Hawaiians - Hawaii

The history of the Hawaiian includes many interesting features, such as when the first-ever European James Cook arrived on Waimea Bay located on the island of Kauai, he was the first European to make contact with the Hawaiian islands. Throughout a series of battles during the 1780s going on to the 1790s, all inhabited islands were subjugated by the ruler King Kamehameha the Great. During this time many Hawaiians were forced into Christianity when Kamehameha the 2nd inherited the throne, then causing meaningful traditional practices to come to an end. The Hawaiian the population dropped dramatically after the Europeans brought in diseases such as influenza, smallpox, and measles. The constitution of Hawaii is a large part of history as Kalakaua was forced to sign ut as it was a qualification for voting that favored the rich white. It was also known as the Bayonet Constitution as it was signed under a threat of violence. Going on 1993 the US Congress passed an apology regarding the overthrown signed by Bill Clinton. 94.3% of the residents of Hawaii then voted to become a state of the US. From 1978 onwards Hawaii has modernized its ways and indigenous language and culture were promoted.

Comparing the Hawaiian’s situation to the Maori is quite similar but so different at the same time. They both have a history of people coming in and attempting to take over their land. The history of when the Maori signed the treaty is almost like how Kalakaua was forced to sign the constitution of Hawaii. The Europeans had a huge impact on the land owned by the Maori for things like the plants, animals, land, and sea.

Like any other culture the Hawaiin share a personal connection with their land, for example, they believe when they die their body along with their bones become a part of the soil that nourishes them, it is also said that they tread on the bones of their ancestors. They have many natural ways to be environment friendly to sustain the resources throughout the land so that they can provide for their families. Clearly shown throughout how they treat their land, they are the land’s servants so they care about what they put into it so what comes out of it is healthy. They are all connected to the mountains oceans, islands, and anything they believe is living.

The way the Maori view the world is that they believe there is a deep connection between humans and the natural world. For example, Kaitiakitanga is a type of guardian that protects and cares for the environment connected to the traditional Maori worldview. The Hawaiian saying “He Ali’ai ka aina, he kaua ke kanaka” meaning the land is our chief, people are but its servants shows a similar meaning to the Maori saying ‘Te Toto one Tangata, he kai, te oranga o te Tangata he whenua’ meaning while food provides the blood in our veins, our heath is drawn from the land. By sharing these meanings I am pointing out that both Hawaiian and Maori see their land as something they need to respect and care for to get back what they need in return.