Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
From general managers to maids, resort employees went through hours of Hawaiian cul-
tural training. They held focus groups to discuss the meaning of aloha—the Hawaiian concept
of unconditional love—and applied it to their work and their lives. Now many hotels have
joined the movement and instituted Hawaiian cultural programs. No longer content with
teaching hula as a joke, resorts now employ a real kumu hula (hula teacher) to instruct visitors
and have a kupuna (elder) take guests on treks to visit heiau (temples) and ancient petroglyph
sites.
As a result, the Hawaiian culture is among the top respected resources in the state. The
visitor industry wants tourists to have a “true” experience of Hawaii's culture, especially in
Waikiki, where the majority of visitors land.
The Royal Court at an Aloha Festival.
The Question of Sovereignty
The Hawaiian cultural renaissance has also made its way into politics. Many kanaka maoli
(native people) are demanding restoration of rights taken away more than a century ago when
the U.S. overthrew the Hawaiian monarchy. Their demands were not lost on President Bill
Clinton, who was picketed at a Democratic political fundraiser at Waikiki Beach in July 1993.
Four months later, Clinton signed a document stating that the U.S. Congress “apologizes to
Native Hawaiians on behalf of the people of the United States for the overthrow of the King-
dom of Hawaii on January 17, 1893, with the participation of agents and citizens of the United
States, and deprivation of the rights of Native Hawaiians to self-determination.”
