Get ready to learn a little about the Hawaiian culture before your trip.
Hawaii is attributed to the Spirit of Aloha. It means to treat each other with love and respect. It's common for younger people to address an elder "Aunty" or "Uncle."
Hawaiian home
Respectful Rule:
Always remove your shoes if you are invited into someone's home.
Leis
A "lei" is given as a gift upon arriving or leaving. It symbolizes affection. It represents a wreath of nature's gifts (flowers, leaves, seeds, nuts, etc.) It is improper to refuse a lei or to remove it in front of the person who gifted it. Once you're done wearing it, it should be returned to the earth by hanging it as a decoration, or through burying or burning.
Dance and Music
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.
The Hula
Hawaii is known for its lively hula dancing performed by men and women. Presently, hula is for entertainment purposes, but a long time ago, it was performed at special ceremonies. Traditionally, hula dancers wear a grass leaf skirt, a flower necklace called a "lei," and sometimes they'll have a flower in their hair.
Want to know how hula goes? The dancer flows to a chant. The chanter beats their hand on a gourd, which is dried and emptied to make the rhythm. There are assorted types of hula. For instance, the Hawaiian hula dance is slow, while the Tahitian hula dance style is fast.
Hawaiian Legends
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.
Rainbow over Honolulu, HI
Religion
About half of Hawaii's current population practices a form of Christianity. Catholics make up the highest percentage of Christians, but Protestants aren't far behind. Almost any denomination which exists can be found here, as well as a fair number of non-denominational churches. There's even a Mennonite church, with the state's smallest congregation with less than 100 members. With Hawaii's large Asian population, religions from the Far East play an important role, too. Buddhism has the largest following among these religions, but Shinto, Hinduism, and other spiritual practices from the region can be found on the islands as well. A surprisingly large number of Mormons live in Hawaii. Jehovah's Witnesses also represent a notable percentage. Several synagogues serve Hawaii's relatively small Jewish population, while one mosque serves a smaller Muslim following. A few pagan groups also exist.
Hawaiian church
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