Loud prints and colorful appeal reflect the essence of Hawaii’s laid-back lifestyle

As residents and visitors throughout the U.S. bear high temperatures, they apply creative and conventional ways to beat the heat. Staying hydrated, carrying handkerchiefs or tissues, applying sun block and participating in water sports and limiting time spent in the sun are a few methods to keep cool. Apparel is significant and it’s not always easy to find the right clothing.

Honolulu is a great place to shop and find your perfect aloha shirt. Stay nearby in one of our Kahala vacation rentals.

History
Appropriately, July 2011 is the unofficial 75th anniversary of the Aloha shirt, Hawaii’s visual marketing, via apparel. An article in USA Today Travel shares the history of the shirt, considered a longstanding and timeless expression that simply says, Hawaii, by anyone wearing it, including notable figures Bing Crosby, Tom Selleck and Elvis Presley. Most likely President Obama has a few in his closet.

The Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau notes the varied history of the shirt. The kapa cloth in the Pacific region, which is made by pounding tree bark and then dyeing it is one origination. The aloha shirt is also credited to the Filipino immigrants and the Japanese, a creation from their kimono cloth.

Aloha shirt are worn not only for casual occasions but elegant occasions too

Other notable facts about the Aloha shirt—Honolulu tailor Ellery Chun trademarked the term in the 1930s and the Japanese government used the shirt as a strategy for energy conservation and encouraged workers to trade their professional slacks and shirts for this casual look. The Honolulu Chamber of Commerce commissioned a study to find apparel better suited to the island’s climate and even passed a resolution to allow open-necked sports shirts as accepted apparel from June through October. They later amended their resolution to include the Aloha shirt that had previously been excluded for the bold patterns. Eventually, Aloha Week was introduced as an annual feature and Hawaii’s icon and legend, Duke Kahanamoku embraced these shirts and furthered their popularity and acceptance as a beloved island image.

Gradually, Aloha shirts were being discovered by visitors with the loud prints and colorful appeal and reflecting the essence of the laid-back lifestyle visitors yearn for, even temporarily. Many organizations and individuals continued to show their support for the Aloha shirts. The Hawaiian Fashion Guild presented shirts to all male legislators in the State House and their “Operation Liberation” prompted the Senate to pass a resolution encouraging Hawaiians to wear the shirts for Lei Day, May 1, and through summertime. Perhaps Americans can appreciate and credit their fellow countrymen for casual Fridays as Aloha Friday was introduced in 1966. In any case, the Aloha shirt is worn not just for casual occasions but elegant too, an incredible history after 75 years in a world where fashion is fickle but classics get better and continue to evolve.

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Educational Exhibits and Hands-On Activities That Kids Love

The Polynesian Cultural Center (55-370 Kamehameha Highway, Laie; 808-293-3333) encompasses more than 40 acres on Oahu’s beautiful north shore. Truly one of Oahu’s premier attractions, this superbly managed attraction provides valuable lessons while also being very exciting.

From weaving to carving to coconut-cracking and ancient tattoos, from songs and dances to fire-starting and tribal meeting houses, the Center has something for everyone. Particularly impressive is watching the native methods of scaling the immensely tall coconut trees! And of course all the great food!

The Polynesian Cultural Center has its roots in the Polynesian shows that were put on by college students of Brigham Young University in the 1950s. The Center opened in 1963 and is run by the college and staffed by its students. An expansion effort that took place in 1975 ensured its future as a major Oahu attraction.

Seven island nations are represented at the Polynesian Cultural Center including wonderful Tahitian and Marquesan Villages as well as Samoan, Maori, and Fijian villages. Each theme village has its own specific and authentic music, dances, and crafts.

Kids and adults alike enjoy the state-of-the-art IMAX Theater that shows various films such as Dolphins which brings to life the fascinating marine mammals.

A daily Pageant of the Long Canoes takes place at 2:30 when the Center’s lagoons grace the participants adorned in all of their cultural regalia aboard canoes – a truly impressive scene.

Also seen at the Polynesian Cultural Center is a full song and dance Polynesian-style Revue which includes more than 100 performers. A Hawaiian Luau provides a veritable feast of traditional foods while another entertaining production is provided, this one more contemporary Polynesian.

The mission of the Polynesian Cultural Center, aside from educating and entertaining people who come there from all over the world, is to provide scholarships and also jobs for students of Brigham Young University, which is located nearby.

The Center has its roots in the first arrival of Mormon missionaries to Hawaii in 1850 when they established the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Laie. They puchased 6,000 acres of land in Laie in 1865.

In 1919 the Mormon used crushed coral and rock to build a Mormon Temple that was a smaller replica of the temple in Salt Lake City, Utah. This beautiful temple set beneath the stunning Koolau Mountains was the first Mormon temple built outside of the continental United States. The Mormon temple is considered the cornerstone of the college.

The Polynesian Cultural Center is open Monday to Saturday, from 12:30 until 9pm. Cultural villages close at 6:30

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Famous Area Is Steeped In History

Today Waikiki is perhaps the most exciting place in all Hawaii.  Throngs of people, a multitude of shops and restaurants, great beaches and fabulous surfing waves, affordable oceanfront condominiums and hotels – what more could anyone want?

Waikiki wasn’t always high-rises and high-end shops, however.  The area used to be 2,000 acres of marshland that served as a drainage area for the valleys of Manoa and Makiki beneath the formidable Ko‘olau Mountains.

The first Hawaiians who settled in Waikiki slowly converted the fertile marshlands to productive fishponds and taro patches.

King Kamehameha’s huge fleet of 900 war canoes landed on the shores of Waikiki in 1795.  Kamehameha’s 16,000 warriors battled about 9,000 Oahu warriors, who were driven up into Nuuanu Valley where many were either driven over the edge of the cliffs at Nuuanu Pali or jumped rather than surrender.

In the early 1900s rice fields dominated the Waikiki landscape, and these were planted mostly by Chinese immigrants who had originally come to Hawaii to work on sugarcane plantations.

Kapiolani Park – dedicated by King Kalakaua to his wife Queen Kapiolani – is located at the eastern end of Waikiki and was used for horse races as well as polo games, musical performances, and other festivities.

Gingerbread-trimmed cottages of the wealthy graced the palm-lined Waikiki beachfront.  This was a place not only for Hawaiian royalty – who considered it a place of healing – but also for the wealthy members of Hawaiian society.

Many influential tourists have visited Waikiki including Robert Louis Stevenson who came in 1889 and then again in 1893, both time singing its praises.

The first big hotel to open in Waikiki was the Moana Hotel, which opened with 75 rooms in 1901.   Commonly known as the “First Lady of Waikiki, the four-story building was Hawaii’s tallest, and began the rise of Waikiki as a world famous resort destination.  In 1916 another 100 rooms were added to the Moana.

Horse-driven tram cars were the preferred mode of transportation until an electric trolley connected downtown Honolulu to Waikiki in 1902, and soon plans were underway to build the infamous Ala Wai Canal and drain the marshes of the area.

In 1927 the Matson Navigation Company built the $2-million Royal Hawaiian Hotel featuring pink turrets, high ceilings, and elegant chandeliers – it came to be known as the “Pink Palace.”

By 1928 the Ala Wai was finished, and the former wetland areas were filled with coral rubble, instantly creating Hawaii’s most valuable property.
Waikiki was now truly a place for the rich and famous to visit.  To make this even easier, Matson also built a state-of-the-art cruise ship, the $7.5 million Malolo.  Up to 650 passengers could now travel in luxury to the new Hawaii hotel, and guests that came included Henry Ford II, Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, Nelson Rockefeller, and Babe Ruth.

The Waikiki Beachboys formed in the 1920s – they were a group of water sports instructors who worked in the area near the big new hotels, the Moana and the Royal Hawaiian, and they helped the wealthy visitors enjoy surfing and outrigger canoe rides in the waves of Waikiki.  One famous Beachboy was the legendary Duke Kahanamoku.

The duckponds of the Ala Moana area were also filled in with coral rubble, and in 1934 Moana Park (now Ala Moana Park) was dedicated by Franklin Delano Roosevelt.  The Ala Moana Shopping Center opened in 1959, the same year Statehood occurred.

Perhaps this little glimpse back into the early days of Waikiki will help you appreciate the history of this unique and exciting location.

I prefer to rent a condominium right in the heart of it all and then spend many days eating great food, taking in all of the shows and musical performances, and of course just people watching and surfing my days away on the wonderful beaches of Waikiki.

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Japanese Americans in Hawaii Fight Valiantly for their Country

The recent visit to Hawaii by Japan’s Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko provides a good time to remember the wonderful contributions of Hawaii’s Nisei Soldiers.

The story of the 442nd/100th began on February 1, 1943 when the US government formed the 442nd Infantry Regimental Combat Team, which was initially comprised of Nisei, or second-generation Japanese-Americans.
Having been previously barred from combat, the Nisei soldiers had formed the Varsity Victory Volunteers to do civilian work in support of the war effort.  Their great work led the War Department to form the all-Nisei combat unit called the 442nd.

The 442nd soldiers were volunteers from Hawaii and also from the US Mainland, and they were dedicated to proving their loyalty to the United States in the wake of the Pearl Harbor attack.

In 1944 the 442nd joined with the 100th Infantry Regimental Combat Team and fought in Italy, then joined the invasion of southern France.  These heroic soldiers, mostly Nisei, suffered terrible losses in France and Germany, and yet they persevered in major battles.

The motto of the 442nd was “Go For Broke,” and they became known as the “Purple Heart Batallion” – more than 9,000 Purple Hearts were eventually awarded.

It was October, 1944 when they liberated Bruyeres in France from the Nazis, and in Biffontaine, the 442nd/100th lost half of their men, yet they completed the heroic rescue of 211 soldiers of the “Lost Battalion.”  Those 211 soldiers were trapped behind enemy lines, and out of ammunition and food, and this famous battle turned the tide of the war toward victory.

The valorous fighting of the 442nd/100th made them the United States’ most decorated military unit ever.

All of this brave fighting by Japanese-Americans took place in the shadow of the Pearl Harbor attack, which led the US government to discharge 5,000 Japanese-American soldiers and declare them non-draftable enemy aliens.

These Japanese-Americans in Hawaii wouldn’t give up trying to prove their loyalty despite the treatment they received – priest, principals, and business leaders, and many others were detained and interned at Sand Island beginning in Decmember of 1941.

Hawaii’s Japanese-American population at the time of the Pearl Harbor attack was about 100,000.  There were also about 35,000 first generation Japanese in Hawaii.  Determined to prove that they would fight for their country, America, the Nisei proved their valor many times over in the 442nd/100th.

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Renown Hawaiian Musician Heard Throughout the World

Hawaii has produced many wonderful musicians and singers, but none more famous or popular than Brudda Iz (1959-1997).

Israel Ka‘ano‘i Kamakawiwo‘ole began his musical career with the Mākaha Sons of Ni‘ihau, which eventually released ten albums and toured the US.  They also hosted an annual concert every Memorial Day at the Waikiki Shell – this concert was known as the Makaha Bash.

Israel began a solo career in 1993, and released the album Facing Future, which soon was the most popular album, and Iz became the most popular Hawaii entertainer.  Facing Future was the first album from Hawaii to sell more than 1 million copies in the US.

Israel’s 1997 release of the album N DIS LIFE garnered him numerous Na Hoku Hanohano awards including Favorite Entertainer of the Year and Male Vocalist.

Israel married Marlene Ku‘upua Ah Lo, his childhood sweetheart, and they had a daughter named Ceslieanne Wehekealake‘alekupuna “Wehi” Kamakawiwo‘ole.  The Hawaiian actor and musician Moe Keale was Israel’s uncle.

In 1997, Israel passed away due to respiratory failure – he was 38.  A memorial was held at the State Capitol Rotunda and Israel’s ashes were scattered offshore at Makua Beach.

Israel’s music remains as Hawaii’s top selling music, and is famous all around the world.  In 2001 a new CD, Alone in IZ World, was released and immediately became a top seller, and subsequent albums also have topped the charts. A pure-blooded Hawaiian, Israel is said to be the ali‘i, or royalty, of the people of Hawaii.

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There is so much wonderful art and architecture around Honolulu, it is hard to know where to start.  Some of the best sights can be seen just by driving around in your car and keeping an eye out for historic buildings.

Here I will describe ten very historic Honolulu buildings that you can see when you visit Oahu.  Seeing these historic buildings and learning a little about them is like taking a trip back in time to the olden days of Honolulu.  There are many great vacation rentals and hotel deals on Oahu right now, so once you are settled in, take a drive around and check out some of these famous old buildings.

The first building on our historic tour is Washington Place, which was built in 1847 at 20 South Beretania Street in downtown Honolulu, right next to Iolani Palace.

This is a beautiful home that was constructed by John Dominis, the merchant sea captain who was the father of John Owen Dominis, the husband of Queen Liliuokalani.

Queen Liliuokalani lived in Washington Place until she passed away in 1917, and since then Washington Place has been renovated numerous times. The home continues to be used as a public reception area, and was recently the site of a reception for the Japanese Emperor!

Washington Place is on the National Register of Historic Places, and has also been declared a National Historic Landmark.

The impressive St. Andrew’s Cathedral was built in 1867 at Beretania and Queen Emma Streets (Queen Emma Square).

This Gothic style Honolulu cathedral came to be after King Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma raised $30,000 to begin construction. They had taken an interest in constructing an Anglican church after their visit to see England’s Queen Victoria in 1861 when they were quite impressed with the Church of England.

The French Gothic nave on St Andrews was made using a stone from England. A huge stained glass mural was installed across the front of the church in 1958 and represents the history of Christianity. St. Andrews is also on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Kamehameha V Post Office Building at Merchant and Bethel Streets was built in 1871 in the Renaissance Revival style. This historic structure is America’s oldest reinforced concrete building, and served as the Honolulu Post Office until 1922.  Today it houses the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts.

The Moana Hotel is located in Waikiki and was Hawaii’s tallest building when it was constructed in 1901. With 75 rooms, this four-story building was the design of the prolific Hawaii architect Oliver Green Traphagen.

The Moana became known as the “First Lady of Waikiki,” and in 1901 another 100 rooms were added along with a seaside courtyard.

The 6-story Stangenwald Building at 119 Merchant Street was built in 1901 by renowned Hawaii architect Charles William Dickey (1871-1942).

Named after Honolulu physician Hugo Stangenwald, the building is notable for its many Italian Renaissance elements including a wrought-iron balustrade, pressed-copper trim, arched windows, terra cotta ornamentation, and Hawaii’s first electric elevator. For more than fifty years the Stangenwald Building was Hawaii’s tallest building.

The Stangenwald Building was built with a steel frame, using brick and concrete.  The structure included built-in fire hoses as well as fireproof vaults on every other floor. Constructed in the wake of the 1900 Chinatown fire that displaced 4,000 Honolulu residents, the Stangenwald Building is considered Hawaii’s first fully fireproof building.

The Mission Memorial Building was constructed in 1915 at 558 South King Street. This white-trimmed, red-brick building was built by the Hawaiian Evangelical Association to mark the 100^th anniversary of missionaries coming to Hawaii.

The style of the Mission Memorial Building is Colonial/Greek Revival, and this is the only example of true Georgian architecture in the Islands. This style was derived from British monarchy and was common in New England.

Today the building, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, is known as City Hall Annex and used for City and County Offices.

The United States Post Office, Custom House, and Federal Court House was constructed in 1922 at 335 Merchant Street.

Built in the Spanish Mission Revival style by New York architects York & Sawyer, the structure is known for its arched openings and tile roof. The building was renamed the King David Kalākaua Building in 2002 because the king was Honolulu’s postmaster from 1863 to 1865.

The structure is now used by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

When Aloha Tower opened in 1926 on the waterfront at Honolulu Harbor it was Hawaii’s tallest building. Designed by architect Arthur Reynolds, Aloha Tower was considered Hawaii’s first “skyscraper,” standing 184 feet, 2 inches high with balconied openings and topped with a 40-foot flagstaff and a 7-ton clock. On each side of the tower the clock face says the word “Aloha.”

Honolulu Hale, Honolulu’s City Hall was built in 1927 at South King and Punchbowl Streets to provide offices for the mayor and city council. Designed by architects Charles William Dickey and Hart Wood, the building features pillars and arches, ceiling frescoes, decorative balconies, and a tiled roof.

Honolulu Hale is modeled after Italy’s Bargello Palace, which was built in Florence the 13^th century. Inside the front door is a bell from the World War II ship U.S.S. Honolulu. Honolulu Hale was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

Art exhibits are often shown in the spacious lobby of Honolulu Hale, and the center of the building features an open-air courtyard that sometimes hosts musical performances.  Don’t forget to check out the grand double stairway at the rear of the courtyard, and the stairs that lead to a wraparound mezzanine.

An “Eternal Flame” burns in front of Honolulu Hale as a memorial in honor of the victims of the attack on the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.

A inscribed plaque on the memorial states:

“Let this eternal flame unite our country in memory of those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001 and honor the brave men and women who put themselves in Harm’s Way to save others.  The love and spirit of our grateful nation and the hearts and prayers of our people will always be with them.  Dedicated on November 11, 2001 by the people of the City and County of Honolulu.”

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When you travel in Hawaii, perhaps staying at Big Island Condo or a Kauai Vacation Rental, you will likely see the Hawaii State Flag flying over homes and buildings. The flag design is also seen on everything from t-shirts to bumper stickers displaying “Hawaiian pride.”

Have you ever wondered how the design of the Hawaii State Flag came to be? Well it all began in 1794 when King Kamehameha I received a gift of a British flag (a Union Jack) from British Captain George Vancouver. Kamehameha and Vancouver had become friends, and King Kamehameha wanted assurance that Hawaii would be under British protection.

Though King Kamehameha I flew his British flag for the next 22 years at different locations in the Hawaiian Islands it is unknown what he considered this flag to represent because the cession agreement with Vancouver was never officially acknowledged by the British Parliament.

By 1816, a unique Hawaiian flag had been created, though its precise origins are not known. It is believed that King Kamehameha I had some help from various people in creating this Hawaiian flag.

The upper left corner of the flag is a British Union Jack, though it is unknown if the Jack was intended to represent King Kamehameha’s belief that the Hawaiian Islands were under British protection, or perhaps it was just a sign of Kamehameha’s respect for Captain Vancouver.

Alexander Adams is thought to be the person who first placed the Union Jack at the upper left corner of the flag. Adams first came to the Hawaiian Islands in 1810 aboard the ship Albatross and was soon placed in charge of several ships owned by Kamehameha.

Before the Hawaiian flag was created, the Hawaiian people had not used flags, at least not in the way that other major nations used flags as symbols of their countries. As commander of the sandalwood trading fleet of Kamehameha, Adams sailed to China in 1817 with a cargo of sandalwood but was denied entry into the harbor at Macao because the ship’s flag was not acknowledged. This was the first time the flag of Hawaii was flown on a vessel sailing to a foreign port.

The Hawaiian flag’s eight horizontal stripes are said to represent the eight main Hawaiian Islands. The flag’s red stripes are said to symbolize Hawaii gods, while the white represents truth, and the blue signifies the ocean.

The Hawaiian flag originally represented the Kingdom of Hawaii. After the overthrow of the monarchy the flag came to represent the Republic and then the Territory of Hawaii. Eventually it represented the State of Hawaii. There was originally a ninth stripe, but after statehood it was reduced to just eight.

And so that is the story of Hawaii’s State Flag. I will continue to contemplate these events and appreciate this unique flag as I gaze out the window of my Maui luxury rental and see the flag flying over some nearby buildings.

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