was again opened. The previous president, Grover Cleveland, was a friend of Queen Liliuokalani. He had remained opposed to annexation until the end of his term, but McKinley was open to persuasion by U.S. expansionists and by annexationists from Hawaii. He agreed to meet with a committee of annexationists from Hawaii, Lorrin Thurston, Francis Hatch and William Kinney. After negotiations, in June of 1897, McKinley agreed to a treaty of annexation with these representatives of the Republic of Hawaii. The president then submitted the treaty to the U.S. Senate for approval.
Despite some opposition in the islands, the Newlands Resolution was passed by the House June 15, 1898, by a vote of 209 to 91, and by the Senate on July 6, 1898, by a vote of 42 to 21, annexing Hawaii as a U.S. territory. Its legality continues to be questioned because it was a United States Government resolution, not a treaty of cession or conquest as is required by international law. Both houses of the American Congress carried the measure with two-thirds majorities.
In 1900, Hawaii was granted self-governance and retained ʻIolani Palace as the territorial capitol building. Though several attempts were made to achieve statehood, Hawaii remained a territory for sixty years. Plantation owners, such as the Big Five, found territorial status convenient, enabling them to continue importing cheap foreign labor; such immigration was prohibited in various states of the U.S.
The power of the plantation owners was finally broken by activist descendants of original immigrant laborers. Because they were born in a U.S. territory, they were legal U.S. citizens. Expecting to gain full voting rights, they actively campaigned for statehood for the Hawaiian Islands.
U.S. StatehoodIn March 1959, both houses of Congress passed the Hawaii Admission Act and U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed it into law. (The act excluded Palmyra Atoll, part of the Kingdom and Territory of Hawaii, from the new state.) On June 27 of that year, a referendum was held asking residents of Hawaii to vote on accepting the statehood bill. Hawaii voted at a ratio of 17 to 1 to accept. There has been criticism, however, of the Statehood plebiscite, because the only choices were to accept the Act or to remain a territory, without addressing the issues of legality surrounding the overthrow. Despite the criticism, the United Nations decolonization committee later removed Hawaii from the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories.
After statehood, Hawaii quickly became a modern state with a construction boom and rapidly growing economy. The Hawaii Republican Party, which was strongly supported by the plantation owners, was voted out of office. In its place, the Democratic Party of Hawaii dominated state politics for forty years.
In recent decades, the state government has implemented programs to promote Hawaiian culture. The Hawaii State Constitutional Convention of 1978 incorporated as state constitutional law specific programs such as the creation of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to promote the indigenous Hawaiian language and culture.
EducationHawaii is currently the only state in the union with a unified school system statewide. Policy decisions are made by the fourteen-member state Board of Education, with thirteen members elected for four-year terms and one non-voting student member. The Board of Education sets statewide educational policy and hires the state superintendent of schools, who oversees the operations of the state Department of Education. The Department of Education is also divided into seven districts, four on Oahu and one for each of the other counties.
The structure of the state Department of Education has been a subject of discussion and controversy in recent years. The main rationale for the current centralized model is equity in school funding and distribution of resources: leveling out inequalities that would exist between highly populated Oahu and the more rural Neighbor Islands, and between lower-income and more affluent areas of the state. This system of school funding differs from many localities in the United States where schools are funded from local property taxes.
Policy initiatives have been made in recent years toward decentralization. Current Republican Governor Linda Lingle is a proponent of replacing the current statewide board with seven elected district boards. The Democratic-controlled state legislature opposed her proposal, instead favoring expansion of decision-making power to the schools and giving schools more discretion over budgeting. Political debate on structural reform is likely to continue for the foreseeable future.
Schools and academiesAs stated above, the Hawaii State Department of Education operates all of the public schools in the State of Hawaii.
Hawaii has the distinction of educating more students in independent institutions of secondary education than any other state in the United States. It also has four of the largest independent schools: Iolani School, Kamehameha Schools, Mid-Pacific Institute, and Punahou School, Saint Louis High School, and Maryknoll School. The second Buddhist high school in the United States, and first Buddhist high school in Hawaii, Pacific Buddhist Academy, was founded in 2003. (The first Buddhist high school in the United States was Developing Virtue Secondary School founded in 1981 in Ukiah, California.)
Both independent and charter schools can select their students, while the regular public schools must take all students in their district. For a comprehensive list of independent schools, see the . For a comprehensive list of public schools, see the .
The Kamehameha Schools, are especially notable for being (a) the only schools in the United States that openly grant admission to students based on ancestry, and (b) the wealthiest schools in the United States, if not the world, having the support of over six billion US dollars in estate assets.
Colleges and universitiesGraduates of institutions of secondary learning in Hawaii often either enter directly into the work force or attend colleges and universities. While many choose to attend colleges and universities on the mainland or elsewhere, most choose to attend one of many institutions of higher learning in Hawaii.
The largest of these institutions is the University of Hawaii System. It consists of: (1) the flagship research university at Manoa (Mānoa); (2) two comprehensive campuses Hilo and West Oahu; and (7) seven Community Colleges. Students choosing private education attend Brigham Young University Hawaii, Chaminade University of Honolulu, Hawaii Pacific University, or University of the Nations.
The Saint Stephen Diocesan Center is a seminary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu. For a comprehensive list of colleges and universities, see the .
ProblemsIt has been challenging for educators to learn what constitutes effective instruction for the large populations of children of non-native English-speaking immigrants, whose cultures are often different in many ways from that of the mainland U.S., whence most of the course materials come, and where most of the standards for schools are set.
The public elementary, middle, and high school scores in Hawaii tend to be below average on national tests as mandated under the No Child Left Behind Act. Some of this can be attributed to the Hawaii State Board of Education requiring all eligible students to take these tests and reporting all student test scores unlike, for example, Texas and Michigan. Results reported in August 2005 indicate that two-thirds of Hawaii’s schools failed to reach federal minimum performance standards in math and reading (of 282 schools across the state, 185 failed).
On the other hand, results of the ACT college placement tests show that Hawaii class of 2005 seniors scored slightly above the national average (21.9 compared with 20.9) (Honolulu Advertiser, Aug. 17, 2005, p. B1). It should be noted that fewer students take the ACT examination than take the more widely accepted SAT examination. On the SAT, Hawaii’s college bound seniors tend to score below the national average in all categories except math.
Law and governmentThe state government of Hawaii is modeled after the federal government with adaptations originating from the kingdom era of Hawaiian history. As codified in the Constitution of Hawaii, there are three branches of government: executive, legislative and judicial.
The executive branch is led by the Governor of Hawaii and assisted by the Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii, both elected on the same ticket. The governor, in residence at the grounds of Washington Place, is the only public official elected for the state government in a statewide race; all other administrators and judges are appointed by the governor. The lieutenant governor is concurrently the Secretary of State of Hawaii. Both the governor and lieutenant governor administer their duties from the Hawaii State Capitol. The governor and lieutenant governor oversee the major agencies and departments of the executive of which there are twenty.
The legislative branch consists of the Hawaii Legislature - the twenty-five members of the Hawaii Senate led by the President of the Senate and the fifty-one members of the Hawaii House of Representatives led by the Speaker of the House. They also govern from the Hawaii State Capitol. The judicial branch is led by the highest state court, the Hawaii State Supreme Court, which uses Aliiolani Hale (Aliiōlani Hale) as its chambers. Lower courts are organized as the Hawai'i State Judiciary.
The state is represented in the United States Congress by a delegation of four members. They are the senior and junior United States Senators, the representative of Hawaii's 1st congressional district and the representative of Hawaii's 2nd congressional district. Many Hawaii residents have been appointed to administer other agencies and departments of the federal government by the President of the United States. All federal officers of Hawaii administer their duties locally from the Prince Kuhio Federal Building (Kūhiō) near the Aloha Tower and Honolulu Harbor.
Hawaii has supported Democrats in 10 of the 12 presidential elections in which it has participated. In 2004, John Kerry won the state’s 4 electoral votes by a margin of 9 percentage points with 54% of the vote. Every county in the state supported the Democratic candidate.
The Prince Kuhio Federal Building also houses agencies of the federal government such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service and the United States Secret Service. The building is the site of the federal courts and the offices of the United States Attorney for the District of Hawaii, principal police officer of the United States Department of Justice in the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii.
Unique to Hawaii is the way it has organized its municipal governments. There are no incorporated cities in Hawaii except Honolulu County. All other municipal governments are administered at the county level. The county executives are the Mayor of Hawaii, Mayor of Honolulu, Mayor of Kauai and Mayor of Maui. All mayors in the state are elected in nonpartisan races.
The officers of the federal and state governments have been historically elected from the Democratic Party of Hawaii and the Hawaii Republican Party. Municipal charters in the state have declared all mayors to be elected in nonpartisan races.
Miscellaneous topicsEtymologyThe Hawaiian language word Hawaii derives from Proto-Polynesian Sawaiki, with the reconstructed meaning "homeland"; cognate words are found in other Polynesian languages, including Māori (Hawaiki), Rarotongan (Avaiki), and Samoan (Savaii). (See also Hawaiki).
According to Pukui and Elbert (1986:62) "Elsewhere in Polynesia, Hawaii or a cognate is the name of the underworld or of the ancestral home, but in Hawaii the name has no meaning; see Pukui, Elbert, and Mookini, 1974." (emphasis added)
MediaNewspapersTwo major competing Honolulu-based newspapers serve all of Hawaii. The Honolulu Advertiser is owned by Gannett Pacific Corporation while the Honolulu Star-Bulletin is owned by Black Press of British Columbia in Canada. Other locally published newspapers are available to residents of the various islands.
The Hawaii business community is served by the Pacific Business News and Hawaii Business Magazine. The largest religious community in Hawaii is served by the Hawaii Catholic Herald. Honolulu Magazine is a popular magazine that offers local interest news and feature articles.
Founded in 2002, the online daily newspaper Hawaii Reporter has become a significant resource to residents and mainlanders that specifically offers non-advertiser based, investigative reporting on local and state government and businesses.
Apart from the mainstream press, the state also enjoys a vibrant ethnic publication presence with newspapers for the Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean and Native Hawaiian communities. In addition, there is an alternative weekly, the Honolulu Weekly.
TelevisionAll of the major American broadcast television networks are represented in Hawaii through KHON-TV (Fox, The CW on DT2), KITV (ABC), KFVE (MyNetworkTV), KGMB (CBS), KHET (PBS), KHNL (NBC), and KPXO (ION Television), among others. Two independent stations, KIKU-TV and KBFD, specialize in multi-cultural programs serving Asian audiences. From Honolulu, programming at these stations can be seen on the various other islands via networks of satellite transmitters and through Oceanic Time Warner Cable. Until the advent of satellite, most network programming was broadcast a week behind mainland scheduling.
Unlike most major television stations in most (if not all) other areas of the United States, none of the major network affiliates in Honolulu air an afternoon newscast. This allows the networks' daytime programming to be aired without preemption.
The various production companies that work with the major networks have produced television series and other projects in Hawaii. Most notable were police dramas like Magnum P.I. and Hawaii Five-O. Currently, hit TV shows Lost and Dog the Bounty Hunter are filmed in the Hawaiian Islands. A comprehensive list of such projects can be seen at the list of Hawaii television series.
FilmHawaii has a growing film industry administered by the state through the Hawaii Film Office. Several television shows, movies, and various other media projects were produced in the Hawaiian Islands, taking advantage of the natural scenic landscapes as backdrops. Notable films produced in Hawaii or inspired by Hawaii include Hawaii, Blue Hawaii, Donovan's Reef, From Here to Eternity, In Harm's Way, South Pacific, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jurassic Park, Picture Bride, Lani Loa, Outbreak, Waterworld, Six Days Seven Nights, George of the Jungle, 50 First Dates, Pearl Harbor,Godzilla, Blue Crush, The Even Stevens Movie, Race the Sun and Lilo and Stitch. The film Snakes on a Plane takes place on a flight departing Hawaii for the U.S. mainland. Hawaii is home to a prominent film festival known as the Hawaii International Film Festival.
CultureThe aboriginal culture of Hawaii is Polynesian. Hawaii represents the northernmost extension of the vast Polynesian triangle of the south and central Pacific Ocean. While traditional Hawaiian culture remains only as vestiges influencing modern Hawaiian society, there are reenactments of the ceremonies and traditions throughout the islands. Some of these cultural influences are strong enough to have affected the culture of the United States at large, including the popularity (in greatly modified form) of luaus and hula.
Customs and etiquette in Hawaii East Hawaii Cultural Center Folklore in Hawaii Hawaiian mythology Hilo Art Museum List of Hawaiian state parks List of Hawaii-related topics Literature in Hawaii Music of Hawaii Polynesian Cultural Center Polynesian mythology Tourism in Hawaii
Sister citiesHawaii has an active sister state program, which includes ties to:
Azores, Portugal (1982) Cebu, Philippines (1996) Cheju Province, South Korea (1986) Ehime, Japan (2003) Fukuoka, Japan (1981) Guangdong, China (1985) Hainan, China (1992) Hiroshima, Japan (1997) Ilocos Norte, Philippines (2005) Ilocos Sur, Philippines (1985) Okinawa, Japan (1985) Pangasinan, Philippines (2002) Taiwan, Republic of China (1993) Tianjin, China (2002)Other sister states:
Canary Islands, Spain
Famous people from HawaiiThe list of famous people from Hawaii is a non-comprehensive list of persons who have achieved fame that presently or at one time claimed Hawaii as their home. Separate registers of members of the and Hawaii politicians are also available.
External links
Hawaii Internet PortalHawaii's Official Tourism SiteOfficial state homepageHawaii State Fact Sheet from the U.S. Department of AgricultureUSGS real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of HawaiiSatellite image of Hawaiian Islands at NASA's Earth Observatoryhttp://www.netstate.com/states/intro/hi_intro.htm
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tags:
adventure, family, fun, kids, things to do
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By AldoBe
3 days
This 3-Day getaway has you staying in Kailua Kona and doing exhilarating stuff like helicopter rides, and SNUBAing. Do you love the idea of scuba diving, but feel intimidated by all the gear and training involved? If so, SNUBA is your perfect alternative. SNUBA is a system that allows for safe, shallow reef diving, without requiring a heavy tank as an air source. Instead, the air source is contained within a hose attached to an elongated snorkel.
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By Shanib2
4 days
This 4-Day trip to Lahaina, Hana & Kihei on the island of Maui, will have you immersed in water sports! Sail with Trilogy, learn to surf with Goofy Foot Surf School, Scuba dive with B & B Scuba Diving Services. Even body-surf at Makena State Park. An adventure vacation in the sun at one of the Top US Destinations!
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107 people reviewed Hawaii (1-20 out of 107)
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Top
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at 2:20AM September 18, 2008
I went to Maui/Kauai on my honeymoon & then returned to Maui for a 2nd honeymoon 10 years later. Both times had a spectacular time. I actually enjoyed the weather more when I went over the New Year's because I knew it was cold & rainy back home in California & so it felt like an extra special treat to bask in the sun!
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at 7:30PM April 10, 2009
T\here is NO PLACE like Hawaii.
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at 10:36PM May 28, 2008
The best so far. Best beaches, best people. Unbelievable scenery.
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at 11:37AM May 29, 2008
Been here many times. Kauai is the best island, less tourist-oriented and very lush.
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at 1:00AM October 26, 2009
I loved it!! All 8 days. I will never ever forget this trip.
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at 7:10PM May 9, 2009
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at 9:00AM January 13, 2009
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at 12:20AM October 4, 2008
Been to Hawaii twice now....Love it there....It's alot like the Gold Coast. The people are lovely, the food is too much to eat and the shopping is fantastic. Will go again one day.
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at 4:20AM September 18, 2008
Fun, but honestly, Guam is more exotic and also relaxing.
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at 8:50AM July 25, 2008
It was the best adventure of my life!
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at 1:20PM July 13, 2008
Not as I had ever imagined it would be! Not the paradise I was hoping for. Beautiful scenery...never found the Aloha spirit of the people that everyone talks about. Looking forward to going home soon!
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at 4:40PM July 7, 2008
Beautiful, great weather, walk everywhere. Great food!
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at 8:21AM June 30, 2008
Maui is the best place to go, the best place to live, the best place to do everything:))
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at 5:20PM June 21, 2008
The Road to Hana is exceptional!
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at 11:10AM June 16, 2008
This is just one beautiful country with flowers everywhere. People are friendly and happy. I have come to love the word 'Aloha' for use on almost anything. Although, this place is a lot more expensive than any other American State. Definitely recommend people to at least visit Hawaii once in their lifetime. I am still dreaming and hoping of going back to it one day.
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at 11:40AM June 7, 2008
Once in a Lifetime Experience!! So many amazing attractions to see... On the "Big Island" of HI allow at least a full day to take a self guided tour (via rental car) thru Volcanoes National Park= fascinating! Allow at least a day for Oahu as well. During the day, allow a few hours for Pearl Harbor as well as a couple of hours to hike to the top of Diamond Head Crater for an amazing view of Waikiki; and come nightfall there are lots of cute restaurants & bars to check out. Kauai is simply gorgeous; the 'Garden Isle' is a perfect choice for a helicopter ride over the Nepali Coast & Waimea Canyon (the 'Grand Canyon of the Pacific' according to Mark Twain). Maui has the Most to Do/See: sacrifice some sleep for the stars/sunrise atop Haleakala, snorkel Molokini Crater, & find a map/magazine advising of all the Stops you should take along the Road to Hana (a nerve wracking cliff hugging drive chock full o' hairpin turns & 1-lane bridges that are Only worth the Effort on a Clear Day where your efforts are rewarded with some Awesome Vistas!). In terms of accomodations, NCLAmerica s*cks; the Hyatts in Maui & Kauai were Lovely!
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at 2:23AM May 29, 2008
Seems like a good place to go
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at 10:17PM May 28, 2008
One of my favorite places on the planet... each island offers something different and spectacular. I can't wait to go back!
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at 8:53PM May 28, 2008
Excellent weather and scenery
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at 5:09PM May 28, 2008
We went to Hawaii for our honeymoon, and it was just amazing! We loved every minute of it! Rainbows every day, beautiful beaches, delicious seafood, and fun attractions! It has everything we could ask for and more! We definitely recommend this place to go!
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