Hawaii, Beyond Tourism

Our last day and trip home

2011-01-27T17:53:00.000-08:00

Wednesday was our last full day on the island. The day started with an optional tour of Hulihe'e Palace. Hulihe'e Palace was built by the second governor of the Island of Hawaii, John Adams Kuakini. The Palace was built by foreign seamen using lava rock, coral lime mortar, koa and ohi'a wood. The Palace has two floors and six rooms consisting of an entry hall, parlor, dining room, a second floor sitting room and two bedrooms. The building is approximately 60 feet long and 30 feet wide. There are two ocean front lanai's. The walls are three feet thick. In 1925, Hulihe'e was purchased at the request of the Daughters of Hawaii by the Territory of Hawai'i to save it from possible hotel development. It was then leased to the Daughters of Hawaii to be operated and maintained as a museum. Today the museum houses a collection of ancient Hawaiian artifacts and the personal memorabilia of 19th century Hawaiian royalty.

Front of Hulihe'e Palace

Back of Hulihe'e Palace

At noon we checked out of our hotel and we all found places to eat because we needed to meet back at the vans at 1:15 to travel to Pu'uhonua o Honaunau, the City of Refuge. This was a place of refuge for people who violated the kapu. To get to this area they had to swim about a half mile through the ocean. If they made it to the City of Refuge without anyone seeing them they were safe. They would stay here for about three days, then they could go back to their people and be not be killed for their violation. This place gave them a second chance. The City of Refuge had a self-guided tour with 16 points of interest. In the Halau there was a man demonstrating the art of tying ti into ropes that will be used to make a net used to drive fish into the shallows.

Halau demonstration

Since it was our last night together we dined at the Kona Inn Restaurant and toasted our J-term by watching the sun set.

We drove to the airport, dropped off the vans and checked in. We had our final presentations in the airport terminal. Then we walked across the tarmac, boarded our plane, and headed home.

Aloha Hawai'i a hui hou, Goodbye Hawai'i til we meet again.

Nancy Plamann

A Fair Day on the Fair Winds II

2011-01-26T00:09:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody,
Today we headed to the port of Keauhou to board the Fair Winds II After Kate got us checked in, and getting our gear, we departed for the cruise down the Kona coastline.Along the ways, we witnessed multiple whale sightings, including a mother and baby whale. We were served fresh fruit and pastries for breakfast.It was a beautiful day for snorkeling.We arrived at Kealakekua Bay, and were given a brief history of the bay. Captain Cook's landing at the bay was represented by a monument on the coast. Conditions were excellent, with visibility of up to eighty feet. After a brief safety lesson, we all hit the waters flippers first. After about an hour of swimming, everyone returned for lunch cooked by our captain. Other entertainment included two slides off the front of the boat, as well as a high dive of fifteen feet. While snorkeling, we got to see a variety of tropical fish swimming among the coral, until the captain called "All aboard." We all settled back in to catch some more sun on the way back.

After a free afternoon, we returned back to the lobby for class. We listened to four different presentations and discussed the agenda for our last day in paradise. Here are some pictures from the cruise.

Max Lantz
Senior Economics Major
Minnetonka, MN
and
Matt Benson
Junior Athletic Training Major
Grand Rapids, MN

Starbuck's Internet

2011-01-25T23:31:00.000-08:00

Aloha everyone, I am writing this a little belated due to lack of internet accessibility. Since Jon covered pretty much our whole day I will add that at our class time last night we discussed a few of our readings. These readings covered the topics of the cost of living in Hawaii and fitting in in Hawaiian culture. The cost of living in Hawaii as you may guess is very high, property is expensive and good land is difficult to acquire. One thing we discussed was that most people living in Hawaii do not own a house they rent instead and this makes them more sensitive to increased cost of housing. For our second reading we talked about the difficulties of fitting in physically as well as emotionally. There are many reasons one may be considered an outsider in Hawaiian culture and the most dominate is speaking pidgin. This is a mixture of traditional English and some elements of the Hawaiian language. Many more people in Hawaii speak pidgin compared to the number that speak true Hawaiian. The Hawaiian language was in danger of dying out, but has surged recently and is being taught in some schools and in the universities on the islands. To close this entry I would just like to point out that the lovable dog's name was Lola and she was in fact a female...here she is!

Linda Evans
Senior Political Science Major
Fairbanks, Alaska

Finish Line

2011-01-25T21:15:00.000-08:00

Today we spent the morning at the Greenwell Store Museum as well as the Kona Coffee Living History Farm. It was a fun experience and much of the excitement came from an unlikely source, the animal life we encountered. We first met Charlie the donkey, that carries the bags of coffee beans for the owners. Next was the family owned dog named Lilo who had some sort or social problem that made him need to be the center of attention at all times including when our tour guide was talking. Some of his tactics were sliding down a grass hill on his back that looked everything but normal or just walking past our class in an assembly line fashion so that everyone would have an equal chance to pay attention to him. Lastly was the chameleon who was standing on a brown fence close to a tree but was still green. Apparently he was doing some stealthy moving technique trying to act like a leaf in the breeze but to the rest of us it looked like he was doing the hokey pokey.

Although it may seem like we took a trip to the zoo we did learn quite a bit in the midst of our animal excursions. We learned a lot about the lives of people during the 1880s, how they lived and some specifics on the Greenwell family. They had a replica of the Greenwell family store and we played out some situations and prices of common items that were bought at the time. We also saw macadamia nut trees as well as coffee trees and learned how the pioneers harvested them. Before we left we were able to test some Kona coffee which was amazing to me and I’m not even a big fan of coffee.

We had time to relax for a few hours where everyone did their own thing for awhile and a few of us went out to dinner close by. At eight pm our class reconvened for our project presentations. Prior to coming to Hawaii we wrote three papers, one for each topic of our interest pertaining to Hawaii. Now our project was to take what we already knew about one of our topics and expand our knowledge and perspective now that we have experienced and learned many new things. Mandi, the birthday girl, presented on the state of the economy in Hawaii where we discussed why the cost of living here is so high while wages remain fairly low. David gave us in depth information on the historical great, Kamehameha the first who united all of Hawaii. Heather discussed some sports that are unique to Hawaii such as canoe racing. Lastly was Britt who presented about tourism, specifically the tensions felt between the locals and what are called haoles which are white people.

It’s sad but we are nearing the end of our wonderful trip in Hawaii and I would like to bring attention to something that should not be overlooked. Kate has done a fantastic job preparing and teaching this class. It is obvious she has spent countless hours researching and creating something that is not only one of the most fun experiences of my life but also one of the most educational. Anyone on this trip can vouch for me when I say that this trip’s success was one hundred and fifty percent due to Kate’s hard work making this possible for all of us and it’ll be an experience that I will never forget. Kate is the type who would love for her hard work to go unseen because she does it for the love of teaching and giving back to others but I refuse to let this happen. We have learned not only history, heritage, and cultural importance but also many life lessons that cannot be attained through a traditional classroom experience and I think this is one of the great aspects of going to a private school which allows for trips such as these. In addition to this, I have made many friends that would not have been contrived otherwise. It is great now that we finally have an understanding of each other and have developed some close relationships that I’m sure will last far beyond this class.

With everything said, we have a full day left before we return to the negative 26 that Minnesnowta and it’ll be a great day spent at the City of Refuge. As depressing as it may be for everyone when we get back to Gustavus just remember; Bryan and I are coming back to Hawaii three days from now so as nostalgia hits you while home just remember you can call one of us (preferably me because I’m immensely cooler as you all know) and we can talk you through your pains.

Peace

Jon Lendrum

Freshman

Philosophy Major

1/24/11

West Side

2011-01-24T16:19:00.000-08:00

This morning we left Arnott’s lodge and Hilo to go back to Kona on the west side. Our first stop on the way to Kona was to get something to eat, but more importantly a place to try and grab fish from their pond and play with a baby gecko that I managed to refrain from buying car insurance from.

We next headed for the southern most point of the United States where the missionaries first arrived at Hawaii. On the trip, the silver van commandeered by Kate, participated in some casual existentialist topics such as the meaning of life where we discovered that although most people see me as godly figure, there may be more to life than just myself, I’m not quite convinced though.

When we reached the southern tip we got out to check out the view of the ocean. There was a rock ledge that overlooked the ocean water that you could see completely to the floor. I’m hoping to upload some pictures of it on here at some point soon so you can get the effect. It was an awesome spot so David and I took the opportunity to jump off the ledge a few times which is of decent height, for a quick swim before we hit the road again. Also, there was this deep hole surrounded and created by rocks nearby that water flowed through. It is difficult to explain but basically it’s a spot where you can jump into (if you’re brave enough) and the only way out is to swim through a whirlpool of high tide and smashing waves, under the rocks, and into the ocean where you can climb up a ladder they have. We decided that this may not be the best decision while weighing it against Kate’s number one rule, staying alive. It was also funny to see that Linda saw a family she knew from Alaska while we were here.

When we arrived in Kona we checked into the hotel and then went on a walking tour of the area and the Kona historical society. A very outgoing lady led us around and informed us on the history that happened in the area. One part I found to be cool was when she stopped us at the area where Kamehameha the second abolished the Kapu system, which is a set of restrictions that the native Hawaiians were required to follow. One other thing I have been noticing lately is that we are starting to hear some information that we have heard before or read about which is pretty cool. It means that we’re learning a lot and are seeing different perspectives of a common issue.

I’m not sure if anyone in the class actually reads the blog on a consistent basis while we’re here but I want to challenge you guys to really attempt to meet a lot of people in our last few days here. I’ve really made an effort to strike up conversations with new people, including a community of homeless people, and have had some really interesting encounters that are a lot of fun, or at least make for a good story.

I have the blog again for tomorrow so I’ll be checking in after our first full day back on the sunny side of the island.

Jon Lendrum

Freshman

Philosophy Major

Sunday, January 23.

Volcanoes!

2011-01-22T21:48:00.000-08:00

Aloha!
Today was a very busy day for the class!!
We left the hostel at 8:45 am to head to Volcano National Park which was about a half an hour away. We started with a guided tour which was about a mile round trip. The rangers talked about the geology of the volcanoes and discussed the vegetation in the area. We got to see how the landscape changes dramatically in that area. The land went from rain forest to an area where trees and everything was wiped out by lava about 50 years ago.

Lunch was next. We had a little class picnic next to the visitors center. We got to enjoy the little bit of sun we had for the day and eat sandwiches, chips, and mac-nuts for dessert. Everyone browsed around the visitors center and eventually watched a short film about Hawaii and the volcanoes.

Everyone was very curious to see "actual lava" and the closest we got to it was at a lookout right above a crater which was erupting. We didn't get to see "actual lava" because it was kind of far away and there was a lot of bog (smoke/sulfurous emissions). We enjoyed it though because it was definitely a beautiful overlook. Inside the lookout building there were seismographs and history about the volcanoes. Some of us enjoyed "making our own earthquake" with the sample seismograph that recorded when we jumped up and down.

Our next adventure was the lava tube! It was like a cave, or literally, a tube made out of lava that we got to walk through. Half of it was lit and was part of the trail. Another part, off to the side that was optional to go into was not lit. We all got our flashlights and ventured in, not being able to see beyond a few feet in front of us. It was a really good experience, once we finally found our way out at least!

The next thing we did was everyone's favorite. We completed a four mile hike around and through the crater that erupted nearly 50 years ago. It was definitely a long walk but we had a scenic view the entire time. Once we got to the actual crater at the bottom, it was about a two mile walk across uneven lava rocks. Of course I was the only one to trip and fall :)!

At about five o'clock we finally headed to supper. We ate at a steakhouse a few miles from our hostel. The food was delicious and to make things even better, we had Yogurt Land for dessert! Yumm!!

That was the end of our journey for the day! We are all very exhausted and look forward to another day of traveling tomorrow :).

Lora Felix
Sophomore
Political Science
Henderson, MN

Office of Tourism

2011-01-21T23:31:00.000-08:00

Hello, I'm the administrator that was lucky enough to go on this J-term. I am the finance manager in the Center for International and Cultural Education at Gustavus. The main reason I am on this J-term is to observe how a J-term runs on the ground. So when it comes to helping the professors plan a J-term I will know how hotels, transportation and paying for things work or in some cases doesn't work. I am also the driver for the third van and a "student" on the course. It has been a lot of fun spending time with this group of students. Kate has planned a great course, there is a lot more to Hawaii than tourism.

Our day started at 9 a.m. with Jordan, Taylor, Britt, Lora, Mandi, Heather, Miranda and I went to St. Joseph Catholic Elementary School to read to a group of 25 kindergartners.

Jordan with kindergartners.

Miranda with kindergartners.

Britt with kindergartners.

After we were done reading to them we helped them pick out their library books and then we followed them back to their classroom. They were excited to show us their classroom. We asked them what they like to do and most of the students like to swim. We asked them is any of them knew how to hula and four students got up and did the hula for us. These little kindergartners were full of energy and they kept us busy for the hour and a half we were with them.

History on St. Joseph Catholic School. The school has two buildings. One houses the K-6 the other houses 7-12. Each school has around 130 pupils. The school had a much larger enrollment, but due to the economic times enrollment has dropped considerably. They also lost students to the King Kamehameha school when that opened. Even with the drop in enrollment the bishop is committed to keeping the school open because it is the only Catholic school on the big island. It cost around $5,000 to attend school at St. Joseph. The school offers scholarships to families based on financial need. Over 50% of the students are not Catholic. The students are required to wear uniforms.

Next we met with Joan Gregory, Senior Marketing Director from the Big Island Visitors Bureau. She explained what her office is responsible for, marketing strategies and a new branding system they started using for advertising. The BIVB receives funding from dues from its members, they offer different levels of membership, the more the member pays the more advertising they receive. They also receive funding from the state and from the county. The BIVB office handles visitor information, civil defense and customer complaints. Joan told us a story of visitors sending back lava rocks that they had taken as souvenirs. Apparently since taking these rocks the visitors had had nothing but bad luck, so they sent them back. This the second time we had heard about the bad luck people have had when they took rocks from the island.

The island of Hawaii is called Hawaii the Big Island to avoid confusion with the other islands. Hawaii the Big Island is marketed to people who are interested in its history, culture and the land. A census taken from Jan-Nov. 2010 showed that the Big Island was the fourth most visited island of the Hawaiian islands. 15% of the visitors were from Japan, 5% from Canada, 41% from Western United States, 28% from Eastern United States and 11% from other places such as Korea, China and Europe. The peak season of travel to Hawaii is in July. The top cities visitors come from are: 1. Los Angeles, 2. San Francisco, 3. Seattle, 4. New York, 5. Portland, 6. San Diego, 7. Chicago, 8. Washington, D.C., 9. Phoenix and 10. Denver.

From there we stopped at the Club 100. Club 100 is like a local burger joint serving cultural foods. The $4.99 special of the day was called the Super Loco-rice w/gravy, spam, choice of fried or scrambled eggs, hamburger patty, sausage and macaroni salad. It's pictured below.

From there part of the group went back to the hostel. Some went to the library to do research for our final papers. Another group went to Rainbow Falls and then to the library.

When we got back to the hostel there were whales out in the ocean so we walked the half block to see them.
That was our day.

Aloha,
Nancy Plamann

Kamehameha Schools

2011-01-21T00:30:00.000-08:00

Today was one of our earliest days due to the fact that we had to wake up around the same time that students of the Kamehameha High School have to. The Kamehameha Schools were created by the will of the last member of Hawaiian Royalty, Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop. She saw education as the best way in which she could help her people carry on their cultural traditions in the new world and so she gave all of her assets and land in order to create the school system, which totaled about 6.2 billion dollars altogether. The schools give preference to children of Hawaiian ancestry to the extent permitted by law but have recently been challenged in court because of claims of racism.
Once we arrived at the school we were greeted with many welcome chants and brought to observe a hula class, hawaiian history class, and a hawaiian language class. All of the students were very welcoming and asked us questions about why we had come and what it was like to live in Minnesota. They were shocked to hear how cold it was in St. Peter today. It was really interesting to see how much they seemed to be preserving their hawaiian culture at the school through all of the classes provided on it. The students all seemed to have a good understanding of their cultural bachground of where they came from. What seemed to shock our class the most from the visit though was that for 30 open spots in a grade at the school, there are 3,000 applicants to try and get those spots. The school is highly selective and secretive in its selection process, which is one of the main reasons that some hawaiians are unhappy with the school. After that we made a quick stop to see how Macadamia nuts are grown and packaged at the Mauna Loa factory. Then the rest of the day was ours to spend at the beach and continue to enjoy the warm sun.
Grant Cooper
Environmental Studies Major

A Nice Surprise

2011-01-20T23:06:00.000-08:00

Today, we traveled to one of the Kamehameha Schools at 7:20am. They don't like to let many visitors onto the property so getting a tour and a chance to interact with the students was a great honor. Once we arrived, we were greeted by some students that performed a chant that is protocol for letting visitors into their school. After that we headed to go see students in Hula'Auana. Students in this class had experience ranging from beginner to advanced. The students could take this class as many times as they wished. They did a couple of dances for us then they wanted some of us to try some of the dances. Miranda and David were brave enough to get up in front of everyone and learn a part of a dance. After sitting in on the hula class, we went and sat in on a senior history class. Many of the classes at this school have a really relaxed atmosphere. In this class we really got to hear some of the voices of students about tourism and there perspective of what their history is. These students were very passionate about their culture. They definitely gave our class a different perspective to look at and we all really appreciated that. The class took us up to their Mala (garden) which is something that gives the students some insight into there past that they can actually interact with. The last class we got to sit in on was the native language class. The class was performing skits in there native language. Some students seemed to be fluent in the language. We ended are trip to the school with lunch at the elementary section in the lunch room. It was fun to experience to see what the kids are eating and contrast it with our culture. After leaving the tour of the Kamehameha school, we went a few miles down the road to a macadamia nut factory where we got see how they were made in the assembly line. The day ended around 1 o'clock. When we arrived back at Arnotts, the rest of the day was ours to decide. Many went to the beach and relaxed after an exciting day.
Heather Thurmes
Sophomore
Psychology
Hastings, Minnesota

Photo update

2011-01-20T09:08:00.000-08:00

Uploading photos has been more challenging than we anticipated! Here are some of the photo highlights from the past few days...

Here is the group (minus Brian Knutson) at the newest beach in Hawaii. The land we're standing on was formed over the last 20 years from the Kilauea eruption. Back row (L to R): Nancy, Linda, David, Matt, Taylor; Front row (ish): Miranda, Mandi, Jon, Max, Bryan, Jordan, Lora, Heather, Grant, Britt, and Kate

Heather, checking out the water

Taylor and Mandi learn to make ti leaf leis at Kumu Paul's house.

Grant and Max preparing seeds to be strung as leis

Kumu Paul teaching some of the girls how to dance hula (Britt, Heather, Miranda, and Mandi)

After the day at Kumu Paul's, we went down to the beach for a swim with 4-5 HUGE sea turtles (about 4 feet long) and some water volleyball with our new friends.

The girls pose for a photo at Liliuokalani park: Mandi, Miranda, Britt, Heather, Lora, Taylor, Jordan, and Linda

The boys on the trip: Grant, Matt, David, Max, Bryan, and Jon

Some of the girls making leis at the Farmers Market

Our class meeting at the Hilo bandstand (where the plane went by every 10-15 minutes)

What a day!!

2011-01-20T00:11:00.000-08:00

We had quite the adventurous day today! Our first stop was the Farmer's Market. This one was in downtown Hilo, it was very interesting because it had a bigger variety of things to buy and look at. Kate's step mom has a stand there, she taught us how to make lei's. They were really fun to make, and looked really pretty when we finished. Another stand i enjoyed at the market was a soap stand called, Dirty Farmgirl. The guy that worked at the stand was interesting to talk to, he makes soap by hand with a wide variety of scents. Taylor, Britt and I sat at the stand and asked him questions about how he made soap and ended up buying a bunch of bars of soap. After the Farmers Market, we went to the Palace Theater and watched a live performance. They talked about the creation of the theater as well as interesting facts about Hawaii and the Hawaiian culture. After the theater we went out for lunch, we separated and went where we wanted to go, I went with the group to Rueben's Mexican Grill. It was really good and not very expensive, which in Hawaii is hard to find! We then got together for a group discussion on some of the readings we have had lately. It was difficult to talk at times, because there was a plane practicing landing and taking off and went over us every 10-15 minutes. The plane was very large, but it was cool to see it that closely flying over us. We also toured the Lyman Museum and Mission House, there were some neat artifacts and fine art from the Hawaiian History. The Mission House was neat because we learned about the Lyman Family and their story. Their house is the oldest frame building on the big island! We then had a couple hours of free time until supper, most of us took that time to go back to the hostels for a nap! Lastly, as 6:30 we went to Coconut Grill for supper. It was very good food and we all sat together and talked about how the trip was going and things we have enjoyed the most. Hawaii so far has been an amazing experience, i can't believe we are halfway through the trip already. I am excited for the rest of what is in store for us in the next week!

A Fun Filled Day

2011-01-19T23:51:00.000-08:00

We started off the day by going to the Hilo Farmers Market. This one was a little bigger than the last one we went to and had a wider variety of things to buy. We also learned how to make lei's with Kate's stepmom, Marie Stenger, at her stand. I thought that was a lot of fun too, and the lei's turned out really well. Everyone had time to wonder around the farmers market or go to the other little shops down the street.
At eleven, we all went to the Palace Theater to watch a live program. We learned a little about the theater, including that it was built in 1925. A short film taught us a little about gourds and how they decorate them. After that, there were two women that showed us different kinds of hula dances. Which I thought was really interesting to watch.
We had some free time after that to go out and get some lunch. After that, we had a group meeting to discuss some articles we read the last couple of days. I thought it was very helpful to go over the readings as a class, even though we kept getting interrupted by planes constantly flying right over us.
Our last group activity was a tour of the Lyman Museum. We split into two groups and had a guided tour through the whole museum and the Lyman House right next door. We learned a lot about history, seeing tools they used, clothing, religion, and a lot about the missionaries that came there.
We ate supper as a group at the Coconut Grill, then went for dessert at Yogurt Land. Which was really good! Now we're all relaxing at the hostel because we have an early morning tomorrow!

Taylor Volk

An Epic Day in Paradise

2011-01-18T23:34:00.000-08:00

After sleeping in somewhat, but not at all by Jon's standards, the day began by meeting with an Office of Hawaiian Affairs affiliate. To me, this representative greatly contrasted our previous speaker, Paul Neves. Paul Neves is difficult to describe, due to his diversified nature, but if I were to attempt to I would categorize him as a sovereignty activist. Paul believes in a peaceful, continuous protest aimed at gaining independence back from the United States, as the Hawaiian Kingdom once had. On the other hand, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs speaker, at least personally, took on a more defeated perspective. Whereas Paul expressed his genuine anger regarding the forced acquisition of Hawaii by the United States, as he should, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs representative seemed much more defeated, basically saying what has been done is done, and moving forward, we must be realistic. This reality principle involves the Office of Hawaiian pushing for federal recognition, which will restrict the Hawaiian people to the status of Native Americans, rather than pursuing sovereignty as a nation.

The second half of the day was not as fulfilling; Jon and I were playing tennis, I would like to point out that Jon was playing like absolute garbage, but managed to pull out a beautiful slice down the line, behind me. Attempting to abruptly change direction, my right ankle touched the ground, and I heard an awful pop. Long story short, after four hours of inefficient hospital diagnosis, I was told I had a ankle sprain, and as I sit here now, on a warm terrace, surrounding my interesting people, I am icing my ankle. I would also like to add that while being pushed in a wheelchair by Jon, he managed to painfully snag my ankle on a door.

A Day of Meetings with Representatives

2011-01-18T21:44:00.000-08:00

We started off this morning started off with a meeting with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. This is a board run by nine trusties, which was put into effect in 1980. Lukela Ruddle was a very practical and informational speaker. She spoke about socioeconomic issues facing Hawaii. Much of Hawaii faces many issues, one of which is the high cost of living here. In Hawaii the cost of housing is around $500,000 and the average household income is only around $30,000. The gap between rich and poor keeps widening, forcing the middle class to disappear. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs is a quasi-independent organization, which is free from the state. Their main goal has been working towards federal recognition for the state of Hawaii. Ruddle was a very informative speaker with a very realistic outlook on Hawaii's future.
We had some free time this afternoon to do as we wanted. Many of us participated in various activities such as going to the beach, playing tennis, golfing, and making multiple trips to the market.
Later on this afternoon we met with county council woman Brittany Smart. She is a very young politician who deals with many large public issues. Some of the main public issues she spoke about were the budget deficit, biofuel efficiencies, and infrastructure problems.. These are all very large issues in Hawaii, which she is trying to solve by representing the people. She was very informational and provided us with some insight in the problems affecting the people of Hawaii.

Britt Sands
Sophomore
Financial Economics Major
St. James, MNz

The Hawaiian Nation

2011-01-18T00:42:00.000-08:00

As Mandi has already given a pretty good account of our day I will try and elaborate on our visit with Paul Neves and his talk about the Hawaiian Nationalist movement.
When Queen Lili’uokualani abdicated her throne on this day in 1898, it was not to the provisional government set up by the white plantation owners and businessmen. She surrendered to the United States government, knowing that her forces could easily defeat the U.S. marines that had currently landed but would be crushed by the retaliation forces that would be sure to follow after. There was also the precedent of when the British briefly took over the islands through one of their representatives, once the King heard of it he ordered his forces withdraw and power be given back to the Hawaiian monarch. Unfortunately for the Queen and the rest of the Hawaiian people, the U.S. wanted Pearl Harbor and to prevent any other power from gaining a strong hold in the pacific. Since that time the Hawaiian Nationalist movement has taken on many forms, with multiple groups that are fighting for different goals.
On one side there are groups that call for a complete or partial separation of Hawaii from the Union and a reinstating of the Hawaiian government that was overthrown over 100 years ago. Another side lobbies for the same rights that Native Americans have but as Paul Neves says, "Hawaiians are Nationals not Natives." Finally, there are groups who just want reparations from the federal government for land that was taken from them at annexation and then given to the state at statehood. Since then much of the land that was supposed to benefit the hawaiian people has been used for a multitude of different purposes without their consent.
All in all we learned a lot from Paul Neves and hopefully can put it to good use during our analysis of Hawaii beyond tourism
Grant Cooper
Sophmore
Environmental Studies Major

Past and Present Collide Today

2011-01-17T22:40:00.000-08:00

On this day, January 17, in 1893 Queen Lili’uokualani was overthrown. This was the day that Hawaii was annexed by the Americans. Today we went to the household of Paul Neves and his family. We received a beautiful showing of the Hawaiian traditions. We began with the traditional greeting. This was out of some peoples comfort zone. We greeted Paul and his family by touching our noses together and breathing in and out with our greeter. Space bubble…. POPPED! J But this was a wonderful experience that was definitely beyond tourism. After the traditional greeting we proceeded to their home and watched Paul’s son and some other hula dancers show us a traditional hula. This was amazing. We discussed some of the issues about statehood and the wants and needs of the Hawaiian NATIONALS. I capitalize nationals because Paul explained to us that Hawaiian is not a race. When you belong to Hawaii you are a National not a Hawaiian. Paul gave us his thoughts and feelings about the Akaka Bill and what should be done to his home, Hawaii. It was very interesting to hear that he did not like the Akaka Bill. He is not an Indian so this Bill wouldn’t do anything for him.

After a little history lesson Paul and the dancers gave all of us our Hawaiian name. I thought it would be fun to list them for you.

Mandi- Hui which means family

Jordan- Kako which means voice

Miranda- Aina which means land

Britt- Waiwai which means water

Heather- Mana’o which means mind

Linda-Kuie which means to fight

Kate- Kumu which means teacher

Lora- Mana which means spirit

Brian- La’au which means tree

Nancy- Malama which means to nurture or to care

Jon- Keoni which fits Jon character very well… I guess you will just have to get to know him

Bryan- Huna which means that which is hidden

Grant- Mahi’ai which means farmer

David- Kua which means back

Matt- Ikaikai which means strength

Max- Punawai which means spring water or lake

Taylor- Keola

Okay, after we were given names we split into groups that made lei’s and necklaces, danced the hula, and played the ukulele. The hula dancing group was lucky enough to finish off this adventure by performing what they learned… Haha or not…

A big thank you to Paul Neves and his family and dancers for their hospitality today! It was such an amazing experience!

After we left Paul’s house some of us went to the beach to swim, snorkel, and sun tan or play beach volleyball. The rest of the group stayed back to chill and do their readings. Around 4 we left for Kate’s mom’s house for a dinner party. It was a very fun night filled with food, fun and laughter. A big thanks to Kate’s mom as well. It was so wonderful of you to open your house to us. Now we are back at Arnott’s Lodge to finish up our homework and get some sleep before another fun and knowledge filled day tomorrow.

Mandi Turnquist

Sophomore

Business/Psychology Major

Suds N' Duds and Lava!

2011-01-16T23:28:00.000-08:00

Like Taylor said, we had quite the busy day today! After we left the black sand beach, we went to do our laundry at a laundromat called Suds N' Duds. This was an eventful experience. We happened to all start our washers at the same time, not thinking it would be a problem. About halfway through the washing cycle, a couple of us girls walked in to check on the laundry and noticed that water was flooding the ground. The lady was a little upset, but explained to us that we couldn't all wash our clothes at the same time. During this time, we also walked around the town in search of lunch. Lora, Taylor, Heather and I went to a Chinese/Hawaiian Restaurant, which we all thought was really good. Then around 5:30 we loaded back into the mini-vans and headed towards the volcano at Kalapana. Parts of the road started to become very narrow the closer we got to where the lava had went over the road. You could tell we were getting closer as the green color of the scenery disappeared and turned to a charcoal gray and black. It was weird to think of that area use to be trees and houses, but now was nothing more than lava rock. We had to park and walk out on what was left of the road to see the volcano and lava flow. We had made it right before sunset so that once it got dark we could see the lava better. It was neat to see the fire and glowing red lava after the sun had gone down. After the long day of traveling and site seeing, we headed back to Hilo for some relaxing in the hostels.

I enjoyed experiencing all the different things that I wouldn't get a chance to back home in Minnesota. Learning about the culture and talking with the local people has been a once in a life time experience for me. As Taylor said before, this side of the island is very different from the other side in many ways. But we are still enjoying the fact we are in beautiful and sunny Hawaii!

Jordan Volk
Junior
Communications Major
St. Peter, MN

Maku'u Farmer's Market and black sand beach!

2011-01-16T23:08:00.000-08:00

We had a very long day today! We started off by getting to sleep in a little for a change. Now that we are living in the hostels, everyone has a chance to make their own breakfast. We had to meet at eleven to go to the Maku'u Farmer's Market. We took a scenic route there and got to see some of the beaches in the area.

I really enjoyed going to the Farmer's Market. There was a big variety of things to look at in all the different stands. And there was also many interesting people to talk to. There was a lot of stands with all sorts of different jewelry, clothes, different fruits or plants, and pictures. It had a variety of food choices, like Mexican, Thai, Indian, French, and Hawaiian. Many of us tried different foods, Jon said it was the best burrito he has ever had. There was also a smoothie stand, which I found to be my favorite part! There was a guy there who was selling his pictures he has taken from around the island, his pictures were so amazing and so were the stories he had to tell about each one. Heather found him really interesting, she sat and visited with him for quite some time. We ended up staying at the farmer's market until two when it closed and then headed to a black sand beach. It was really neat to see all the lava rock and walk through it to the beach. It was different to see the black sand, but the ocean and big waves was an amazing site to see.

It's crazy to see how different this side of the island (Hilo) is from where we started our trip (Kona). We are seeing more of the residential part of Hawaii, rather than the "paradise" tourists come to see. It was a drastic change going from the Waikoloa Resort to Arnott's Lodge, but I think that it is important to see both sides of the island to get the full experience of going "beyond tourism".

The hot and sunny day was perfect for the busy, outdoor schedule we had all day today!

Taylor Volk
Sophomore
Health Fitness Major
St. Peter, MN

More photos from the past few days

2011-01-16T12:18:00.000-08:00

On Thursday, Jordan and Taylor got an opportunity to swim with the dolphins at the Hilton Waikoloa.

Many of us got to watch the dolphin show that afternoon.

Some of the group was invited up on stage to dance at the luau and hula show on Friday night. Here's one of Jon (far left) being surrounded by dancers while Lora, Jordan, and Taylor wait their turn for the spotlight.

Students discover the wonder of touching sleeping grass, sensitive plant, or whatever you call it. When you touch it, the leaves close up.

Waipio Valley overlook, where Kamehameha was taken shortly after birth so that he wouldn't be killed by one of the ruling chiefs. He lived here for the first five years of his life.

We stopped for lunch at Tex's Drive In in Honoka'a and the students enjoyed some fresh, warm malasadas (Portuguese doughnuts). You can see that Britt, Miranda, and Mandi enjoyed them!

One of our last stops yesterday was a visit to Akaka falls, a 420 foot drop.

Our adventures to Hilo

2011-01-16T00:39:00.000-08:00

As Brit mentioned, we had another long day today. However this time it was mostly in the car.
We made a couple of stops along the way in which I really enjoyed.The first was at Akaka Falls. When we got there we did a small hike through some tropical trees and plants, all were very green and very big. When we got closer to the falls, I could hear the sound of water falling down into a small pond. When we got to the place where we could take pictures, it was amazing. The falls were just beautiful with all the green around them and the sound the water was making. I found it very peaceful.
We then moved on to Kate's dads house which was tucked away outside of town. To get there, we had to drive through some narrow, curvy roads which was fun. When we got there, Kate's dad offered us some coconut water, so we all tried some. Next we all tried a fruit called "ramatan" which looked like a red prickly ball. Inside of it was the eatable part which tasted like a pear and somewhat looked like a small pear. We all loved this new fruit so much, that we got to pick some of our own to take with us. We got see, banana trees, tangerine trees, lemons, limes, mangoes, guavas, avocados, star fruit, and jacks fruit. Wow so many fruits!!!
After taking a little tour of the fruit farms, we got to chew on some sugar cane.
I really enjoyed learning and eating the fresh organic fruits and appreciate Kate's dad for taking time to meet with us.

Miranda Quirk Becker
Sophomore
Geography major
St. Paul, MN

Road trip to Hilo!

2011-01-15T20:53:00.000-08:00

This morning we started off with breakfast and class in one of our hotel rooms at the Hilton. We enjoyed what was left of cereals and fruits and discussed a few readings on tourism and missionaries. For the last couple of days it was our assignment to observe tourists and their interaction with Hawaiians. During our class this morning we discussed some of the interesting observations we discovered and told of our favorite part of our stay at the Hilton, mine being last nights luau.
After breakfast we traveled in our vans to the Hawaiian Prepatory Academy. HPA was first established in 1949 for misbehaved boys. It was eventually moved to Waimea and added girls to the academy, where it took on its role as a boarding school. Our tour guide, one of the staff at HPA, informed us of some of the history at HPA as well as some Hawaiian history, including some interesting stories and legends about Kamehameha.
We continued on our journey across the state to Hilo. Along the way we stopped at Tex, to grab a quick hamburger or sandwich. During this stop at Tex we were also introduced to malasadas, which are like Portuguese doughnuts. They were VERY delicious!
Next we stopped at Akaka falls, which is a beautiful and very large waterfall. We also made a quick pit stop at Kate's dad's house. He grows many many fruits and was generous enough to let us try some and even take some with us.
After a long day of travel we finally arrived at Arnotts Lodge and checked into our hostel where we will be spending the next 8 nights. It has been a long day of traveling, but the stops along the way were filled with historical information and many beautiful displays that were captured in pictures!

Britt Sands
Sophomore
Financial Economics Major
St. James, MN

Go Beach Brah

2011-01-14T23:28:00.000-08:00

Grant and my day started by getting rustled out of bed by Matt to go get breakfast. After a nutritious breakfast of Honey Nut Cherrios, Lucky Charms, bananas and Guava nectar I got my things together for the day. We left for the Pu'ukohola heiau located near Kawaihae Harbor. Before we got started, we got a quick presentation from Phoebe about humpback whales. They tend to average about 40 to 45 feet long and about a ton per foot. Each whale has a unique fluke pattern. Now coming away from this uniquness, all of the males sing the same song of about 20 or 30 minutes of patterns of sounds. After this we got a nice tour of the park there and history on the construction of the heiau. This heiau is important because it was built in honor of Kukuilmoku and the beginning of the unification of the islands. The significance of the spot it is on comes through in the sight of both Maui and Mauna Loa, sights of Kamehameha's enemies and the ocean being close (need to conquer this in order to take the islands).

Pu'ukohola Heiau

After this lovely tour and history lesson we were off to Hapuna State Beach Park. Rated as #2 of 10 famous beaches world wide. This was a staple in my beach going while at HPA. I gave a quick ocean/body surfing lesson to some of my classmates and we had a great time enjoying the ocean and sun. A first group went back to the hotel while most of the men stayed at the beach. We ventured to the south side of the beach seeking taller waves. Brian and I scaled the rocks there in search of caves. Unfortuanately the tide was too high to facilitate a safe trek down into the caves. We eventually just jumped down into the surf to join the rest of the group.

Hapuna Beach

With everyone down right exhausted from the beach, most people either read, watched tv or slept till the start of the luau. We were treated to a great Hawaiian style feast and show of the different dances, songs and culture of the Polyneisians. This was very memorable in my taste because I went up on stage and then got to witness John attempt to dance with some of the girls later on in the show. The dinner was definitely some ono grinds. Most of the class tried all the food, some liking the new tastes and others not being fans. I personally didn't find anything I didn't enjoy.

At the conclusion of the show we were done for the night and I meandered to the Malolo Lounge to write this blog while I was serenaded by a lovely guitar and percussion duo.

David Johnson
Junior Health Fitness Major
Libertyville, Illinois

Our First Day

2011-01-14T19:19:00.000-08:00

Sorry about no blog yesterday, the day got really busy and it was to late to blog.

Anyways, yesterday we started our day off with a great breakfast buffet! It had everything from fresh fruit, pastries, cereal and omelets to steamed rice and fish, which were more unique items for the morning. After we stuffed our faces, we met to talk about the reading and our plans for the nxt couple of days. First off, we focused on this notion of “cultural myth” in Hawaii. Looking at how Hawaiian culture has been westernized. Looking at whether or not this is a good or bad, right or wrong. So our assignment for the day was to experience tourism but also be observant. Observant about the employees, who they are, how they act, how they treat us, ex. For the tourism part some of us went to the hotel lagoon to get some sun and kayak. Other people went to the pool, went for a run, swam with the dolphins, shopped and walked to the beach.

Later that evening we drove to a little strip mall to do more shopping and eat at the Macaroni Grill. We got back to the lovely hotel at 9:30 PM and we were all exhausted, so we went to bed.

Wow what an awesome fist day in Hawaii!!! Can’t wait to see more, learn more, and have fun!

Miranda Quirk Becker

Geography major

Sophomore

St. Paul

Some photos from day 1

2011-01-13T20:22:00.000-08:00

Our classroom at the Hilton Waikoloa

A beautiful day in Kona

Travel Day

2011-01-12T23:19:00.000-08:00

Today's travels began in St. Peter at approximately 5:40 AM, and ended in Kona roughly twelve hours later. To recap the morning, it consisted of tired travelers, depending on the amount of sleep they got last night, making their way to the bus at three flags. Also, in order to pack light, as we were instructed, coats were left behind; this meant the walk to the bus was a frigid one. From there, we were shuttled to the airport, with the majority of people fast asleep. Once at the airport, bags were checked, we went through security, and everyone went in search of breakfast. Our flight went from Minneapolis to Los Angeles, and at least for me, because I was soundly asleep the whole time, that is until Jon woke me up, the flight was seemingly over before it began. After arriving at Los Angeles, we were somewhat trapped in a small portion of the airport, consisting of about nine gates. This was due to the fact that to reenter this small portion of the terminal, going through security, and its massive lines, was necessary. So, once again people found lunch, and then waited at our gate. Our next flight flew from Los Angeles to Kona, and boasted an inflight movie, shortening the trip. The inflight movie was Life As We Know It, featuring Katherine Heigl. The basic storyline is of two god parents of a baby, who despise each other, being forced to collectively care for this child because of the parent's death. Ultimately, as in any sappy love story, the two fall in love, and live as a happy family.

Finally, we arrived in Hawaii, and exited our plane via stairs. Walking out of the door, we were greeted by warmth, and a soothing breeze. This was an amazing feeling after freezing for the last few months in Minnesota. Also, something unique about the airport is that the landing strips, as well as the airport in general, lie on and around lava rock; additionally, the airport is mostly outside, with a few covers over the baggage claim, and a few others things. Then, we drove our three minivans to get some food, stopping at a market with all kinds of options. After eating, we finally checked into the hotel, which is absolutely beautiful. The place is elaborately decorated with sculptures and other art. Right as you walk in the lobby, you see a gondola, as well as a tram, that can transport you along the resort. As we were waiting to check in, Jon and I decided to explore, and came upon a set of descending staircases that are sheltered by a tall roof, which much be forty feet in height, giving the sensation of being incredibly small. And we came upon a waterfall with a walkway going through it, allowing you to virtually stand in it. Although, this only partially describes the amazing hotel we are staying in, and much exploring will have to be done tomorrow, for now, as exhausted as I am, it is time for bed. Also, I would like to add that as I am writing this, I am in a lounge of the hotel, listening to live music, which is beautifully filling the room.

Bryan Miles

Freshmen

Wausau, Wisconsin

Out with the cold, in with the blue

2011-01-11T18:25:00.000-08:00

Today was our final day on campus and naturally we were greeted with more snow. Our assignment for today was to come prepared to talk about one of our three topics of interest. We discussed a great variety of topics including geology, food, traditions, and language to name a few. Our papers helped to get us thinking about what kinds of things we can expect to see and learn about in Hawaii. We will be able to gain valuable knowledge through primary sources as well as utilizing public libraries. Many of the items on the agenda should also be very informative to the class as a whole.

We talked about some of the last minute logistics of the travel scheduled for tomorrow and made sure everyone was on the same page. We will find out how many "fluffy bunnies" we have in the class tomorrow morning when we are catching our bus at 5:45 AM. After that we will be settling in for a long day of travel. Fortunately we will be able to look forward to the warm weather ahead even though rain is expected.

I am personally looking forward to all of the great scenery and all of the amazing learning opportunities we will have. I will have a lot of fun taking tons of pictures along the way too! I can't wait to try all of the different kinds of foods, especially the fruit, and of course some tasty spam.

Matt Benson
Junior Athletic Training Major
Grand Rapids, Minnesota

Act of War

2011-01-10T17:20:00.000-08:00

Today in class we watched our 2nd documentary of Hawaii called Act of War. This documentary is very different from the 1st. After we watched the movie we discussed the differences between the two and found some very interesting things. Our group discussed how Act of War gave a lot more nitty gritty facts that the Conquest of Hawaii didn't. We got to see actual numbers today.

We discussed the population numbers of Native Hawaiians and possible reasons for the large decline. Something that was interesting was the qualifications to be a Native Hawaiian. Native Hawaiians are considered "aboriginal, indigenous, native people" which means a people whom Congress has recognized as the original inhabitants of the lands that later became part o the United States and who exercised sovereignty in the areas that later became part of the United States. Ever since the sugarcane plantations there have been a large number of Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Puerto Ricans, and others that have now married and had children with the Native Hawaiians. Are those children counted as Native Hawaiians?... We also found that Native Hawaiians are the minority now. They are the uneducated, the imprisoned, poor people of Hawaii. Americans, in their point of view, have taken over their land and their history. They want their land back. The Great Mahele was the splitting up of land and selling it off. Most of the land in Hawaii was sold to Americans and the British. This left the Native Hawaiians with little land or none at all. The land they did have was not suitable for farming so many of them are below the poverty line and struggling to make money and stay afloat. The Native Hawaiians want reciprocity from America. I feel that they are hoping for something similar to what the American Indians received.

We also discussed the facts that were given about the American army. There were specific numbers and time lines and locations that were not given to us in the Conquest of Hawaii. Our class felt that this movie was made to make us feel badly about our country. We are Americans and as an American we also have to accept our past. We have gone through the conquering of Hawaii, Indian territories and so much more. It is our past and while we may not have been there personally it is still our job to be aware. It is better to be aware so that when we do travel to these areas we are able to accept the harsh looks or the large amount of judging that we will receive when in these places. I feel that I will be able to use this knowledge to help me better understand the people of Hawaii and also help with my travel etiquette when I travel to different countries.

One of the last things that was brought up today was the opening of the documentary. They began it with happy music and beautiful scenary of Hawaii. Soon it shifts to Native Hawaiians protesting and being arrested. This image immediately brings me back to the Civil Rights Movement. There were so many people being arrested and left unheard. I don't want this type of thing still happening today. We have evolved as humans and as Americans. We need to be more accepting and open to the thoughts of everyone on this planet. We all have a past and all the Hawaiians want is to be heard and understood. They want a part of their past back. While it may be difficult to give it to them the least we can do is listen and understand their frustrations since it was our country that caused this.

Lastly we discussed some last minute details and put our notebooks together for our Hawaii observations. So here is a little reminder for everyone... Don't forget your notebooks or your binders.... Our whole class is based off of those :) I hope everyone is getting excited! I know I am!

Mandi Turnquist
Sophomore
Business Management and Psychology
Dayton, Minnesota

Presentations and Hawaiian Economy

2011-01-07T16:53:00.000-08:00

Aloha!
Today we began class with 5 minute presentations from each student reflecting on the research they have done for their 3 topics of study. It was really interesting getting to hear what everyone was interested in and what they plan to study more in depth while we are in Hawaii. My three topics of study include Hawaii and World War II, The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA), and Hawaii being an energy efficient state. I have been to Hawaii before and the things that I have learned this week will make it a completely different experience. I have learned that Hawaii is a very diverse state and that there is a lot that Americans do not learn about Hawaii in early american history. As a class, I feel that we are all ready and willing to learn more about Hawaii and take advantage of the opportunities that will come our way while we are in Hawaii.

The second half of class we looked at graphs, a short clip, and statistical information about the Hawaiian economy. First, we discussed the older economic driving factors in Hawaii including sugar cane, whaling, pineapple, and sandlewood. All of these industries were either too labor intensive or the product became scarce. As a part of the "newer" economy in Hawaii, tourism, coffee, macadamia nuts, papaya, and floral sales are major industries. We looked at how Hawaii and people changed after sugar cane plantations shut down as well as how the recent recession has impacted Hawaii. I thought it was really interesting to learn about the poverty rates and wage rates as well. In order to live in Hawaii, you must make a lot more money to live the same way as you would in Minnesota, for example. Poverty rates are also a major issue in Hawaii as well. On the Big Island (where we are going), there is a 15.7% poverty rate for all individuals.

This class has been a lot of fun so far getting to know people and learning about Hawaii. It is a state with a fascinating history and I cannot wait to chat with the locals and understand Hawaii "Beyond Tourism"!

(Picture of the class today! Thanks to Matt :) )
Lora Felix
Sophomore
Political Science
Henderson, Minnesota

Walking on Sea Shells

2011-01-06T21:36:00.000-08:00

We are on day four of class. We finished up the film Conquest of Hawaii. The last section of the movie covered the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy. Liholiho was son to Kamehameha , known as Kamahameha II. Concerned with disease, he traveled to England to meet with King George III to get his advice. However, while touring he caught the measles. Hawaii went through many changes in monarchy control over the following decades: Kauikeaouli became the new king (Kamehameha III) , Alexander Liholiho (Kamehameha IV), Lot Kapuaiwa (Kamehameha V), William Lunalilo, King Kalakaua, and Queen Lili’uokalani up until 1893. As you can see Hawaii went through many kings so you can imagine it would be hard on the citizens to have consistency with their culture. Many events have occurred throughout the decades as well: Reciprocity treaty with the contiguous United States, The Hawaiian League, the Bayonet constitution, the Committee of Safety, Annexation by Untied States, the bombing in Pearl Harbor, Statehood , and the Apology Resolution.

I was really interested in reading about the bombing in Pearl Harbor in the WWII section in the book, A Concise History of the Hawaiian Islands. Even though this subject is widely taught to students, I still found it important and informational. The Japanese planned the attack to happen five minutes before 8 a.m. The Japanese also had secondary targets located at Hickam Field and Schofield Barracks. Hawaii replaced civilian government with a military governor. The military government was extremely powerful and virtually controlled every part of life for most of the war.

I’m really surprised on the amount of interesting information about Hawaii. Before this class I had very limited knowledge about Hawaii and I’m glad I get this opportunity to learn more about the Islands. I’m excited to learn more about Hawaii though presentations from the other students and the three topics I’m picking to learn more about which are: the Caste/Kapu system in Hawaii, different God’s in Pre-European Hawaii, and culture today in Hawaii versus culture today in the United States.

Heather Thurmes

Sophomore

Psychology

Hastings, Minnesota

From Monarchy to Statehood

2011-01-06T19:03:00.000-08:00

Today, we started out class by making some personal goals for our trip in Hawaii, where we will now be in less than a week. The goals ranged from learning about the lifestyles of Hawaiian peers to trying new foods and experiences. After sharing some of our personal goals, we made some broader group goals, which include being open to trying at least one completely new experience (not including SPAM, which however is included in a goal of its own: to have everyone at least try it), and among others, communicating with and asking questions of native Hawaiians and tour guides/speakers.

After we finished creating these goals, we watched the third and final part of the History Channel’s Conquest of Hawaii film. Along with our class reading for the day, this section of the movie introduced us to the U.S. influence in Hawaii. Most of our previous U.S. History courses failed to mention the mostly frustrating and embarrassing aspect of this country's history, which will now be summarized. Many of the last Hawaiian monarchs were being pressured by foreign influences, whether British, American, etc. Conflict was seen throughout Hawaii, especially in their legislature, where non-native policies were gaining a stronger foothold. King Kalakaua, a high ranking Hawaiian chief, supported the economic transformation that was taking place in Hawaii, understanding the significant influence that many of the large businesses had on the region. On the other hand, he also wanted to revive the native Hawaiian culture, in particular the traditional crafts and hula that were outlawed by Christian missionaries. U.S. officials and businessmen came to demonstrate more and more control on Hawaii’s fate, beginning with the Bayonet Constitution in 1887. Here, King Kalakaua was forced at gunpoint to hand over his executive power.

King Kalakaua Queen Lili'uokalani

Lili’uokalani, the last Hawaiian monarch, gave one last push to curb the U.S. influence in the country. She tried to develop a new constitution that would re-extend the monarchy and give more voting rights to Hawaiian citizens that were either property less or not able to read English. The U.S. cabinet did not support her actions and responded by manipulating the system to overthrow her from her reign, further leading to the complete overthrow of Hawaii’s government and sovereign rights. Although Grover Cleveland expressed his frustration with the unlawful takeover (http://www.civicsonline.org/library/formatted/texts/hawaii_cleve.html), annexation was complete in McKinley’s presidency. The U.S. had almost complete control over the Hawaiian territory at this point, with a U.S. appointed governor, a delegate to the U.S. Congress, and a Territorial Legislature.

After World War II ended, the return of heroic soldiers, including Japanese Hawaiian troops, initiated the push for expanded Hawaiian human and political rights, which later was influential in a seventeen to one Hawaiian precinct vote that made Hawaii a U.S. state in 1959. In 1993, the U.S. created an apology resolution that expressed remorse over what had happened to the Hawaiian way of life (http://www.hawaii-nation.org/publawall.html). Later, petition papers were uncovered which demonstrated that all native Hawaiians had peacefully signed this protest against the unilateral takeover of Hawaii. Proving that most of their ancestors had not just ceded their livelihood without resistance, this helped spark a resurgence in Hawaiian culture and language, which I am definitely looking forward to experiencing and learning more about.

Hawaii state flag University of Hawaii pre-game dance

Max Lantz

Senior Economic Analysis Major

Minnetonka, MN

More history

2011-01-06T06:30:00.000-08:00

A little summary of the class. We concluded the Unification through conquest by Kamehameha I and had the first Hawaiian nation. He finally succeeded through using diplomacy with Kauai and Niihau. The Hawaiians lived in relative peace until the death of their beloved chief Kamehameha. Kaahumanu, favorite wife of Kamehameha took control and through Kamehameha II ruled the islands and took in the missionaries and whalers.

The missionaries came into a lawless and godless land. The kapu system had ended shortly after the death of Kamehameha along with the old religion and way of life. Christianity was able to take up a strong foothold through the written word. The missionaries developed a Hawaiian language that could mimic the sounds and flow of the spoken language. The decendents of these haoles would come to shape the islands that we know today. Through the Great Mahele, haoles could own land and eventually became naturalized citizens. This spelled doom for the old ways of Hawaii.

I enjoyed the part in the reading about John Parker. One of the haoles taht Kamehameha used as his advisor. John Parker came there through jumping ship and the king took him in. Kamehameha had Parker tame and control the kapu-ed cattle that had been brought to the islands. This brought on a red meat to the diet and would turn into the Parker Ranch of the Kohala mountains. This is the land that my high school Hawaii Preparatory Academy was built on by Evangelicals in the 1950s. At one point the Parker Ranch was the largest ranch operation in the world. It is beautiful country that I did not know existed on the Big Island until I attended school there. I feel that I have also experienced the pull that the islands have on people. Once you see them you will fall in love with them. I will try to figure out the blog as well.

Till we get the Pacific Gem of Hawaii
David Johnson
Junior Health Fitness major
Libertyville, IL

Some Hawaiian History in the Classroom

2011-01-04T17:47:00.000-08:00

For many of us, today was the first time we were presented with any particulars about the history of Hawaii. We learned about the unique geological history of Hawaii. Specifically, that they are one of the most geographically remote groups of islands on the planet and thus one of the last places to be populated. The state of the island upon its first discovery is also unique. Due to the relative isolation of the islands all life forms arrived on the islands by means of wave action, wings, or wind. Waves carried flowering plants to the islands, birds brought many seeds and insects with them to the islands, and wind introduced spores and other microscopic life forms to the islands of Hawaii. I expect we will learn more about the repercussions of this limited inhabitation later in the class, but for now we know that it is fragile, as there are no natural predators.

Hawaii was first inhabited by Polynesians who sailed from the Marquesas. These people lived peacefully on the islands of Hawaii for a thousand years until new voyagers arrived. The Tahitians arrived in large numbers and created a new hierarchy which put themselves on top. With the introduction of a new way of life on the islands came conflict. There were endless battles for the title of chief and chiefs were always looking to increase their land and influence. It was not until King Kamehameha that the islands would once again be united under a single ruler.

In order to understand how Kamehameha came to power one must know about the other "discovery" of Hawaii. In 1778, Captain Cook came across the island of Kauai and was greeted with great hospitality by the Hawaiians until they sailed off again. This first contact with the British lead to the spread of diseases to the Hawaiians that Cook observed on the island of Hawaii when he returned just a year later. It was not long after this that Americans arrived to the islands of Hawaii, in 1790. The impression left was not a good one after the massacre of many Hawaiian men, women, and children.

King Kamehameha used the advances in weaponry, technology, and strategy that were brought from the British and Americans to take over all of Hawaii. He even took two men from the American ships hostage to teach him about the strategies and technology that was introduced. He was also able to use them and gain even more weapons through trade for sought after resources of the islands such as the sandalwood trees.

I found this history interesting and am excited to continue finding out more and spending time in Hawaii at some of the places we talked about today!

Linda Evans

Senior, Political Science Major

Fairbanks, Alaska

Getting started!

2011-01-02T14:56:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is the first day of J-Term and the beginning of our exploration into Hawaiian history and culture. Students will begin blogging about the things we learn and do starting on Tuesday. Until then, I thought I'd leave you with a few links to places we'll visit in the next couple of weeks...

We'll visit the Pu'ukohola Heiau, a national historic site which was built by King Kamehameha. The builders passed stones hand to hand in a 20 mile long human chain.

We'll visit the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to explore the Thurson Lava Tube and the Kilauea eruption, which first began on January 3, 1983 (It has been erupting for 28 consecutive years!).

We'll explore the Lyman Museum and Mission House to learn about the role of missionaries in Hawaii.

We'll enjoy a snorkeling cruise to the beautiful Kealakekua Bay.

Follow along with our adventure right here!!

Getting Ready for Hawaii

2010-11-30T09:53:00.001-08:00

Preparations for the January Term course Hawaii, Beyond Tourism are underway! Seventeen of us (14 students, 1 instructor, 1 administrator, and 1 lucky spouse) will be spending just over two weeks on the Big Island of Hawaii learning about Hawaiian history and studying the political, economic, cultural, and social impacts of tourism. I (Kate Knutson, the instructor) grew up on the Big Island and am excited to introduce students to a side of life in Hawaii that most tourists never experience. I’ve been hard at work planning site visits, meetings with speakers, and reading materials. So far the agenda includes visits to ancient heiaus (Hawaiian temples) and the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, experiencing a luau, and trying outrigger canoe paddling. There are many more parts of the adventure to come, but you’ll have to wait to hear more about them in future posts. Students will be contributing updates to this blog throughout our trip, so be sure to check back in often to hear the latest once we get started in January. For now, Aloha!