The Islands through Time

In my previous blog entry, I explained my decision to study Hawaiian Language and Culture. The purpose of this second entry is to justify my choice to examine the ancient history and culture of the Islands. I felt it was important to study the language in order to understand the culture, but the inverse is also true. A language is meaningless without some background as to its usage. For example, the word ali’i is translated into English as “chief,” but in the Hawaiian culture, it can mean many other responsibilities and positions. These cannot be expressed concisely in English, because our culture is so different from that of the ancient Islands.

In addition to being mostly interested in this ancient culture, I felt it was very valuable to learn the intricacies of this society that still shows itself today through the cultural revitalization of the Islands. My second goal has somewhat evolved over the course of my ELI, because I found that, in order to learn about the culture, learning about the overall history and events of ancient Hawai’i was also necessary. Thus, I have been mostly studying sources that discuss the evolution of the Islands after Cook landed there.

I have found a fantastic book called Shoals of Time, which explains the history as one would tell stories. I love this format because it is much easier to digest high volumes of information if it feels like I am reading a book. The rich culture and interesting history of the Islands almost makes it feel like a fictional novel. Through reading this history book, I am beginning to understand the culture of the Islands more and more each day.

I feel that a clear understanding of the culture of the ancient Hawaiian Islands is vital to the success of my ELI. The language and culture of any society are deeply intertwined, and even today the ancient culture of the Islands affects the inhabitants’ lives both overtly and subtly in many aspects of life. The history of Hawai’i is a result of the culture, just as the culture’s evolution is a result of historical events. Thus, all aspects of this society, from ancient times to today, are both essential to my ELI and exciting to discover.

~ Meghan

Works Cited

Daws, Gavan. Shoals of Time. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu. 1968. Print.