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People of Hawaii
Hawaii is believed to be the most culturally, ethnically and racially integrated state in the USA. It is also the most ethnically diverse place in the whole world. It is perhaps the only place in the whole world where there is no majority- each community is a minority here. According to the 2000 census, 20% of the Hawaiian population confirmed their multi-ethnic backgrounds- a figure that is lot higher than any other U.S. state. While a quarter of the population claims Hawaiian ancestry, the half of Hawaii’s population claims Asian ancestry in part. Another part of the population claims a Caucasian ancestry in part.
The Hawaiians feel that it is essentially the inherent Hawaiian characteristics that make this diversity of the population possible in the first place. On a practical scale, this ethnic diversity is a result of inter-ethnic marriages; around 45 percent of marriages taken place in Hawaii are inter-ethnic, giving birth to the multi ethnic families and children with mixed ethnicity. In addition to that, Hawaiian people live in heterogeneous neighborhoods and interact through several social networks and as a result the development of culturally isolated pockets is nearly impossible in Hawaii.
A brief demographic history of Hawaii
Throwing some light on the demographic history of Hawaii will help in properly understanding the multi-ethnic society that Hawaii is today.
When Captain James Cook set his feet in Hawaii back in 1778 there were an estimated population of 300,000 to 400,000 native Hawaiians who were known as the kanaka maoli.
The next centuries saw a steady decline in the native Hawaiian population. By the last half of the 19th century, the native Hawaiian population dropped by an alarming 80-90%. This drop in the population was due the local people’s lack of immunity toward the diseases imported by the people of the outside world. By 1878, the native population reached to a scanty 40,000 and 50,000 people. This drastically small native population still comprised over 75% of the total population of Hawaii at that point of time.
Today’s people of Hawaii
Following consistent drop in the pure Hawaiian population, today it is rare to find people with pure Hawaiian blood. You won’t find more than 8000 people that have pure Hawaiian blood. On the other hand, the size of the population having mixed Hawaiian ancestry is steadily rising. Today a 255,000 and 275,000 mixed Hawaiians live in Hawaii. This segment of the population is regarded as the native Hawaiians in 21st century Hawaii, though majority of them are believed to have less than 50% pure Hawaiian blood. According to 1990 US census, the native Hawaiians comprise 12.5% of the population.
Whichever part of Hawaii you move, you will come to see a genuine camaraderie among the people of different ethnic backgrounds. This co-existence of diversity and solidarity is the symbol of Hawaiian tolerance that dates back to the days of early settlers when this ancient island accepted the Christian missionaries with good natured warmth.
The best thing about Hawaiian multi ethnic population is that it teaches you how to rise above the historical racial hatred and share a warm relation in a new land. The Chinese, Japanese and Korean immigrants living in this island state make for a good example of this phenomenon.
Today the only place in Hawaii, where you can observe the Hawaiian people and their culture in their purest form is Niihau. To set your feet in this private island, either you need private invitation or you have to take a helicopter tour over this traditional Hawaiian village.