A Guide to Hawaiian Culture, History and Folklore

The Kapu System and Rule of the Ali’i

These societies were later invaded by warriors, who brought the idea of a caste-based social system to the islands, known as a Kapu system — kapu meaning sacred. The Kapu system became a way of life for the natives, serving as their set of sacred laws that could never be broken. Each society was ruled by its own chief, known as an ali'i, who upheld these laws and Hawaiian values.

It was a common belief that the chiefs were direct links to the gods, so people respected them. This enabled them to have complete rule over the islands. Religion is what held these societies together, and it affected every aspect of ancient Hawaiian beliefs and customs; even food and drink were seen as godly.

Conflict for Control

Soon, the system began to wear down, and wars broke out as chiefs fought each other for rule over more territories. This resulted in nearly 100 years of wars for complete control of the islands and the entire Hawaiian archipelago. It wasn't until much later that there would be peace between the Hawaiian islands.

The Islands Today: Unique Hawaiian Values

Today, 137 islands are officially recognized by the state of Hawaii, including small, uninhabited islets, atolls and coral reefs. If you've ever been to this corner of the North Pacific, you likely started on the "Big Island" of Hawaii to the south, while there are seven other well-known islands: Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Lanai, Molokai, Kahoolawe and Niihau. Due to its ancient history and dedication to honoring the past, each island has a unique culture.

When Halley's comet zipped across Hawaiian skies in 1758, it held great significance to the people of Hawaii. First, this was no small feat, considering you can only see it once every 75 years. This occurrence was particularly important to the Hawaiians because they believed in a prophecy that a child born during the comet's passing would one day rise to become a great leader, bringing peace to the islands.

The Unification of the Islands

This child, born under the comet in the Kohala District of the Big Island, became known as King Kamehameha the Great. He did what many could not — unify an island kingdom out of various tribes, which had been warring in part because the original navigators who settled Hawaii each had their own chief. This proved difficult in terms of governance in the years to come, and it required negotiations. Kauai's ruling chief finally agreed to accept King Kamehameha's rule, leading to battles with other tribes to ultimately unite the once-warring chiefs.

King Kamehameha Day

As the first King of Hawaii, he brought peace to the islands, and in appreciation of this leader's intelligence and vision, today the people of Hawaii celebrate him on June 11 — King Kamehameha Day. People gather around the King Kamehameha statue at Ali'iōlani Hale in downtown Honolulu and drape fragrant plumeria flower leis on the outstretched arms of the statue. There's music, pageantry and, of course, hula dancing to remember Hawaii's beloved king.

Today, Hawaii is a melting pot and haven of diversity, which is apparent in its culture, cuisine and languages. Prior to King Kamehameha's unification of Hawaii, the islands were first put on the map by the English Royal Navy Captain James Cook. By 1778, Cook had landed on the island of Kauai, at Waimea Bay, making him the first European to do so. He named the archipelago the "Sandwich Islands" after his patron, the Earl of Sandwich.

It was on his third trip there, however, that Cook made a fatal error in judgment. On February 14, 1779, one year after his first visit, Cook tried to kidnap the island's ruling chief, Kalaniʻōpuʻu, in exchange for a stolen longboat. This led to a skirmish, resulting in his death at Kealakekua Bay at the hands of Hawaiian natives.

The Lasting Impact on Hawaiian Cuisine

This chain of events led to Western ideas being integrated into the kingdom, thanks, in part, to missionaries who arrived in the 1800s. It was also influenced by the rise of the whaling industry, a major part of the region's economy at the time, and the influx of international businessmen who started pineapple, sugar and sandalwood plantations. Laborers from the Philippines, Japan and China all made their way to Hawaii to work in agriculture.

These Hawaiian culture facts influenced the cuisine in Hawaii, too. The island's native poke (i.e., seasoned cubes of raw fish, often mixed with soy, sesame oil, seaweed and green onion) means to "slice or cut." It includes the Japanese influence of shoyu (soy sauce) and sesame oil added to the traditional salted raw-fish version of this now global phenomenon.

Little Hawaiian Legends: The Menehune

Folklore, myths and Hawaiian traditions are still alive and well today. Legend has it that when settlers came to Hawaii, they were surprised to find that the islands were already inhabited by the Menehune. When the settlers landed there, the Menehune immediately fled into the deep, remote valleys. Menehune are known as industrious, mischievous and powerful "little people" who roam the islands at night and are rarely ever seen by human eyes — and that's just how they like it.

Children in Hawaii grow up with tales of the Menehune and are told that if you stay quiet, you can hear them scurrying through the forest. Some even believe the Menehune are magical and will grant wishes, similar to leprechauns. I learned about the Menehune when visiting Maui with my mom, who was smitten by the idea of their existence. I was skeptical.

A Personal Encounter With Island Magic

On the way home after a long day of immersing ourselves in Hawaiian customs, my mom and I stopped to walk along a beach during a brilliant sunset. All of a sudden, my mom called out to the Menehune, imploring them to show her proof of their existence. As a young 20-something, I was mortified by this.

My mom, who quickly realized the level of my embarrassment, began shouting to the waves and the wind, "Menehune, Menehune, Menehune, come here, Menehune!" beckoning the Menehune to come out of hiding. For good measure, she added, "Send me some luck, or money!"

Red with embarrassment, I begged my mom to stop."You're being ridiculous! They. Do. Not. Exist," I said. In that moment, a wave washed up at our feet, carrying a crumpled $20 bill, as if it were expressly delivered by some mischievous force.

"A-ha! Thank you, Menehune!" my mom shouted with child-like joy, unfurling her water-logged bill in triumph and taunting me with her mystical treasure. I just stood there in dumbstruck disbelief. Could it have just been some coincidence or a cosmic sign that the Menehune are really out there? To this day, I'm not so sure.