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The name Hawai'i brings to mind images of crystal clear waters, white sand beaches and a spirit of aloha. It is this spirit that prompted the legislature to officially adopt the popular name of The Aloha State for the islands in 1959. Centuries ago, when the first Polynesian voyagers set foot on the islands of Hawai'i they began to name the land they would eventually settle. Since the meanings of these words and phrases have their roots in history and legend, it's possible to step back in time to learn more about the land and its people.
Spelling and pronunciation have changed, and place names are not static, as old ones have been replaced by new. During the late 1700s, Captain Cook, for example, wrote Hawai'i as Owy-hee and named his discovery the Sandwich Islands. When King Kamehameha I united the islands under his rule, they became the Kingdom of Hawai'i.
As to the meaning of Hawai'i, opinions differ. The Kumuhonua legends tell of Hawai'i-Loa as the name of a legendary figure believed to have first discovered the islands. Other scholars can find no linguistic evidence for a translation at all, suggesting that the name is so ancient that its meaning has been lost in the mist of time.
The Hawaiian name given to each individual island has often been similarly obscured by the passing centuries. Yet they all have stories that are appreciated for their local color. In more contemporary times each island has earned English language nicknames, and are popularly known to have special features that make them unique. It can be said, then, that the islands are separated by the seas around them, but are tied together by the names and traditions that bind them.
Join with Young Brothers, Limited & Foss as we travel around the islands of Hawai'i to showcase their seaside beauty, and appreciate a heritage in living language that endures from antiquity to the present day
Click on the links below to view (or right-click to download):