Hawaiian Culture

The current culture of Hawaii has its roots in the traditional culture of Native Hawaiians. These were the indigenous Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands or their descendants who traced their ancestry to Marquesan and Tahitian settlers from as early as AD 400. However, over the last 200 years Hawaii has become a home to many different ethnic groups which have had an impact on traditional Hawaiian ways for better or for worse. Hawaiian culture is expressed in the language, religion, music, and traditional foods of the islands and will be explored below.

1) Hawaiian Language (Hawaiian: ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi)

Hawaiians had no written language prior to western contact, except for petroglyph symbols. Hawaiian words end only in vowels. There are only 12 letters in the Hawaiian Alphabet ( Hawaiian: ka pīʻāpā Hawaiʻi)

Vowels: A, E, I, O, U.

Consonants: H, K, L, M, N, P, W

 

Below are some Hawaiian words that are still commonly used today.

Aloha: Hello, Goodbye, I love you

 

Hula: Hawaiian Dance

 

Kalo: Taro

 

Kama’aina: Local Resident

 

Kane: Male

 

Keiki: Child

 

Luau: Hawaiian Feast

 

Mahalo: Thank You

 

Mauka: Toward Mountain

 

Makai: Toward the Sea

 

Ohana: Family

 

Ono: Delicious

 

Poi: Food made from Taro

 

Pupu’s: Hawaiian Appetizers

 

Ukulele: Hawaiian Guitar

 

Wahine: Female

 

 

Hawaiian Fun Facts:

 

Hawaii has eight main islands: Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kaho’olawe, and the “Big Island” of Hawaii.

 

The islands in the State of Hawaii are spread out over 1522 miles making it the widest state in the nation.

 

The Hawaiian Islands are the projecting tops of the biggest mountain range in the world (not the highest mountains from sea level).

 

Maui County includes the islands of Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Kaho’olawe (uninhabited) with a total population of about 145,000

 

Maui is known as the Valley Isle and is the second largest island in the Hawaiian chain.

 

Maui has no navigable rivers, but there are hundreds of streams. The only natural body of water is the 40-acre Kanaha Pond, a major bird sanctuary near the airport in Kahului.

 

Highest Peaks on Maui: Puu Ulaula at the summit of Haleakala, 10,023 feet; second highest is Puu Kukui in the West Maui mountains, 5,788 feet.

 

Maui’s island flower is the Lokelani (pink cottage rose) and the island color is pink.

 

Maui is the breeding ground for the Humpback whale, who winters here before returning to Alaska.

 

Hawaii is the most isolated population center on earth. Hawaii is 2,390 Miles from California; 3,850 miles from Japan; 4,900 miles from China; and 5,280 miles from the Philippines.

 

Hawaii is the only U.S. state that grows coffee.

 

Hawaiians are the second largest consumers of Spam in the world, right behind Guam.

 

Shave Ice is hugely popular in Hawaii and was brought to the islands by Japanese immigrants in the 1920s.

 

Hawaiian legend states that Madam Pele, the goddess of fire, will inflict misfortune on anyone who removes her lava rocks from the islands.

 

Hawaii has its own time zone (Hawaii Standard Time) and there is no daylight savings time. Hawaii Time runs two hours behind Pacific Standard Time, and five hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

 

Hokule’a is a double hulled voyaging canoe which brings awareness of our environment. It also gives young people a sense of their place in the world and respect for the ocean.

 

Hawaii was the 50th state admitted to the U.S. union on Aug 20, 1959.

 

Nickname: "The Aloha State"

 

Motto: "The Life of the Land is Perpetuated in Righteousness"

 

State bird: Nene (Hawaiian Goose)

 

State flower: Pua Aloalo, or Hibiscus

 

State Tree: Kukui, or Candlenut Tree

 

State Marine Mammal: Humpback Whale

 

Hawaii’s State Fish: Humuhumunukunukuapua’a, which means fish with a pig’s nose in Hawaiian. It is a rectangular trigger fish.

 

 

2) Hawaiian Religion

In traditional Hawaiian mythology these were the primary objects of devotion:

Lono – Traditional god of agriculture and Providence. Lono is a fertility and music god who descended to Earth on a rainbow to marry Laka. In agricultural and planting traditions, Lono was identified with rain and food plants. He was one of the four gods (with Ku, Kane, and his twin brother Kanaloa) who existed before the world was created. Lono was also the god of peace. In his honor the great annual festival of the Makahiki was held. During this period (from October through February), all unnecessary work and war was kapu (forbidden).

Ku – Aggressor god, symbol of Kamehameha. Ku is known as the god of war and the husband of the goddess Hina. In New Zealand Hina is associated with the moon and indeed the moon is named Mahina in the Hawaiian language.


Aumakua – family totems. Aumakua is a family god, often a deified ancestor. The Hawaiian plural is na ‘aumakuas and is frequently manifested in different animals such as sharks, turtles, or owls. These ancestors were often worshipped at localities (often rocks) where they were believed to “dwell”. The appearance of an animal regarded as an ‘aumakua was often believed to be an omen (of good or bad). And it was extremely bad luck to harm a manifested ‘aumakua. A family ‘aumakua was sought out for feast and festivity and they also acted as healers and advisors.

 

3) Hawaiian Music

Traditional Hawaiian folk music is a major part of the state’s musical heritage. The Hawaiian people have inhabited the islands for centuries and have retained much of their traditional musical knowledge. This traditional music is largely religious in nature and includes chanting and dance music. Hawaiian music today includes a whole range of musical genre including traditional Hawaiian folk, pop, rock, hip hop, and country music.

The ukulele was introduced to Hawaii by the Portuguese immigrants near the close of the 19th century. The Portuguese brought small guitar-like instruments with them. The instrument became a very popular one in Hawaiian culture and a majority of Hawaiian songs involve the ukulele. In Hawaiian, ukulele literally means “flea (uku) jumping (lele).

 

4) Traditional Hawaiian Foods

The early Hawaiian diet was quite diverse. Several plants for cultivation were first brought to the Hawaiian Islands by the Polynesian seafarers in 300-500 AD. The most important of these plants was taro, which is used to make poi. This poi was the main staple of the Hawaiian diet for centuries and is still eaten today. Other important plants brought to the islands included sweet potatoes, yams, breadfruit, baking bananas, coconuts, and sugarcane. Native Hawaiians also consumed fish, shellfish, and flightless birds. Pigs and chickens were also introduced by Polynesians and sea salt was a common condiment in their diet.

Today’s Hawaiian cuisine consists of a mix of various traditional foods brought to the islands by immigrants from the Americas, China, the Philippines, Japan, Korea, Polynesia, and Portugal. Many local restaurants serve the “plate lunch” consisting of two scoops of rice and macaroni salad with a variety of different protein sources including egg, hamburger, Loco Moco, Japanese style tonkatsu, or the traditional kalua pig.

The spices most commonly used in Hawaii today also reflect the diverse background of its inhabitants. These common spices include Teriyaki, five spice, char siu, wasabi, patis and bagoong fish sauces, shoyu, huli-huli, and chili pepper water. In the grocery stores you will commonly see a local favorite called Poke. This is raw fish with sea salt and Hawaiian rubbing (lomi) seasonings.

 

References: See these links for more detailed information: Wikipedia and Best of Maui Guide