The Rich Cultural Heritage of Honolulu

By: Jake Orley

One of the first ideas that come to mind when people think of Hawaii is that of paradise. White sandy beaches and crystal blue waters might spring to mind along with those clever drinks with the cute umbrellas. Hawaii is definitely one of the biggest tourist hotspots in the world and a destination for fun seekers everywhere. With tons of outdoor activities like scuba diving and sailing, and a sophisticated and exciting night life, most people do not think of a rich cultural heritage when they think about Hawaii.

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.

But beyond all the tour guides and fishing expeditions out to sea, Hawaii has a much deeper gift to bestow upon visitors if they are willing to probe beyond the surface of what the island has to offer. There are a number of places in Honolulu that offer visitors a chance to glimpse what life on the island might have been like before it became the tourist hotspot that it is today.

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.

The husband of the last queen, John Owen Dominis, built the Washington Place. For decades it was the meeting ground of people who wanted the monarchy to reestablish and the Island to return to old ways. This is the reason why Washington place appears coiled up in history and tradition. It has been the focal point of transition of Hawaii from the traditional to what it is now.

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.

If you want to get more in depth knowledge of the way modern Hawaii evolved and learn a few important lessons from the lives of people who emerged from past and faced the new challenges of the modern life, then you certainly need to visit the various museums and libraries that dot Honolulu cityscape.

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.

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Jake Orley is the owner of F honolulu, a fantastic resource for information about honolulu, For questions or comments about this article why not visit: www.fromhonolulu.com/articles
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