Hawaiki
There are many different guesses as to what Hawaii means. Some say the name Hawaii comes from the Proto-Polynesian “Hawaiki,” which means Homeland.
In 1893 Hawaii’s monarchy was overthrown by American-funded businessmen. Three years later, Hawaiian language schools were banned. Until 1959, when Hawaii became the last state in the U.S., the Hawaiian language was replaced by the English language in all public settings.
The language, the history, and the culture was nearly eradicated until a resurgence of Hawaiian culture in the 70s. Beginning with a rise in hawaiian music, and spreading to a renaissance of revived heritage, Hawaii was finally able to re-embrace a history that they were forced to forget.
In 1778, there was an estimated 400,000 native Hawaiians in Hawaii. However, a century later, due to diseases and death as a result of colonization, there were only 50,000 natives remaining. At that time, that was still roughly 75% of the Hawaiian population. As of 2010, only 10% of Hawaii’s population is native Hawaiian.
Because of the influx of wealthy people moving to Hawaii, the cost of living has risen so much that many Hawaiian natives struggle financially to stay, and because of this, many are forced out.
Tourism is at the pulse of Hawaii's economy. People come from all over to experience the mysticism and power that Hawaii holds. They come to dive into warm waters, drive with the trade winds, watch the sunsets to see if there really is a green flash, and swim with sea turtles. They go to luaus wearing aloha shirts, coconut bras, and leis. They steal lava rocks, only to send them back in the mail.
The money made from highlighting this historic, and previously forgotten, culture helps to fund the Hawaiian economy but it is also the money that is pushing out the people whose culture is being celebrated.
The colonization of Hawaii hasn’t stopped. And we’re the colonizers
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