The State of Hawaii (pronounced /h?'wa?i?/
or /h?'wa??i?/; Hawaiian: Moku?aina o Hawai?i) 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)
Ni?ihau, Kaua?i, O?ahu, Moloka?i, Lana?i, Kaho?olawe, Maui, and
Hawai?i. 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 pronounced /h?'wa?i?/.
In the Hawaiian language, it is generally pronounced [h?'w?i?i]
or pronounced [h?'v?i?i]. Some residents of Hawaii use the Hawaiian
pronunciation (with the glottal stop) in their English.
Contents [hide]
1 Geography
1.1 Location, topography, and geology
1.2 Major islands
1.3 Climate
1.4 Important towns
1.5 Notable features
2 History
2.1 Hawaiian antiquity
2.2 European contact
2.3 Hawaiian kingdom
2.4 Overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy
2.5 Republic of Hawaii
2.6 U.S. Territory
2.7 U.S. Statehood
3 Demographics
3.1 Ethnicities
3.2 Ancestry groups
3.3 Religion
3.4 Languages
3.4.1 Origin of Hawaiian
3.4.2 Revival of Hawaiian
3.4.3 Note on Hawaiian language spellings
3.4.4 "Pidgin"
3.4.5 Debates
4 Education
4.1 Schools and academies
4.2 Colleges and universities
4.3 Problems
5 Economy
5.1 Health care system
6 Law and government
7 Transportation
7.1 By road
7.2 By air
7.3 By ship or ferry
8 Miscellaneous topics
8.1 Etymology
8.2 Media
8.2.1 Newspapers
8.2.2 Television
8.2.3 Film
8.3 Culture
8.4 Sister cities
8.5 Famous people from Hawaii
9 Photo gallery
10 See also
11 References
12 Further reading
13 External links
Geography
Main article: Hawaiian Islands
Location, topography, and geology
An archipelago situated some 3,200 kilometres (approx. 2000 miles)
southwest of the North American mainland,[2] 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 America
is separated from the mainland by water
is completely surrounded by water
does not have a straight line in its State boundary
continuously grows in area (due to currently active lava flows,
most notably from Kilauea (Kilauea).)
Map of Hawaii
Na Pali coast, KauaiHawaii's tallest mountain, Mauna Kea stands
at 13,796 feet (4,205 m)[3] and is taller than Mount Everest if
followed to the base of the mountain - on the floor of the Pacific
Ocean.[4]
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 (Lo?ihi) 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
(Haleakala) on Maui in the late 18th century (though recent research
suggests that Haleakala's most recent eruptive activity could be
hundreds of years older).[5]
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.[citation needed]
A NASA satellite composition of the Hawaiian Islands.Areas under
the control and protection of the National Park Service include:
Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail on the Big Island
Haleakala National Park in Kula
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island
Kalaupapa National Historical Park in Kalaupapa
Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park in Kailua-Kona
Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park (Pu?uhonua o Honaunau)
in Honaunau
Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site (Pu?ukohola) in Kawaihae
USS Arizona Memorial at Honolulu
Major islands
Niihau
Kauai
Oahu
Maui
Molokai
Lanai
Kahoolawe
Hawaii
Climate
A sunset in HawaiiThe 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 Wai?ale?ale (Wai?ale?ale), 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.[6]
Local climates vary considerably on each island, grossly divisible
into windward (Ko?olau) 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
Main article: List of Hawaii hurricanes
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.
Monthly Normal High and Low Temperatures (°F) for Various Hawaii
Cities
City Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Hilo 79/64 79/64 79/65 79/66 81/67 82/68 82/69 83/69 83/69 83/68
81/67 80/65
Honolulu 80/66 81/65 82/67 83/68 85/70 87/72 88/74 89/75 89/74 87/73
84/71 82/68
Kahului 80/63 81/63 82/65 82/66 84/67 86/69 87/71 88/71 88/70 87/69
84/68 82/65
Lihue 78/65 78/66 78/67 79/69 81/70 83/73 84/74 85/74 85/74 84/73
81/71 79/68
[7]
Important towns
The 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, Kane'ohe (Kane?ohe), Kailua, Pearl City, Waipahu,
Kahului, Kailua-Kona, Kihei (Kihei), and Lihue (Lihu?e).
Notable features
The Papahanaumokuakea 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 50 miles (80 km)
offshore) in the Pacific Ocean, larger than all of America’s
National Parks combined.[8]
History
History of Hawaii
Ancient times
Monarchy
Provisional Government
Republic
Territory
State
Main article: History of Hawaii
The 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.[9] 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.[10]
Hawaiian antiquity
Main articles: Ancient Hawaii, Hawaiian mythology, and Polynesian
mythology
Anthropologists 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 (Pa?ao). 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 (ali?i), 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;[11] 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.
Kamehameha I defeats the Oahuans at the Battle of Nu'uanu, solidifying
his control of the major islands of the archipelago.
Hawaiian kingdom
Main article: Kingdom of Hawaii
During the 1780s and 1790s the chiefs were constantly fighting for
power.[12] 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 (Kalakaua). 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 Kalakaua.
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 Kalakaua 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
(Lili?uokalani), succeeded him to the throne and ruled until her
overthrow in 1893.
Kamehameha I
Kamehameha II
Kamehameha III
Kamehameha IV
Kamehameha V
Lunalilo
Kalakaua
Lili?uokalani
Overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy
Ship's landing force on duty at the Arlington Hotel, Honolulu, at
the time of the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy, January 1893.
Lieutenant Lucien Young, USN, commanded the detachment, and is presumably
the officer at right.[13]Main article: 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.[14]
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 Lili?uokalani
was illegal. The U.S. Government first demanded that Queen Lili?uokalani
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.[15] 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.[16][17][18][19]
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.[20]
Republic of Hawaii
Main article: Republic of Hawaii
?Iolani Palace in Honolulu, formerly the residence of the Hawaiian
monarch, was the capitol of the Republic of Hawaii.The 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. Territory
Main article: Territory of Hawaii
When 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.[21] 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 ?Iolani
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. Statehood
All representative districts voted at least 93% in favor of Admission
acts. Ballot (inset) and referendum results for the Admission Act
of 1959.In 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.[22][23][24]
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.
Demographics
Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1900 154,001 —
1910 191,874 24.6%
1920 255,881 33.4%
1930 368,300 43.9%
1940 422,770 14.8%
1950 499,794 18.2%
1960 632,772 26.6%
1970 769,913 21.7%
1980 964,691 25.3%
1990 1,108,229 14.9%
2000 1,211,537 9.3%
Est. 2007 1,283,388 5.9%
As of 2005, Hawaii has an estimated population of 1,275,194, which
is an increase of 13,070, or 1.0%, from the prior year and an increase
of 63,657, or 5.3%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural
increase since the last census of 48,111 people (that is 96,028
births minus 47,917 deaths) and an increase due to net migration
of 16,956 people into the state. Immigration from outside the United
States resulted in a net increase of 30,068 people, and migration
within the country produced a net loss of 13,112 people. The center
of population of Hawaii is located directly between the two islands
of Oahu and Molokai.[25]
Hawaii has a de facto population of over 1.3 million due to military
presence and tourists. Oahu, which is nicknamed "The Gathering
Place", is the most populous island (and the one with the highest
population density), with a resident population of just under one
million in 597 square miles (1,546 km²), about 1,650 people
per square mile (for comparison, New Jersey, which has 8,717,925
people in 7,417 square miles (19,210 km²) is the most-densely
populated state with 1,134 people per square mile.)[26] Hawaii's
1,275,194 people, spread over 6,423 square miles (including many
unpopulated islands) results in an average population density of
188.6 persons per square mile,[27] which makes Hawaii less densely
populated than states like Ohio and Illinois.[28]
The average projected lifespan of those born in Hawaii in the year
2000 is 79.8 years (77.1 years if male, 82.5 if female), longer
than the residents of any other state.[29]
U.S. military personnel make up approximately 1.3% of the total
population in the islands.
Ethnicities
Further information: Europeans in Oceania
Ethnically, Hawaii is one of only four states in which non-Hispanic
whites do not form a majority, and has the largest percentage of
Asian Americans. Hawaii was the second majority-minority state in
the United States. Both Hawaii and New Mexico have been majority-minority
regions since the early 20th century, but New Mexico became a state
before Hawaii. Hawaii also has the largest percentage of persons
of mixed race, who constitute some 20% of the total population.[30]
Demographics of Hawaii (csv)
By race White Black AIAN Asian NHPI
AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native — NHPI is Native
Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
2000 (total population) 40.32% 2.83% 2.07% 58.19% 23.39%
2000 (Hispanic only) 4.69% 0.33% 0.56% 3.32% 2.48%
2005 (total population) 41.26% 3.33% 2.03% 57.53% 22.10%
2005 (Hispanic only) 5.51% 0.39% 0.51% 3.32% 2.36%
Growth 2000–2005 (total population) 7.70% 23.70% 3.25% 4.07%
-0.56%
Growth 2000–2005 (non-Hispanic only) 5.59% 23.93% 6.38% 4.01%
-0.64%
Growth 2000–2005 (Hispanic only) 23.78% 21.96% -5.09% 5.07%
0.04%
Ancestry groups
The largest ancestry groups in Hawaii are:
Population Of Hawaii Ancestry Percentage Main article:
Japanese (16.7%) of Total See Japanese American
Polynesian (16%) See Native Hawaiians
Filipino (14.1%) See Filipino American
German (5.8%) See German American
Chinese (4.7%) See Chinese American
Irish (4.4%) See Irish American
English (4.3%) See English American
Portuguese (4.0%) See Portuguese American
Puerto Ricans (2.5%) See Puerto Rican
Korean (1.9%) See Korean American
African (1.8%) See African American
Italian (1.8%) See Italian American
Mexican (1.6%) See Mexican American
French (1.5%) See French American
British (1.4%) See British American
Scottish (1.1%) See Scottish American
Hawaii Ancestry
Hawaii population density mapThe third group of foreigners to arrive
upon Hawaii’s shores, after the Polynesians and Europeans,
were the Chinese. Chinese employees serving on Western trading ships
disembarked and settled starting in 1789. In 1820 the first American
missionaries arrived in Hawaii to preach Christianity and teach
the Hawaiians what the missionaries considered "civilized"
ways. A large proportion of Hawaii’s population has become
a people of Asian ancestry (especially Chinese, Japanese and Filipino)
many of whom are descendants from those waves of early foreign immigrants
brought to the islands in the nineteenth century, beginning in the
1850s, to work on the sugar plantations. The first 153 Japanese
immigrants arrived in Hawaii on June 19, 1868. They were not "legally"
approved by the Japanese government established after the Meiji
Restoration because the contract was between a broker and the Tokugawa
shogunate, by then terminated. The first Japanese government-approved
immigrants arrived in Hawaii on February 9, 1885 after Kalakaua's
petition to Emperor Meiji when Kalakaua visited Japan in 1881.
Almost 13,000 Portuguese had come to Hawaii by 1899. They worked
on the sugar plantations, as many had done previously. By October
17, 1901, 5,000 Puerto Ricans had made their new homes on the four
islands. Currently, there are over 30,000 Puerto Ricans or Hawaiian-Puerto
Ricans and almost 50,000 Hawaiian-Portuguese living in Hawaii.
Other includes: agnostic or atheist, unaffiliated, Bahá'í,
Confucian, Daoist, Druid, Hawaiian, Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Shinto,
Scientologist, Unitarian, Wiccan, Zoroastrian, etc.
Sources
State of Hawaii Data Book 2000, Section 1 Population, Table 1.47
Glenmary Research Center
Honolulu Advertiser
Languages
Main article: Hawaiian language
The State of Hawaii has two official languages recognized in its
constitution adopted at the 1978 constitutional convention: English
and Hawaiian. Article XV, Section 4, specifies that "Hawaiian
shall be required for public acts and transactions only as provided
by law" [italic added]. Hawaii Creole English (locally referred
to as 'Pidgin') is the native dialect of many born-and-raised residents
and is a second dialect for many other residents. After English,
the second-, third- and fourth-most spoken individual languages
are Tagalog (most are bilingual in Wikang Filipino), Japanese, and
Ilokano respectively. Significant European immigrants and descendants
also speak their native languages; the most numerous are Spanish,
German, Portuguese and French.
As of the 2000 Census, 73.44% of Hawaii residents age 5 and older
speak only English at home. Tagalog speakers make up 5.37% (which
includes non-native speakers of Wikang Filipino, the national co-official
Tagalog-based language), followed by Japanese at 4.96%, Ilokano
at 4.05%, Chinese at 1.92%, Hawaiian at 1.68%, Spanish at 1.66%,
Korean at 1.61%, and Samoan at 1.01%.[31]
Origin of Hawaiian
Hawaiian is a member of the Polynesian branch of the Austronesian
family. It began to develop around 1000 A.D., when Marquesans or
Tahitians of that era colonized Hawaii. Those Polynesians remained
in the islands, thereby becoming the Hawaiian people. Consequently,
their language developed into the Hawaiian language.
Before the arrival of Captain James Cook, the Hawaiian language
was never written. The written form of Hawaiian was developed mainly
by American Protestant missionaries during 1820–1826. They
assigned letters from the Latin alphabet that corresponded to the
Hawaiian sounds.
Revival of Hawaiian
Interest in the Hawaiian language increased significantly in the
late 20th century. With the help of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs,
created by the 1978 constitutional convention, specially designated
Hawaiian language immersion schools were established where students
would be taught in all subjects using Hawaiian. Also, the University
of Hawaii System developed a Hawaiian language graduate studies
program. Municipal codes were altered in favor of Hawaiian place
and street names for new civic developments.
Note on Hawaiian language spellings
In this article, modern Hawaiian-language spellings are provided
in italics, within parentheses, at the initial appearance of the
word.
Hawaiian distinguishes between long and short vowels. In modern
written Hawaiian, vowel length can be indicated with a macron (kahako).
Also, Hawaiian has the glottal stop as a consonant. In writing,
it can be indicated with the apostrophe, or with the opening single
quote (?okina).
In Hawaiian-language newspapers published from 1834–1948,
the spelling Hawaii was used. However, in texts written mainly for
Hawaiian-language pedagogy, especially since 1950, the modern Hawaiian-language
spelling used is Hawai?i, with an okina written between the final
two vowels. The modern spelling is pushed mainly by teachers of
Hawaiian language at the University of Hawaii. However, traditional
native speakers of Hawaiian generally never use okinas nor kahakos
in their own writing. For this reason, some teachers of Hawaiian
language, such as NeSmith, are advocating greater appreciation for
the traditional native spellings with no okinas nor kahakos.
"Pidgin"
Many residents speak Hawaii Creole English (HCE), often called "pidgin".
The lexicon of HCE derives mainly from English but also has words
from Hawaiian, Chinese, Japanese, Ilocano and Tagalog from the Philippines
and Portuguese. During the 19th century, there was a great increase
in immigration from foreign countries (mainly China, Japan, Portugal—especially
from the Azores archipelago—and Spain), and a pidgin English
developed which by the early 20th century became a creole English,
as pidgin speakers had children who acquired the pidgin as their
own native language.
HCE speakers can use some Hawaiian words without those words being
considered archaic. Most place names are retained from Hawaiian,
as are some names for plants or animals. For example, tuna fish
are often called "ahi". HCE speakers have modified the
meanings of certain English words. For example, the terms "auntie"
and "uncle" can be used to refer to any adult who is a
friend, or a friend to the family. It is also used as a sign of
respect for elders. Throughout the surfing boom in Hawaii, HCE has
influenced surfer slang. Some HCE expressions, such as brah and
da kine, have found their way to other places.
Certain words can be dropped if their meaning is implicit. For
example, instead of saying "It is hot today, isn't it?",
an HCE speaker is likely to say simply "stay hot, eh?"
Debates
A somewhat divisive political issue that has arisen since the constitution
of the State of Hawaii added Hawaiian as a second official state
language is the exact spelling of the state’s name in English.
As prescribed in the Hawaii Admission Act that granted Hawaiian
statehood, the federal government recognizes Hawaii to be the official
state name.
Official government publications,[citation needed] as well as department
and office titles,[citation needed] use the traditional Hawaiian
spelling, that is, with no symbols for glottal stops or vowel length.
In contrast, some private entities, including a local newspaper,
are using such symbols.
The title of the state constitution is "The Constitution of
the State of Hawaii". In Article XV therein, Section 1 uses
"The State of Hawaii", Section 2 "the island of Oahu",
Section 3 "The Hawaiian flag", and Section 5 specifies
the state motto as "Ua mau ke ea o ka aina i ka pono".
Note that no okinas nor kahakos are used in all those cases.
The nuances in the Hawaiian language debate are often not obvious
or well-appreciated among English speakers outside Hawaii. The issue
has often been a source of friction in situations where correct
naming conventions are mandated, as people frequently disagree over
which spelling is correct or incorrect, and where it is correctly
or incorrectly applied.
See also: Hawaiian language#Orthography (writing system)
Education
Main article: Hawai'i Department of Education
Hawaii 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 academies
As 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
list of independent schools in Hawaii. For a comprehensive list
of public schools, see the list of public schools in Hawaii.
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 universities
Graduates 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 (Manoa);
(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 list of colleges and universities in Hawaii.
Problems
It 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).[32]
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.
Economy
See also: Hawaii locations by per capita income
The history of Hawaii can be traced through a succession of dominating
industries: sandalwood, whaling, sugarcane, pineapple, military,
tourism, and education. Since statehood was achieved in 1959, tourism
has been the largest industry in Hawaii, contributing 24.3% of the
Gross State Product (GSP) in 1997. New efforts are underway to diversify
the economy. The total gross output for the state in 2003 was US$47
billion; per capita income for Hawaii residents was US$30,441.
Industrial exports from Hawaii include food processing and apparel.
These industries play a small role in the Hawaii economy, however,
due to the considerable shipping distance to the ports and population
of the West Coast of the United States. Food exports include coffee,
macadamia nuts, pineapple, livestock, and sugarcane. Agricultural
sales for 2002, according to the Hawaii Agricultural Statistics
Service, were US$370.9 million from diversified agriculture, US$100.6
million from pineapple, and US$64.3 million from sugarcane.
Hawaii is known for its relatively high per capita state tax burden.
In the years 2002 and 2003, Hawaii residents had the highest state
tax per capita at US$2,757 and US$2,838, respectively. This rate
can be explained partly by the fact that services such as education,
health care and social services are all rendered at the state level,
as opposed to the municipal level in all other states.
Millions of tourists contribute to the collection figure by paying
the general excise tax and hotel room tax; thus not all the taxes
collected come directly from residents. Business leaders, however,
have often considered the state's tax burden as being too high,
contributing to both higher prices and the perception of an unfriendly
business climate.[33] See the list of businesses in Hawaii for more
information on commerce in the state.
Until recently, Hawaii was the only state in the U.S. that attempted
to control gasoline prices through a Gas Cap Law. The law was enacted
during a period when oil profits in Hawaii in relation to the mainland
U.S. were under scrutiny, and sought to tie local gasoline prices
to those of the mainland. The law took effect in September 2005
amid price fluctuations caused by Hurricane Katrina. The Hawaii
state legislature suspended the law in April 2006.
Health care system
A notable (and much-discussed) aspect of Hawaiian government and
economy is its health care system, which insures over 95% of residents.
Under the state's plan, all businesses are required to provide employees
who work more than twenty hours per week with health care. Heavy
regulation of insurance companies helps keep the cost to employers
down. In addition, due in part to the system's emphasis on preventive
care, Hawaiians require hospital treatment less frequently than
their counterparts in the rest of the United States, while total
health care expenses (measured as a percentage of state GDP) are
substantially lower. Given these achievements, proponents of universal
health care elsewhere in the U.S. have sometimes used Hawaii as
a model for proposed federal and state health care plans. Critics,
however, note that Hawaii's success is due at least in part to its
mild climate and to its status as a chain of islands whose economy
is heavily based on tourism: features that make it more difficult
for businesses unhappy with paying the plan's premiums to relocate
elsewhere.[34]
Transportation
By road
Hawaii has four federal highways: H-1, H-2, H-3, and H-201, all
located on Oahu and all part of the Interstate Highway System. With
the exception of H-201, which begins and ends on H-1, all the highways
have at least one end point at or near a current or former military
installation. A system of state highways encircles the other main
islands as well as Oahu. Travel can be slow due to narrow winding
roads on the coastlines. Travel can be significantly congested during
morning and evening commute times in and out of Honolulu, particularly
on the leeward side. H1 was constructed after Honolulu was well
established, and on/off ramps are diverted throughout the city.
Hawaii has one of the best public transit systems in the United
States known as TheBus with over 4,200 stops on Oahu. It was ranked
number one in the country for 1994-1995 and again in 2000-2001 by
the American Public Transportation Association.[35]
By air
Aviation is an important part of Hawaii’s transportation network,
as most interisland travel takes place using commercial airlines.
Hawaiian Airlines, Aloha Airlines, and go! use jets to travel between
the larger commercial airports in Honolulu, Lihue, Kahului, Kona,
and Hilo, while Island Air and Pacific Wings serve smaller airports.
These airlines also provide air freight service between the islands.
By ship or ferry
A ferry linked to TheBus began service in September of 2007 known
as TheBoat. Fare for TheBoat is $2.00, and it runs from Barber's
Point to Aloha Tower Marketplace daily. It is hoped that linking
to TheBus and delivering commuters from Leeward to Honolulu will
alleviate traffic.
Norwegian Cruise Lines provides American-flagged passenger cruise
service between the islands.
The Hawaii Superferry is now connecting Maui and Oahu with a ferry
system capable of transporting vehicles. Service was scheduled to
begin in the second half of 2007 with routes from Oahu to Kauai
and Maui. Legal issues over environmental impact statements and
protests from residents of Maui and Kauai temporarily delayed the
implementation of this service, but service to Maui started in December
2007, and service to Kauai is still delayed.
Miscellaneous topics
Etymology
The Hawaiian language word Hawai?i derives from Proto-Polynesian
*Sawaiki, with the reconstructed meaning "homeland";[36]
cognate words are found in other Polynesian languages, including
Maori (Hawaiki), Rarotongan (?Avaiki), and Samoan (Savai?i). (See
also Hawaiki).
According to Pukui and Elbert (1986:62) "Elsewhere in Polynesia,
Hawai?i or a cognate is the name of the underworld or of the ancestral
home, but in Hawai?i the name has no meaning; see Pukui, Elbert,
and Mookini, 1974." (emphasis added)
Media
Newspapers
Two 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.
Television
All 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.
Film
See also: List of films set in Hawaii
Hawaii 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.
Culture
Main article: Culture of Hawaii
The 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 cities
Hawaii 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 Hawaii
The 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
Hawaiian royal family and Hawaii politicians are also available.
Father Damien
(January 3, 1840 – April 15, 1889) Beatified towards sainthood
by Pope John Paul II
Mother Marianne Cope
(January 23, 1838 – August 9, 1918) Beatified towards sainthood
by Pope Benedict XVI
Hiram Fong
(October 15, 1906 – August 18, 2004) First Chinese American
and Asian American elected United States Senator
General Eric Shinseki
(born November 28, 1942)
Duke Kahanamoku
(August 24, 1890 – January 22, 1968) Gold-medal winning Olympic
athlete who popularized surfing
Israel Kamakawiwo?ole
(May 20, 1959 – June 26, 1997) "Braddah IZ" was
a Hawaiian musician and entertainer
Jack Johnson
(born May 18, 1975) Hawaii-born musician, filmmaker, and surfer
Barack Obama
Hawaii-born Illinois senator and 2008 presidential candidate
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