Nevada Folk Arts Roster – Lesson Plans and Activities
COMMUNITIES AND CULTURES: HAWAII
Objectives
The student will observe the dance traditions of the people of the Hawaiian Islands.
Community/Cultural Background
Hawaii is the only state in the United States that is composed of islands, and the only state in the
United States that has two official languages: English and Hawaiian. It contains eight main
islands and more than 100 islets, reefs and shoals. The Hawaiian Islands lie about 2,400 miles
away from the western coast of the continental United States, and the capital city is Honolulu.
Hawaii was originally settled by Polynesian people more than 1,000 years ago. The islands were
discovered by Captain James Cook in 1778. They remained united as a kingdom under a
monarch (king or queen) until the late 1800s, after which they existed as a republic and then a
U.S. territory before becoming the 50th state in 1959.
The islands of Hawaii were formed by volcanic activity and there are still active volcanoes on
the islands today. Hawaii has a mild, temperate climate and many varieties of plants grow in the
islands. Some of the plant life is native, some was introduced with the Polynesian culture, and
some was imported in more recent history by European traders and colonists. Historically,
Hawaii was known for the export of sugar beginning in the 1860s, and pineapples beginning in
the 1900s. Today, 40 % of the work force is employed in service occupations. Tourism is the
leading source of income for Hawaii.
Music and dance play a significant role in Hawaiian culture. The hula is the traditional dance of
the islands, and the word “hula” means “dance” in the Hawaiian language. In the hula, the
dancers move their hips in a swaying motion while telling a “story” with their hands and arms.
The ukulele is a stringed instrument adapted from small guitars brought to the islands by
Portuguese laborers in the late 1800s. The Hawaiian or “slack-key” steel-stringed guitar
developed from the same influences.
Early Hawaiian music was largely based on chants. Later Hawaiian music was influenced by the
hymns learned from the many missionaries who visited the islands. Hawaiian music continued to
evolve and change throughout the 20th century and it profoundly influenced the development of
American popular music due to the activities of touring groups of Hawaiian performers.
Communities and Cultures: Hawaii
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