Hawaii: Living in Paradise

1911 Words4 Pages

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.
Hawai'i's rich culture and history started with the arrival of the Polynesians to the islands between 300-500 A.D. After settling they adapted to the islands and began to create a society. But hundreds of years later in 1778, the western world came to put a stop to the Hawaiians lives. Captain James Cook and his crew were the first to arrive, setting off a chain of events that rid the Hawaiians of their lifestyles. Christian missionaries banned tattoos and hula dancing, getting rid of the people's culture. Diseases brought from the west killed hundreds of civilians. Hunters, whalers, fur traders began ravishing the islands of its animals. In the nineteenth century sugar plantations were created, and the U.S. overthrew their queen and her kingdom, making Hawaii American territory. A naval base was soon set up in Honolulu, only to have it attacked, launching the U.S. into WWII. Years after the attack, Haw...

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"Wave Forms/Surf Breaks." HawaiiHistory. Info Grafik Inc., n.d. Web. 27 Nov 2013.
Cardona, Jairo. "What is Hula?." Sacred Bodywork. Sacred BodyWork LLC, n.d. Web. 4 Dec 2013.
Britton, Veronica. "The Origins of Surfing." The Sport of Kings. N.p.. Web. 6 Dec 2013.
"Hawaiians." Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures and Daily Life. Ed. Timothy L. Gall and Jeneen Hobby. 2nd ed. Vol. 2: Americas. Detroit: Gale, 2009. 271-275. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 25 Sept. 2013.
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Brown, Alyssa. "For Fourth Year, Hawaii No. 1 in Wellbeing, W.Va. Last." GALLUP Well-Being. Gallup, Inc., 28 Feb 2013. Web. 7 Dec 2013.

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