We talked to Kim, who moved to Hawaii several years ago and still lives there with her family. While you live in Hawaii, literacy is heavily influenced by everyday life. Their traditional dance is called the Hula, where the women (and sometimes men) dance in a pa'u skirt. They are currently in very rainy and stormy weather, but it isn’t uncommon to see Hawaiians walk on the beach or surf as a hobby. Hawaii also has traditional chants where people go into a forest and chant Hawaiian words. Other islands are less populated, but the one Kim lives on has one of the highest populations, even though it is not the biggest island. All the islands are known for their own unique things such as scenery, economy, population, and tradition, and some have a little bit of everything.
A lot of people actually move to the mainland because it is somehow more affordable than Hawaii itself. A lot of local people depend on tourists for their incomes because of how many visitors come. Tattoos are wildly popular in Hawaii, especially using the traditional sticks like you see in popular Polynesian movies. Hawaii is very set on not following all of the United States' rules because they feel like they should have some form of their own independence. However, some Hawaiian foods are based on American food, such as a burger with a steak patty! Kids also enjoy holidays the same way we do today because, well, they still are part of the United States. Jokes and trends from the US are widely spread in Hawaii, so they really aren’t as foreign as others believe.
There is a lot of nature to see. You can go paddleboarding or on boat tours, and you can almost be in touch with whales, sea turtles, and fish. You can also see dolphins around, but never go too close and don’t scare or harm the sea animals. The most liked animal is the humpback whale because of its friendliness and huge size as a gentle giant. People fiercely protect Hawaii's greenery, beaches, and mountains; especially after the fires, they want to take extra precautions about their nature. For example, people think that throwing rocks is disrespectful. Think about it: it's like throwing your own grandma! People there remember their ancestors, and they feel bad if you're not connected to your own ancestral roots. There are also rock walls around fish ponds for restoration so they can add life back to them, and some have stayed there for over 800 years.
The first time Kim got there, she saw a volcano erupt and new landmasses forming. Kilauea is a volcano that's known for not exploding directly; instead, it erupts through cracks and tension, so the eruption lasts a lot longer. People even like to snowboard on the tallest mountain in Hawaii! Overall, it doesn’t get very hot there. The hottest is around 80 degrees and the coldest is around 50 degrees, so they have very nice weather. We have pollen over here, but they have another type of allergic plant.
They have some unique slang, too. “Da Kine” is a slang phrase people use when they can't remember the real word for something, like when you say “the thing.” If someone in Hawaii is talking about you, they might say “Mary” if you're a girl—not because your name is actually Mary, but just because it's a female name used in their language.
When going to a home in Hawaii, you have to be very mindful to take your shoes off when entering the house. Although they encourage tourists to visit Hawaii, it is highly recommended that you don’t move there permanently. Hawaii isn’t really kept up with just the natives; there are a lot of people who aren't from Hawaii that stay there. The ocean is very visible throughout the islands; everywhere you are, the ocean isn’t too far away. Honestly, you might as well not have left the States considering how similar it is to the rest of North America!
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