Things to do / Travel Guide
Approximately 117,800 live on the island of Maui. Molokai is home to roughly 7,200 people, while a mere 3,200 people or so call Lanai home.
The ethnic makeup of Maui, Molokai, and Lanai is unique in the sense that everyone is part of a minority; i.e., there is no ethnic majority and most Hawaiian residents claim some degree of “mixed ethnicity.” Contributing to this mixed ethnicity are, firstly, Caucasians, followed by people of Japanese descent, Filipino descent, and Chinese descent. This leaves only a few thousand people or so who can legitimately lay claim to being “full-blooded” Hawaiians. Despite the mixture of ethnic groups on Maui, Molokai, and Lanai, the people are known for living in harmony, with intermarriage between members of various ethnic groups being decidedly common.
While there is a Hawaiian language, English is the local lingua franca on Maui, Molokai, and Lanai. Some people speak Hawaiian Pidgin, a local slang that combines English and Hawaiian words together. Most of the local Hawaiian names and words have been retained in place names. Visitors to the islands are encouraged to practice pronouncing the names of places in an effort to master the tiny little nuances of the Hawaiian language which, incidentally, only uses seven consonants: H, K, L, M, N, P, and W.
Mainland American culture takes a place right next to Hawaiian culture. The culture of the Hawaiian is unique and multi-faceted but decidedly Polynesian in origin. Hawaii has undergone a local cultural renaissance that began in the 1970s.
Classes for the local study of the Hawaiian language have grown in popularity, with some Hawaiian words having since wormed their way into the everyday American-inflected English spoken all over the islands. Furthermore, Hawaiian music, created initially by ancient Hawaiians beating drums and blowing conch shells, has since incorporated the sounds of the slack-key guitar, the steel guitar, and the ukulele.
Another popular aspect of Hawaiian culture is the hula dance; it's all in the hips, baby, not the hands! Legend has it the Hawaiian goddess of dance, Laka, used to perform the hula dance in an effort to entertain the volcano goddess, her sister Pele. The hula dance, while visually stunning and hypnotic, serves a dual purpose: to entertain as well as to tell the stories of Hawaii's history and way of life through interpretive dance.
The residents of Maui, Molokai, and Lanai are known for being laid back, nice and friendly. Generally, most of the folks that live on these Hawaiian islands are courteous and generous in doling out their smiles. Maui locals are more accustomed to tourists, who come to the island to relax and enjoy the sites. Visitors to the islands of Molokai and Lanai are also welcomed and appreciated by the locals.
The people of Hawaii, no matter what specific island they call home, appreciate the fact that many of the visiting tourists respect their islands and, especially in the case of Molokai and Lanai, the fragile ecosystem that exists.
The island of Molokai is regarded by the locals as a cultural marvel to be protected from tourist overdevelopment. Locals take pride and care of their little island and the Hawaiian temples and landmarks scattered across its varied terrain.
The people of Lanai have gone to great lengths to protect old fishing villages, various topographical features, such as Keahikawelo, a collection of natural rocks and boulders, and the brightly colored Lanai City, which is also home to the Lanai Playhouse and Theatre.
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