Hawaiian Culture

Hawaii has always been referred to as a “melting pot.” With its many different people from around the world and the various communities residing in it, Hawaiians enjoy a wonderful blend of cultures.

The earliest Hawaiians were originally from the South Pacific islands. Upon migration, the Polynesians brought with them their own culture and practiced their traditions and beliefs in their new country. The descendants of these early settlers are the present-day native Hawaiians, while from inter-marriages came the part-native Hawaiians. The attraction that Hawaii gave to traders and explorers brought about contact with the Western world, bringing in European people and their technology. This was followed by a rise in the plantation industry which saw hundreds of migrant workers from Asia flocking to Hawaii. The United States' annexation and World War II not only increased immigration, but brought in American military bases as well.

All of these people brought with them their own customs and beliefs, adding to the native Hawaiian traditions and creating the widely diverse and uniquely Hawaiian culture that is evident today. Native Hawaiian customs such as the graceful hula dances and beautiful music from indigenous instruments is what Hawaii is famous for, but so is its lovely culture. From the Hawaiian language, Hawaiian delicacies and dishes, aloha shirts and grass skirts, Hawaiian music, panoramic scenery and vast natural reserves, and of course the Hawaiians themselves, the Hawaiian islands are truly a work of art and make for a breathtaking experience.