Preserving Hawai’i Culture: Celebrating Traditions and Festivals

Sometime between 1000 and 1200 A.D., Polynesians from an area now called the Marquesas Islands were the first to settle in Hawai’i. With a strong background in canoe making and expertise in voyaging, they lived and thrived for centuries, keeping alive the cultural customs and traditions they brought with them as well as creating new ones.

A continuing influx of diverse people to the islands included non-native workers who toiled on the sugar cane plantations and missionaries who were focused on converting islanders to Christianity. This means that some native traditions were adopted and evolved through the same channels of innovation, adaptation, and assimilation that influenced the cultures of future newcomers. This ultimately formed a single, shared society consisting of multiple outside influences. However, many native customs have been perpetuated and protected over the centuries and are still in practice on the islands today.

Native Traditions

• Honi ihu: Touching noses is a traditional method of greeting between two people. It allows breath to be exchanged, which islanders identified as an essential life force. Honi ihu also facilitates the sharing of scents and conveys a personal closeness.
• Leis: An international symbol of Hawai’i, a lei is a traditional wreath or garland made from bird feathers, flowers, hair, seeds, or shells. Worn around the neck or on the top of the head, lei were used to indicate a person’s rank, especially tribal chiefs. Adorning someone with a lei was a tradition, but it was nothing like the welcome ceremonies of today’s local custom. Lei were originally presented by being tied around a person’s neck instead of being placed over their head, indicating respect for the back and head, which were considered sacred.
• Hula: This art form is performed to preserve mythology, genealogy, and historical events, as well as for religious and entertainment purposes. It is a story told through chants and movements. Hula is considered a profound and sacred pursuit. Along with technical skills and exhaustive training, learning hula also requires knowledge that is taught by respected teachers (kumu) who pass down wisdom from a long lineage of masters. Unlike most of what you see today, hula was not designed to be a show and was often performed in private.
• Mālama ʻāina: Meaning to take care of the land, this value underscores the strong relationship islanders have with the land. It provides sustainability, nourishment, and food, so it is a great duty and privilege (kuleana) to care for it, ensuring that future generations will also be able to thrive off of the islands’ natural bounty of resources. Many of Hawai’i’s fishpond caretakers, taro farmers, conservationists, and ecologists are still driven by this ethos.
• Lūʻau: Native dinner parties (pāʻina) or feasts (ʻahaʻaina) are commonly referred to as lūʻaus due to a misinterpretation by 19th-century reporters who unwittingly confused the name for this distinctive celebration with the name for taro tops, a popular ingredient in island cuisine, and, as these things sometimes do, it stuck. While the usage of this ancient name was technically incorrect, the views were quite similar; they both brought large groups of people together to connect and share a delicious meal.

 

At a time when Hawai’i’s sugar industry was growing and plantations were popping up everywhere, migrant workers came mainly from Portugal, China, Korea, Japan, the Philippine Islands, and Puerto Rico. This varied group of cultures working and living together in a community became a cultural melting pot, producing a distinct mix of customs with origins from all over the globe that are collectively thought of as local.

Modern Local Customs

• A derivation of the traditional honi ihu, a kiss on the cheek combined with a hug, is also a common island greeting. This is considered acceptable no matter if you are meeting family, friends, or someone new. Handshakes are the cultural norm in business dealings.
• Being familiar with the accepted semantics of the language is a sign of respect for the island you are visiting and the people who live there. Only the indigenous culture and people of Hawai’i should be referred to as Hawai’ian. When talking about non-natives, the terms “locals” and “kamaʻāina” should be used.
• An off-shoot of Creole, Hawai’ian Pidgin English was created to allow natives and immigrants to effectively communicate with one another. To uninformed listeners, the hodgepodge of words from various languages might sound like broken English. Attempting to speak Hawai’ian Pidgin English is best left to those who are fluent, as a botched effort will almost certainly be perceived as disrespect or mockery.
• Tucking a flower behind your left ear (above your heart) is a discreet signal that you are spoken for. A flower tucked behind the right ear indicates availability. This convention did not originate in native culture but is a local custom enjoyed by many.
• General use of a car horn is not encouraged in Hawai’i. Instead, throwing a shaka (the “hang ten” sign) or waving are the preferred methods of saying thank you or hello to a passing driver.
• Bringing gifts (omiyage) from afar for friends or family is a common occurrence. Dissimilar to basic souvenirs, like shot glasses or magnets, the idea behind omiyage is to send a gift that would not otherwise be available to the recipient, particularly food. For example, sending your friend in Montana a box of macadamia nuts, or bringing a box of special pastries to a family member who lives on an island where they are not available. Food-related gifts can also be exchanged for favors.
• Never, ever take lava rocks from a volcano or sand or rocks from the beach. According to local superstition, once removed from their native area these objects become cursed as does the person who bears them. As a lithic culture, rocks are held in high regard and were once used for multiple purposes including housing, fences, and tools. Some were even considered to be forms of deities. While visiting Hawai’i, it is best to leave rocks where you find them.
• Always remove your shoes before you enter someone else’s home. Almost all island households follow this practice. Observing this custom shows respect to your host and keeps any sand and dirt outside.
• Giving a lei to say welcome or hui hou (until we meet again) to someone is another popular custom. Lei are also gifts frequently given at birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, and many other special occasions. It is considered a bad omen for a pregnant woman to be given a closed lei as it is believed to represent the umbilical cord being wrapped around the baby’s neck. Local florists are more than happy to make them open-ended.
• Being humble is widely viewed as a more desirable characteristic than being wealthy or having connections. Name-dropping or wearing high-end clothing is seen as arrogance, not pride.

Festivals and Celebrations

Visitors to the islands can enjoy numerous cultural festivals and celebrations that are designed to tell stories and keep the past alive. Many of these events have been ongoing for decades while others are much newer than their celebratory counterparts.

Kapalua Wine & Food Festival

For more than four decades, the Kapalua Resort on the island of Maui has hosted a festival celebrating the region’s wine and food. Presenting a sampling of winemakers, tourists can eat and drink to their heart’s content. Some winemakers host dinners aimed at pairing wines with cuisines that compliment them.

The Kapalua Wine and Food Festival takes place every year in June. It is the biggest wine and food festival in the United States.

• When: June, but check the resort’s website for confirmation
• Where: The Kapalua Resort, Maui
• How to Celebrate: Enjoy local food and wine
• Significance: A celebration of internationally acclaimed food and local vintners

King Kamehameha Celebration

Symbolizing his creation of the United Kingdom of Hawai’i, King Kamehameha is celebrated on June 11th. This celebration honors the king and his settling of the islands as a place of importance, respect, and culture in the Pacific. Fairs, carnivals, live entertainment, and various competitions are enjoyed by everyone, both tourists and locals, who take part in the celebration. As a sign of respect and remembrance for his sacrifices, leis are placed on the conqueror’s statue during the King Kamehameha Celebration.

• When: June 11th
• Where: Celebrated statewide
• How to Celebrate: Enjoy the dance, song, and storytelling commemorating the day
• Significance: The unification of the islands

The Hawai’i International Film Festival

If you consider yourself a film lover, the Hawai’i International Film Festival is not something you want to miss. An exhibition of lesser-known filmmakers and films, this festival spotlights emerging creators in the industry. It also invites people to celebrate and support diversity in the types of films produced.

The titles of the films being shown, along with the names of the writers and directors, can be found on the festival’s website. They do accept submissions from creators who wish to be considered for future events. This festival is a can’t-miss for those who have a passion for indie films and wish to support the industry.

• When: Every year in November
• Where: Honolulu
• How to Celebrate: Donate to and/or attend the festival, watch the films, and share the names of the filmmakers you enjoy.
• Significance: Cinema focused on the Pacific, especially independent and local filmmakers.

Kona Coffee Cultural Festival

Since 1970, the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival has strived to promote, perpetuate, and preserve Kona’s 200-year-old coffee legacy. The local community embraces locals and visitors by sharing the culture and history of the Kona coffee artisans, farmers, and pioneers during this 10-day-long festival.

Offering more than just coffee, attendees are treated to a variety of food, live entertainment, and other local talents.

• When: Every year in November
• Where: Kona, on the big island
• How to Celebrate: Attend the festival and support local artisans by buying local art and local coffee
• Significance: Honors the creators and farmers of an industry with very humble origins

Honolulu Festival

Admission to the Honolulu Festival is free. It takes place in the city center so it is accessible to anyone in the area. Attendees can watch traditional art demonstrations as well as live performances. This multi-cultural festival boasts entertainers from all over the world. Creators, speakers, and other participants come from Australia, the Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, and of course, Hawai’i to promote peace and harmony through the acceptance, and welcoming of cultural diversity.

The day finishes off with a colorful parade as fireworks fill the skies along Waikiki Beach.

• When: Evey March
• Where: Honolulu, Oahu
• How to Celebrate: John in the numerous activities and events. Watch the annual fireworks display and parade along Waikiki Beach.
• Significance: Fostering mutual harmony, cooperation, and understanding for all.

If you or a family member sustained a serious injury while vacationing in Hawaii, you need to speak with a reputable Hawaii personal injury attorney as soon as possible. Call the Honolulu personal injury law firm of Leavitt, Yamane & Soldner at (808) 537-2525 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation with one of our lawyers.