Who Are Native Hawaiians?
Native Hawaiians (Kānaka Maoli) are the indigenous Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands. Approximately 370,000 people identify as Native Hawaiian, though many have mixed ancestry after over two centuries of contact with outsiders. Hawaiian voyagers settled the islands around 1000-1200 CE after epic ocean voyages from the Marquesas and Tahiti. They developed a sophisticated agricultural civilization until the 1778 arrival of Captain Cook initiated dramatic changes. The illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1893 by American businessmen continues to shape Hawaiian political identity and sovereignty movements.
Wayfinding: Masters of Navigation
Hawaiian ancestors were among history's greatest navigators, crossing thousands of miles of open ocean in double-hulled canoes without instruments. Using stars, waves, birds, and clouds, they discovered and settled the most isolated island chain on Earth. This knowledge nearly died out until the 1976 voyage of the Hōkūleʻa—a traditionally-built and navigated canoe—sparked cultural renaissance. The Polynesian Voyaging Society has since sailed throughout the Pacific and around the world, demonstrating that Hawaiian navigation was not luck but science, and inspiring indigenous ocean revival globally.
Language Revitalization
The Hawaiian language (ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi) was nearly extinguished after being banned in schools in 1896. By the 1980s, fewer than 2,000 native speakers remained, mostly elderly. The establishment of Hawaiian immersion schools (Pūnana Leo) in 1984 began remarkable recovery. Today, over 18,000 students learn in Hawaiian-medium programs, and a new generation of native speakers has emerged. Hawaiian language advocates created a model for indigenous language revitalization worldwide, demonstrating that languages can be brought back from the brink of extinction.
Hula and Cultural Expression
Hula is far more than entertainment—it is a sacred art form encoding Hawaiian history, genealogy, and spirituality in movement. Ancient hula (kahiko) accompanied by chant differs from modern hula (ʻauana) with instrumentation. Christian missionaries banned hula as sinful, but it survived and revived. Today, the Merrie Monarch Festival represents hula's highest achievement, drawing competitors from across Hawaiʻi and beyond. Hula perpetuates Hawaiian values, language, and connection to ʻāina (land), serving as both cultural preservation and living art.
Sovereignty Movements
In 1993, the US Congress formally apologized for the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom. This acknowledgment energized sovereignty movements seeking various forms of self-determination—from nation-within-a-nation status similar to Native American tribes, to full independence. Protection of Mauna Kea—sacred mountain threatened by telescope development—has galvanized new generations of Hawaiian activists. Land, water, and cultural rights remain contentious as Hawaii's economy depends on tourism and military installations occupying former Hawaiian lands.
References
- Trask, H. K. (1999). From a Native Daughter: Colonialism and Sovereignty in Hawaiʻi
- Finney, B. (1979). Hokule'a: The Way to Tahiti
- Silva, N. K. (2004). Aloha Betrayed: Native Hawaiian Resistance to American Colonialism