Hawaii

Hawaii (in the Hawaiian language and as used increasingly in that place, spelled Hawai‘i with an ‘okina) is the North Central Pacific Ocean archipelago of the Hawaiian Islands, constituting the 50^th state of the United States. As of the 2000 Census, the population of the state was 1,211,537. Honolulu is the largest city and the state capital.

Hawaii (Hawai‘i) has many distinctions as a state of the Union. For example, it is the territory that was most recently annexed to the United States and the most recently admitted into statehood. In addition to having the southernmost point, it is the only state that lies in large part in the tropics. It is also the worlds' most isolated archipelago. As one of two states outside the contiguous United States, it is the only one without territory on the mainland of any continent. It is the only state that continues to grow due to volcanic lava flows, most notably Kīlauea. Ethnically, it is the only state that does not have a Caucasian majority, has the largest percentage of Asian Americans, and is the only industrial producer of coffee in the nation. Hawaii (Hawai‘i) is the birthplace of surfing, where kanaka maoli invented the sport enjoyed around the world. Hawaii (Hawai‘i) also has the unfortunate distinction of being the endangered species capitol of the world for its many endagered and threatened flora and fauna.

State symbols

The state languages are Hawaiian and English, as codified in the state constitution.
The state motto is Ua mau ke ea o ka aina i ka pono, which means The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness. Kamehameha III proclaimed the maxim to be the official national motto of the Kingdom of Hawai‘i.
The state flag is called Ka Hae Hawai‘i. It is most notably influenced by the Union Jack of the United Kingdom. The flag features eight horizontal stripes representing the eight major islands.
The state song is Hawai‘i pono‘i, written by David Kalākaua and composed by Prussian bandmaster Henri Berger.
The state bird is the nēnē, also called the Hawaiian Goose.
The state fish is the humuhumunukunukuapua‘a, also called the Reef Triggerfish.
The state flower is the ma‘o hau hele, an endemic yellow hibiscus (Hibiscus brackenridgei).
The state gem is the ‘ēkaha kū moana or black coral (family Antipathidae).
The state tree is the kuku‘i, an introduced (early Polynesian) candlenut tree (Aleurites moluccana).
The state statues in the United States Capitol are of Kamehameha the Great and Father Damien.

Language

Main article: Hawaiian language
The State of Hawaii has two official languages as prescribed by the state constitution: Hawaiian and English. Article XV, Section 4 of that constitution requires the use of Hawaiian in official state business, such as public acts and transactions. Though legislation has directed the use of Hawaiian in some public acts and transactions, standard American English is the language of formal business.

Starting late in the 20th century, interest in the use of traditional Hawaiian-language spelling has been revived; this is increasingly being taught in schools. The written form of Hawaiian was developed by Congregational and Presbyterian American missionaries in Hawai‘i during the early 19th century, and assigns to letters sounds virtually identical to those of their English equivalents. It also involves the use of the ‘okina character to indicate a glottal stop, and the macron accent over long vowels (called kahakō in Hawaiian). Just as some knowledge of the orthography is needed to correctly pronounce Hawaiian words and names, omission of these marks obscures correct pronunciation of Hawaiian place names, and often their literal meanings.

A third language had developed over the course of Hawaiian history and is today in common use throughout the state. Originally considered a mere dialect, cultural anthropologists have recently reached consensus that Hawaiian Pidgin is a language of its own. It finds its origins in the sugarcane and pineapple plantations as laborers from different cultures were forced to find their own way of understanding each other. Hawaiian Pidgin is a spoken language primarily based on English and includes words from Chinese, Hawaiian, Ilocano, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Tagalog.

Naming conventions: "Hawaii" and "Hawai‘i"

The issue of the exact spellings of Hawaii and Hawai‘i and how they are applied is proven to be a divisive political issue. The issue is over the inclusion or exclusion of the ‘okina.

In the Hawaiian language, for as long as the language has been written, the name has always been Hawai‘i, with an ‘okina. When Hawaii became a political unit of the United States, U.S. Congress adopted the spelling Hawaii, without the ‘okina. This is still the official name of Hawaii as a political entity under American sovereignity. For the purposes of interpolitical relations outside the State of Hawaii, the American congressional spelling is properly used.

However, in local Hawaiian society, the spelling and pronunciation of Hawai‘i is preferred in nearly all cases, even for English language speakers, and is considered the most correct name for Hawai‘i as a place. Even the Government of Hawaii prefers this spelling for the names of its departments and offices. The convention to include the ‘okina is so widespread in Hawai‘i that it is used even in publications whose titles include the spelling Hawaii without the ‘okina.

These delicate nuances are often not obvious or well-appreciated outside Hawai‘i. This issue can be 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.

History

Main article: History of Hawai‘i

The history of the Hawaiian Islands can be divided into its various legal entities, from ancient Hawai‘i under the rule of local chiefdoms over a millennium ago to the consolidation and establishment of the Kingdom of Hawai‘i in 1810. The islands witnessed the overthrow of its sovereignty by the Provisional Government of Hawai‘i, followed by governance as the Republic of Hawai‘i. The Newlands Resolution was passed in 1898 establishing the Territory of Hawai‘i and statehood was achieved in 1959.

Ancient Hawai‘i

Main article: Ancient Hawai‘i

It is believed that the Hawaiian Islands were first populated by Polynesians from the Marquesas and Society Islands approximately 1500 years ago. Many legends proclaim how the Hawaiian people came to be, like the story of the navigator Hawai‘iloa who named the islands after his sons. The early Hawaiians developed a complex society based on a caste system and adopted a system of law and religion called kapu. Local chiefs or Ali‘i ruled each community and constantly fought to defend them from rival chiefs wanting to extend their territories. Warfare was endemic. The period called ancient Hawai‘i finally came to an end with the arrival of British explorer Captain James Cook on January 18, 1778 whose interactions with the native Hawaiians ended in his death. The man the Hawaiians thought was the god Lono had named the archipelago the Sandwich Islands after the benefactor of his voyage, John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich.

Kingdom of Hawai‘i

Main article: Kingdom of Hawai‘i

In 1795, the islands were united for the first time under a single ruler: King Kamehameha, the first chief to enthusiastically adopt innovations such as cannon and foreign advisors. The Kamehameha Dynasty ruled the Hawaiian islands until 1872, when the last Kamehameha monarch, King Kamehameha V, died childless. The monarchy passed to the House of Kalākaua, another line of the Hawaiian nobility, and lasted until 1898, when a league of mostly American plantation owners, supported by a U.S. Naval commander, overthrew Queen Lili‘uokalani. On July 7, 1898 the new Hawaiian government and the U.S. Congress agreed that the United States should annex Hawai‘i as a United States territory, with self-government beginning shortly thereafter.

Incorporation into the U.S.

"Hawaii" was a territory of the United States for 60 years. The plantation owners found territorial status convenient, as they were able to continue importing cheap foreign labor—immigration that would have been prohibited under then-current law to any state. But the power of the plantation owners was finally broken by the descendants of the imported laborers. Because they were born in a U.S. territory, they were U.S. citizens with full voting rights. They campaigned for statehood for the islands.

On March 18, 1959, President Dwight Eisenhower signed the Admission Act, which made Hawaii the 50th state of the Union, effective August 21, 1959.

An unexpected outgrowth of the 1978 Hawaii State Constitutional Convention was what some call the "Hawaiian renaissance." Ethnic Hawaiians, through programs created by the constitutional convention, revived their ancestral language and culture; some took a combative attitude towards a U.S government seen as a occupying power. Many regretted the demise of the Hawaiian monarchy and decried some U.S. government officals' connivance in its overthrow. In January 1993, the U.S. Congress passed (and President Clinton later signed) a resolution apologizing for that role.

Geology and geography

Main article: Hawaiian Islands

The State of Hawaii is spread over 19 major islands and atolls in the central Pacific. The state government also includes minor offshore islands and individual islets in each atoll in its count of 137 islands; this number is often quoted in visitor literature. The inhabited islands are those from the Big Island of Hawai‘i to Ni‘ihau (see map), but the island chain extends another 1000 miles (1600 km) to the northwest.

The main Hawaiian Islands and the counties of the state are shown on the map to the right. The larger islands are listed below.

File:Lavaatvolcanoesnatpark.jpg

Lava pouring into the ocean at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Government

File:Hawaiistatecapitol.jpg

The Hawai‘i State Capitol has served as the seat of government in Hawai‘i since 1969.

The state government of Hawaii is modeled after the federal government with adaptations originating from the kingdom era of Hawaiian history. As codified in the Constitution of Hawai‘i, there are three branches of government: executive, legislative and judicial. The executive branch is led by the state governor who oversees the major agencies and departments. The legislative body consists of the 25-member Hawai‘i State Senate and the 51-member Hawai‘i State House of Representatives. The judicial branch is led by the highest state court, the Hawai‘i State Supreme Court. Lower courts are organized as the Hawai‘i State Judiciary. Unique to Hawai‘i is the way it has organized its municipal governments. There are no incorporated cities in Hawai‘i except the City & County of Honolulu. The only other municipal governments are administered at the county level.

Governor of Hawai‘i is Linda Lingle (Republican)
Lieutenant Governor of Hawai‘i is James Aiona (Republican)
Senior United States Senator is Daniel K. Inouye (Democrat)
Junior United States Senator is Daniel K. Akaka (Democrat)
First District Congressman is Neil Abercrombie (Democrat)
Second District Congressman is Ed Case (Democrat)

See: List of Hawaiian counties, US Congressional Delegations from Hawai‘i, List of Hawai‘i politicians

Economy

The total gross output for the state in 1999 was USD $41 billion, placing Hawaii 40^th compared to the other states. Per capita income for Hawaii residents was USD $28,221.

Historically, the history of modern Hawaii can be traced through a succession of dominating industries: sandalwood, whaling, sugarcane, pineapple, military, tourism and education. Tourism is currently the state's largest industry while efforts are being made toward the diversification of the economy. Industrial exports include food processing and apparel. However, because of the considerable shipping distance to markets on the West Coast United States or Japan, they play a small role in the island economy. The main agricultural exports are nursery stock and flowers, coffee, macadamia nuts, pineapple, livestock, and sugar cane. Agricultural sales for 2002 (according to the Hawai‘i Agricultural Statistics Service) were USD $370.9 million from diversified agriculture, USD $100.6 million from pineapple, and USD $64.3 million from sugarcane.

See also: Business in Hawaii

List of important cities and towns

Honolulu
Hilo
Lihue
Wailuku
Hana, Hawaii Kihei

Demographics

The population of Hawaii (Hawai‘i) is approximately 1.2 million, while the de facto population is over 1.3 million due to military presence and tourists. O‘ahu is the most populous island, with a population of just under one million.

According to the 2000 Census, 6.6% of Hawaii's population identified themselves as Native Hawaiian, 24.3% were White or Caucasian, including Portuguese and 41.6% were Asian, including 0.1% Asian Indian, 4.7% Chinese, 14.1% Filipino, 16.7% Japanese, Okinawan, 1.9% Korean and 0.6%Vietmanese. 1.3% were other Pacific Islander which includes Tongan, Tahitian, Maori and Micronesian, and 21.4% described themselves as mixed (two or more races/ethnic groups). 1.8% were Black or African American and 0.3% were American Indian and Alaska Native. The second group of foreigners to arrive upon Hawaii's shores, after the Europeans, were the Chinese who jumped off of trading ships in 1789. In 1820 the first Amercian Missionaries arrived in Hawaii to spread Christianity among the kanaka maoli and were also instrumental in developing the 12 letter alphabet, finally putting the Hawaiian language into writing. This had a significant impact on the Hawaiian Religion or Huna. 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, begining in the 1850's, to work on the sugar plantations. The first Japanese arrived in Hawaii on February 9, 1885.

The largest city is the capital, Honolulu, located along the southeast coast of the island of O‘ahu. Other populous cities include Hilo, Kāne‘ohe, Kailua, Pearl City, Kahului, and Kailua-Kona.

Education

Main article: Hawai‘i State Department of Education

Hawaii is currently the only state in the union with a unified school system statewide. (Similarly, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico also has a commonwealth-wide system.) It is also the oldest public education system west of the Mississippi River. Policy decisions are made by the eleven-member state Board of Education, whose members are elected for four-year terms. 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 O‘ahu 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 O‘ahu 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.

However, policy initiatives have been made in recent years toward decentralization. Current Governor Linda Lingle is a proponent of replacing the current statewide board with seven elected district boards. The Democrat-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 of structural reform is likely to continue for the foreseeable future.

Colleges and universities

The following are some of the most notable, colleges and universities in Hawai‘i. Wikipedia's list of colleges and universities in Hawai‘i is more comprehensive.

Famous people from Hawai‘i

The following are some of the most notable, nationally-renowned people from Hawai‘i. Wikipedia's list of famous people from Hawaii is more comprehensive (please add new names to the separate list). A separate register of members of the Hawaiian royal family and Hawaii politicians is also available.

Benny Agbayani, professional baseball player
Dan Akaka, first Native Hawaiian US Senator
Akebono, sumo wrestler
George Ariyoshi, first Japanese American governor
Angela Perez Baraquio, Miss America 2001
Hiram Bingham III, Connecticut politician and explorer
Bernice Pauahi Bishop, princess and philanthropist
Charles Reed Bishop, banker and philanthropist
Tia Carrere, actress
Steve Case, former Chairman and CEO of America Online
Alexander Cartwright, father of American baseball
Benjamin J. Cayetano, first Filipino American governor
Victoria Ka‘iulani, princess
Father Damien, Catholic missionary
James Dole, pineapple magnate
Hiram Fong, first Chinese American US Senator
Don Ho, entertainer
Dan Inouye, first Japanese American US Senator
Dwayne Johnson, professional wrestler and actor known as "The Rock"
Jack Johnson, singer
Duke Kahanamoku, Olympic athlete
Henry J. Kaiser, industrialist
Israel Kamakawiwo‘ole, singer
Kamehameha the Great, king
Konishiki, sumo wrestler
Brook Mahealani Lee, Miss Universe 1997
Lili‘uokalani, queen
Bette Midler, actress
Barack Obama, Illinois politician
Ellison Onizuka, astronaut
Claus Spreckels, industrialist
John Waihee, first Native Hawaiian governor
Michelle Wie, golfer

Media

In Hawai‘i, there are two competing Honolulu newspapers, The Honolulu Advertiser, owned by the Gannett media conglomerate, and Honolulu Star-Bulletin. The state has a vibrant ethnic press, with newspapers for the Filipino, Japanese and Native Hawaiian communities, among other groups. The Big Island of Hawaii has the Hawaii Tribune-Herald and West Hawaii Today. Hawaii Reporter is an online publication. Pacific Business News is a weekly business newspaper. Hawai‘i Business is the state's business magazine. Honolulu magazine is a prominent city magazine.

All the major television networks are represented in Hawai‘i through KFVE (WB affiliate), KGMB (CBS affiliate), KHET (PBS affiliate), KHNL (NBC affiliate), KHON (FOX affiliate) and KITV (ABC affiliate), among others. From Honolulu, programming at these stations are rebroadcast to the neighbor islands via networks of satellite transmitters.

Miscellaneous information

File:Akakafalls.jpg

Akaka Falls

Hawaii, being one of the United States, is included in the North American Numbering Plan. Its area code within that plan is 808.
Hawai‘i is located in the Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time Zone (UTC-10). Hawaii is one of three U.S. states that do not observe Daylight Saving Time.
‘Iolani Palace, the only royal residence in the United States, was once the home of King Kalākaua and Queen Lili‘uokalani, the last monarchs of Hawai‘i. It is open to visitors.
Many television shows have been set in Hawai‘i, including Hawaii Five-O, Magnum P.I., and—most recently—Fox Network's North Shore
Pele is the well-known goddess of Hawaiian volcanoes. Local legends and ghost stories often revolve around her visits, as well as sightings of Menehune and Nightmarchers.
Hawai‘i is home to two of the largest independent schools in the United States: Punahou School and the Kamehameha Schools.
Local directions in Hawai‘i are not expressed in terms of compass points (i.e., north-south-east-west) but by a radial system that uses local landmarks. For example, mauka means inland (literally, "towards the mountain"), while makai means the opposite ("towards the sea"). In Honolulu "Diamond Head" is equivalent to "east," because that's the main landmark on the coast east of downtown Honolulu, and "‘Ewa" is equivalent to "west," because that place is on the coast west of Honolulu. So instead of saying something was on the north-west corner of an intersection in Honolulu, it might be described as the "mauka and ‘ewa" corner of that intersection.
Hanafuda is a popular card game among Japanese-Americans living in Hawai‘i.
Hawai‘i is home to a number of endemic plant and animal species that are vulnerable to outside threats. Among the rarest is the Po‘ouli, a bird with only three surviving members, all of which live on the island of Maui.
Akaka Falls (442 ft. tall) is the tallest waterfall on the Big Island.

External links

Official state homepage
Hawai‘i Visitors & Convention Bureau
Hawai‘i - Independent and Sovereign - a secessionist website
Friends of ‘Iolani Palace
HawaiiAnswers.com - an FAQ repository for Hawai‘i
Satellite image of Hawaiian Islands at NASA's Earth Observatory

United States