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Hawaii Culture


  • Food
  • In many ways, the confluence of backgrounds and ethnicities that make up Hawaii’s unique population is most evident in local culinary offerings. Most popular dishes combine elements of several cultures ...more

  • Luaus
  • Luaus began nearly 200 years ago as flagrant disregard for tradition or inspired forward progress, depending on how you see it. Under kanawai, the ancient Hawaiian system of laws, certain actions were ...more

  • Hawaiian Dress
  • On any given day, locals look beach-ready. The preferred style of dress often incorporates one or more of the following: slippers (plastic flip-flops), board shorts, other surf-inspired clothing, and ...more

  • Customs And Etiquette
  • Hawaii residents place so much stock in the aloha spirit that there is an actual law in the Hawaii Revised Statutes that requires residents to abide by the spirit of ancient Hawaiians. And, for the most ...more

  • The Arts
  • Hawaii’s architecture reflects its varied past. Heiau are remnants of ancient Hawaiian religion. These simple structures were built to honor the gods and typically consist of altars and taboo houses ...more

  • Sports And Recreation
  • Watersports reign in Hawaii—some of the world’s best surfing and windsurfing spots can be found here. Golf is the chosen sport of many tourists, and manicured greens are spread across the islands ...more

  • Holidays And Festivals
  • Jan.-Feb.: Chinese New Year. This celebration is best seen on Oahu, in Chinatown, where you’ll be treated to a lion dance, fireworks, and an abundance of Chinese food. Feb.: Maui’s Whale Day ...more

  • Additional Resources
  • A Field Guide to the Birds of Hawaii and the Tropical Pacific. Douglas Pratt (Princeton UP, 1987). Hawaii: A Natural History: Geology, Climate, Native Flora and Fauna Above the Shoreline. Sherwin ...more


More Cultural Essentials in Hawaii


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