Hawaii

Hawaiian Culture

The culture and tradition of Hawaii are actually reflections of the land’s innate beauty. The graceful Hawaiian dances, the meaningful and religious songs, and the various interesting art forms seem to be created with only one purpose, and that is to serve as instruments through which the beauty and the mystery of the place is expressed. The traditional dance of Hawaii are as vibrant as the rolling waves in its beaches. The moves are actually expressions of what Hawaii is, a land of beauty, grace, and spirituality. Music has also grown to be a familiar and popular part of Hawaiian culture. Ever evolving from a beginning of simple drum beats and chants, music today is filled with a multitude of artists and genres.

Another facet of the culture lies in legends. Ancient Hawaiians were known to be storytellers. Legends were a way of documenting history, knowledge, facts and beliefs from generation to generation. Some of the more popular legends include the story of the demi-God Maui, who pulled the island up from the bottom of the sea, the wicked, deceptive and jealous volcano goddess Pele and her snow god sister Poliahu. There are legends about the Kumulipo, which tell about the creation of the Hawaiian Islands and others that tell fishing stories about the shark gods. The Hawaiian culture also has many superstitions and omens, which are widely known and still observed today. Rain and rainbows are considered blessings from the gods.