The official state flower of Hawaii is the yellow hibiscus (Hibiscus brackenridgei), also know as the pua aloalo. The hibiscus, all colors and varieties, was the official Territorial Flower, adopted in the early 1920s. At statehood in 1959, the first state legislature adopted many of Hawaii’s symbols as part of the Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS, [...]
Last night the 31st Na Hoku Hanohano awards show took place at the Hawai’i Convention Center. The biggest winner was 33 year old self-taught musician Hoku Zuttermeister. Napua Greig won for female vocalist of the year for her debut album “Pihana. The awards program will be rebroadcast at 5:30PM and 10:30PM on Saturday June 21st [...]
June 11th is King Kamehameha Day in Hawai’i. King Kamehameha Day is a public holiday in the state of Hawaii. It honors King Kamehameha the Great, who was the monarch who first established a unified Kingdom of Hawai’i. This Kingdom comprised the islands of Ni’ihau, Kaua’i, O’ahu, Moloka’i, Lana’i, Maui, Kaho’olawe, and Hawai’i. The holiday [...]
Ma’ili Beach Park is located on the Leeward Coast of O’ahu. Ma`ili Beach Park is in the area which got its name from a contracted form of ma`ili`ili, meaning “lots of little pebbles.” The beach at Ma’ili Beach Park is over a mile long with a grassy lawn lined with palm trees. Camping is permitted, [...]
Surfing was more than just riding waves to the early Hawaiians. Surfing was the center of social and ritual activities that began with the selection of the tree from which the board would be carved. These boards were then used in legendary surfing contests for ali’i. Surfers today are still enchanted with the sport. When [...]
Kualoa Regional Park is located in a beautiful area of O’ahu’s Windward coast. Kualoa mean “long back” in Hawaiian, and this area is rich in Hawaiian culture and history. The islet, Mokoli’i, is commonly known as Chinaman’s Hat because it has a conical shape that resembles the straw coolie hats used by immigrant workers. Kualoa [...]
Kailua-Kona is located in Hawai?i County, Hawai?i, United States, in the North Kona District of the Island of Hawai?i. It is the center of commerce and of the tourist industry on West Hawai?i. It is the site of the world-famous Ironman Triathlon World Championship held each year in October and broadcast around the world. It [...]
The Kamehameha Statue stands prominently in front of Ali’iolani Hale in Honolulu, Hawai’i. The statue had it’s origins in 1878 when Walter Gibson, a member of the Hawaiian government at the time, wanted to commemorate the 100 year “discovery” of Hawai’i by Captain Cook. The legislature appropriated $10,000 for the project and made Gibson the [...]
Waikiki is a neighborhood of Honolulu, in the City & County of Honolulu, on the south shore of the island of Oahu, Hawaii. Waikiki Beach is the shoreline fronting Waikiki and one of the best known beaches in the world. The neighborhood extends from the Ala Wai Canal on the west and north, to Diamond [...]
Finding Hawaiian Music Online is becoming easier and easier. You can now listen to territorial stations like KINE and KAPA even when you aren’t in the islands. These two stations now offer online streams of their broadcasts. If you’re on the mainland longing for home then fire up one of these streams and you’ll feel like your back in the islands.