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Honolulu: The Hawaiian Pride

The fact that Hawaii has a rich cultural heritage is often overshadowed by the image it bears of being one of the biggest tourist hotspots in the world. Hawaii attracts tourists from across the world for its white sandy beaches and crystal blue waters; its clever drinks with the cute umbrellas. Hawaii is the destination for fun seekers who come here to participate in tons of outdoor activities like scuba diving and sailing, and enjoy a sophisticated and exciting night life.

Indeed, Hawaii did not become a state until midway through the twentieth century. Although American influence dates back all the way to the early 18th century, Hawaii did not officially become a state until 1959. Since then, it has steadily grown in popularity as a major tourist destination.

You may want to unveil the wonders of Hawaii much beyond the buzzing tourist guides and fishing trails. Hawaii bestows upon its visitors a gift more intriguing than what they usually see on the surface of this mystical island. Honolulu for example has a number of places worth visiting if you wish to know what Hawaii was like and how was the life here before it became the hub for the tourists world around.

Washington Place was built in 1846 and bears the name of the first president of the United States. It stands as a haven for people wanting to return to the old ways that existed prior to the arrival of the West. After the last Queen was overthrown, she spent the remaining years of her life in Washington Place until her death in 1917.

For decades, the supporters of monarchy used to gather at Washington Place hoping to bring back monarchy and return to the old ways. It was built by John Owen Dominis, the last quenn's husband. Washington Place has a rich history of the place and the culture. Here you get a glimpse of how the traditional Hawaiian culture transformed into what we see today.

Honolulu proudly houses the statue of its hero Kamehameha I. He unified all the Hawaiian Islands before the West came calling. Though the influence of western culture was inevitable he advocated and upheld the traditional Hawaiian values while the Hawaiian people increasingly subscribed to the influence of the west.

There are of course libraries and museums in Honolulu that also help tell the story of how modern Hawaii came to be what it is today. The struggle of a people emerging from their past to tackle the challenges of the present can teach all of us an important lesson.

Since most of the people visit Hawaii only once in their lifetime they may not like to spend time over some artifact in a museum or a library or for that matter any other culturally interesting spot, even though these places are the soul of Hawaii. The fact remains that if you really want to enjoy your Hawaiian vacation you must take out some time to know more about the lavish history and its interesting people.

Article Source: http://www.travelarticles.org

Jake Orley is the chief editor for F honolulu, the #1 source on the internet for information about honolulu. For more articles on honolulu visit: www.fromhonolulu.com/articles
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