Honolulu: The Hawaiian Pride

Think of Hawaii and what do you see? Definitely paradise with sun-bathed sandy beaches and sparkling blue waters. Clever drinks with cute umbrellas are not far behind. Hawaii gives you ample opportunities for outdoor activities like scuba diving and sailing, and exciting nightlife laced with sophistication. This whole lot of excitement has made Hawaii one of the world's biggest tourist destinations. All these outdoor activities, sandy beaches, and exciting nightlife reflect the rich cultural heritage of Hawaii.

Hawaii became a state in 1959. Prior to that, it was under the American influence ever since the early 18th century. After Hawaii officially became a state, it has been steadily growing popular 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.

Washington Place, for decades, was used as a gathering place for people wanting to reestablish the monarchy and return to the old ways. It was built by the man who married the last Queen, John Owen Dominis. All told, Washington Place has a rich history and is wrapped up in the history and tradition involved in the transition from traditional Hawaiian culture into what we all see today.

Honolulu is also the site of the Kamehameha I statue. Kamehameha is the best known and most popular Hawaiian hero. He is the man who unified all of the islands prior to the arrival of the West. After the influence of Western culture was inevitable, Kamehameha helped to maintain traditional Hawaiian values as his people became acclimated to 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.sportsarticlelibrary.com

Jake Orley is the owner and operator of F honolulu, a fantastic resource for information about honolulu. For questions or comments about this article why not visit: www.fromhonolulu.com/articles
Get a unique version of this article from our honolulu article directory

Please Rate this Article

5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5 

Not yet Rated