Hawaii

Probably there were Irish aboard Captain Cook's ships and other British vessels which arrived in the early days. Some of the sailors who left the ships from time to time and settled here may have been Irish but no exact records were kept.

There's a hula about an Irish-Hawaiian, named Lola O"Brien. There are lots of residents in the islands who :an claim to be Irish-Hawaiians.

Most visitors to Hawai'i know Lewers Street, one of he few streets in Waikiki with a non-Hawaiian name. Previously, it was known as Lewers Road. It led from Alakaua Avenue to the estate of Robert Lewers, where the Halekolani Hotel now stands. Lewers and Cooke, a large building supply house, remains as only reminder of Mr. Lewers' extensive business interests.

It did not take the Sons of Erin, and the children of William Wallce long to find Hawaii. In all probably, there were Irish, Scottish, and Welsh seamen sailing with Captain Cook's ships and other British vessels which arrived in the early days. Over time, there were sailors from Celtic descent that decided to stay in the islands for good. Who can blame them.

The complete record of ancestory was not recorded, as we have always failed to fully appreciate the Hawaiian understanding of ancestory. Nevertheless, there are lots of Hawaiians who claim a link to the land of the Celts. There's even a hula about an Irish-Hawaiian, named Lola O"Brien. The Irish Hawaiians are even well organized in Honolulu, just check out the Friends of St. Patrick organization.

The purpose of the Celtic Hawaiian Friends Group is to give Hawaii lovers of Celtic Origin a place to meet, share information, and debate issues related to Hawaii.

The placing of a lei over a person’s head and on the shoulders is a sign of great respect and honor in the history behind the Hawaiian lei. The lei is a universally recognized icon of Hawaii and is inextricably tied up with the Hawaiian spirit of aloha.

In the Hawaiian tradition, leis were made of flowers, foliage, shells, feathers, nuts, seeds and sometimes even the bones and teeth of animals. Some believe that in the history behind the Hawaiian lei, these garlands were used as adornments of beauty,  and perhaps also to establish rank in an ancient hierarchical society.

Hawaii’s favorite nut, the Macadamia nut and the array of flavors, is a big contributor to the economy of the Big Island and a top favorite among tourists. Native to Australia, the macadamia nut was introduced to Hawaii in 1882. However, it was only in 1946, after twenty years of extensive research on the appropriate strains, that the first plantation was successfully established.

No trip to the Hawaiian Islands is complete without some attempt at understanding and respecting the Hawaiian culture and way of life. There is certainly plenty of warm weather, sunny days, and sandy beaches to keep one busy.  There are plenty of things to do that have nothing inherently to do with Hawaiian culture. To spend a vacation doing only these things would be to miss the truest beauty of the Islands. So, let’s take a moment to look at the issue of respecting the Hawaiian culture and the way of life.

The big island of Hawaii is a travelers dream.  It is filled with interesting things to do, and places to go.  The difficult part of any trip to the Big Island is figuring out what to see.  That is especially true for first time visitors to the island.  So, we wanted  to share some of the best places to see. Here is our Top Eight Reasons to visit the Big Island of Hawaii:

The pineapple may be king in Hawaii but when you have gained an insight into Hawaiian fruits and nuts, you will realize that there is a tremendously rich selection to be found on the islands. Few of the fruits and nuts are actually indigenous to Hawaii. The pineapple came via Spanish explorers from Mexico, the papaya by way of the Marquesa Islands and the macadamia nut was originally from Australia.

Pineapple, King of Fruits

The Marine life off the coast of the Hawaiian Islands is a must see on any trip to the islands.

Forget sophisticated resorts- here you will find untamed coastlines and a Hawaiian way of life among the 8 reasons to visit Molokai. Hawaii’s sixth island appears to have been caught up in a time warp- life is easy, relaxed and quiet here. Here you commune with nature on a beach without someone stepping onto your beach towel.

Did you know that there are a number of endangered species among famous Hawaiian flora and fauna? Everyone is familiar with the gracefully beautiful dendrobium and phalaenopsis orchids that are woven into leis or artfully displayed in floral arrangements. But are you aware that there are only three orchid species endemic to Hawaii, one of which is deemed highly endangered?

Hawaii’s state bird

There are countless reasons to visit but these 10 must see nature spots on the Hawaiian Islands should figure at the top of any itinerary.  From thundering waterfalls to lush fern forests, soaring mountains and marine parks chock-a-block with tropical fish, Hawaii is a paradise like no other place on earth.

Here are a few suggestions on the 10 must see nature spots on the Hawaiian Islands: -

The wind farms of the Big Island of Hawaii are becoming a big deal. One of the most enduring memories of being in Hawaii is the trade winds. Those lovely breezes can cool you on even the warmest of days. Some hotels don’t even have air conditioners, because the breeze off of the ocean keeps you cool without any help. Now those same winds are being used to produce electricity on the big island of Hawaii. 

A trip to Hawaii can be an expensive proposition. So, many people look for ways to save money on a trip to Hawaii.

I can remember the first time I read Michener’s account of the creation of the Hawaiian Islands.  It was interesting, but went on forever.  Seeing the islands for the first time made up for all of it, and he did not use a single word too many. Let’s look at this topic a bit.