The island tour was an awsome thing to do. We saw the state capital which was held up with pillars that look like palm trees. The seal of Hawaii was hung in the center of the building. It had the saying that one king said to foreigners. He basically told them that the Hawaiian culture and royalty will prevail. Guess what? It did! the palace was the next stop. the Queen was living there and it was also the place where she surrendered the throne to the American Government. The Queen was held prisoner in a building for an odd number of months a few blocks away from the palace. The next place we went to was the Pali lookout, where the chief of Oahu jumped to his death because he did not want to get killed by the king. It is said to be haunted. The area is absolutely beautiful and breathtaking.
The North Shore was incredible. the waves were big but because we came at a calm time there were not huge ones.
the waves hit the rocks with such force, I couldn''t believe they didn't crack. it is only been a week here and i am excited to experience everything else. however, that was not all the places that were visited. We went to a Buddha Temple. It was huge! The Buddha was huge! It reached to the ceiling of the temple. it was cool to be able to light incense for good luck. I was wondering how it would be to live at a temple like that. To live the way of the Buddha and learn all of his teachings.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Final Paper for HONB 210
Write an 8-10 pages paper about the statehood of Hawaii. Describe the pro and cons of it and explain your position.
You may use notes from class lectures, tours, your journals, assigned readings, and material that you find from other sources. Include all sources in the bibliography of your paper. The bibliography needs to be in MLA format.
Submit one hard-copy of your paper and an electronic copy of your paper by Friday, February 4, 2011 by 5:00pm.
You may use notes from class lectures, tours, your journals, assigned readings, and material that you find from other sources. Include all sources in the bibliography of your paper. The bibliography needs to be in MLA format.
Submit one hard-copy of your paper and an electronic copy of your paper by Friday, February 4, 2011 by 5:00pm.
Blog from Melanie on the Polynesian Cultural Center
Today was out last full day in Hawaii. I have to admit the feeling is deffinentlybittersweet. I'm excited to be going home soon, but sad to be leaving the memoriesbehind and the amazing weather. Most importantly, I'm glad that for our last day wewere able to spend it as a group at the Polynesian Cultural Center. We first arrivedthere at approximately 12 noon. I started my exploring by going to see Samoa andwatching as they cracked and husked coconuts, and climbed an actual coconut tree. Next, we went to Tonga. There we watched and learned the different sounds andrhythm styles of the drums. Soon after, we watched the Canoe Pageant where we wereable to see each island perform their native dances and see their accustomedoutfits. After, I went on the tour to the Morman temple which was big but really beautiful.After the short tour I saw Tahiti and New Zealand. Before I knew it, it was time fordinner. We ate and enjoyed a luau. The food was delicious and the entertainment madeit that much better. After dinner we walked around the marketplace and bought souvenirs. Our endingto the day was with the show "Ha: The Breath of Life." The show perfectlyexamplified each island and their colors and dances. My favorite part was the firedancers. Overall, although it was a long day, I felt it was the perfect ending to anamazing trip. One I will honestly NEVER forget.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Carol Dowe Blog for the 13th
Come on Hawaii enough is enough with the rain. Well, today
was our last lecture. It was a wet day but not to bad. I
woke up at the usual time got ready had breakfast and went
to the lobby to wait for others, so we could catch the bus.
We had two lectures. One was given by Sumner La Croix and
the second lecture was given by Dylan Boylan. Professor La
Croix focused on the economy of Hawaii. Mr. Boylan focused
on current issues of Hawaii.
To understand the future of Hawaii's economy, I had to
learn about the history of the economy. Hawaii thrived using
various industries such as pineapple and sugar. Hawaii is a
very diverse for place, and this is one of the reasons why.
Many Koreans, Japanese and Portuguese were brought over to
help work for a certain amount of time. Now Hawaii's
economy is based on tourism and the military, and the
industries they use to rely on is reduced to pretty much
nothing. However "resource based economies aren't always
the growth leaders". It can lead to the government
regulation is less focused on public goals than private gain
and "Dutch Disease".
The Lecture given by Mr. Boylan overlapped with the one
by Sumner La Croix because the economy is a major issue in
Hawaii. Mr. Boylan was extremely amusing and made the
lecture very interesting, as we dealt with real issues.
Tourism, traffic, weather, and education are some of the
important current issues Hawaii is dealing with. Even though
we want people to visit Hawaii the Homeless paint a picture
that we don't want others to see. Since the island of Oahu
is very small the traffic, seems to be awful because people
have a lot of things to accomplish in a small area.
Education the test scores on standardized test isn't
because of intelligence but because of the language barrier.
It was a great day even though we focused on very
important topics. No worries just visit Hawaii and you'll
see all of its wonderful glory.
was our last lecture. It was a wet day but not to bad. I
woke up at the usual time got ready had breakfast and went
to the lobby to wait for others, so we could catch the bus.
We had two lectures. One was given by Sumner La Croix and
the second lecture was given by Dylan Boylan. Professor La
Croix focused on the economy of Hawaii. Mr. Boylan focused
on current issues of Hawaii.
To understand the future of Hawaii's economy, I had to
learn about the history of the economy. Hawaii thrived using
various industries such as pineapple and sugar. Hawaii is a
very diverse for place, and this is one of the reasons why.
Many Koreans, Japanese and Portuguese were brought over to
help work for a certain amount of time. Now Hawaii's
economy is based on tourism and the military, and the
industries they use to rely on is reduced to pretty much
nothing. However "resource based economies aren't always
the growth leaders". It can lead to the government
regulation is less focused on public goals than private gain
and "Dutch Disease".
The Lecture given by Mr. Boylan overlapped with the one
by Sumner La Croix because the economy is a major issue in
Hawaii. Mr. Boylan was extremely amusing and made the
lecture very interesting, as we dealt with real issues.
Tourism, traffic, weather, and education are some of the
important current issues Hawaii is dealing with. Even though
we want people to visit Hawaii the Homeless paint a picture
that we don't want others to see. Since the island of Oahu
is very small the traffic, seems to be awful because people
have a lot of things to accomplish in a small area.
Education the test scores on standardized test isn't
because of intelligence but because of the language barrier.
It was a great day even though we focused on very
important topics. No worries just visit Hawaii and you'll
see all of its wonderful glory.
marissa
I can't believe this trip is almost over. This has been a
great experience. Today we started the day off with a
lecture on Buddhism by George Tanabi that went from 9:00
until 11:30. He was an interesting speaker and very
philosophical. He told us that Buddha lived 2500 years ago
old. It was very interesting when he told us that there was
a reincarnation and that there was no end to them. He said
there was an end to their body, but their spirit never dies;
it continues to live on. I also thought it was interesting
when he said that soul is an eternal journey and it lives
forever. So when the body dies, the soul picks a new body
and it continues on. But eventually Buddha said that it was
his last life and that he didn't want to relive work,
illness, old age and death because those were not things
that made him happy. He wanted to find total human happiness
but was unable to find it until he went to Nirvana, which
was the perfect place for final rebirth and total happiness.
The way the lecturer spoke about Buddhism was very
interesting. Later we had lunch and then visited two temples
and a shrine and Tanabi spoke about every single one of them
as we entered each one. The first one was very interesting
because it was a Japanese temple that looked like the Taj
Mahal. It was unlike any other temple. It was amazing to see
all the detail inside and out. Then we went to another
temple which also had very interesting details inside. At
the shrine we saw, Tanabi spoke about the different
spiritual materials. They believed in many superstitions.
After I picked my own fortune and tied it around a tree and
it will supposedly come true. It was an interesting day.
great experience. Today we started the day off with a
lecture on Buddhism by George Tanabi that went from 9:00
until 11:30. He was an interesting speaker and very
philosophical. He told us that Buddha lived 2500 years ago
old. It was very interesting when he told us that there was
a reincarnation and that there was no end to them. He said
there was an end to their body, but their spirit never dies;
it continues to live on. I also thought it was interesting
when he said that soul is an eternal journey and it lives
forever. So when the body dies, the soul picks a new body
and it continues on. But eventually Buddha said that it was
his last life and that he didn't want to relive work,
illness, old age and death because those were not things
that made him happy. He wanted to find total human happiness
but was unable to find it until he went to Nirvana, which
was the perfect place for final rebirth and total happiness.
The way the lecturer spoke about Buddhism was very
interesting. Later we had lunch and then visited two temples
and a shrine and Tanabi spoke about every single one of them
as we entered each one. The first one was very interesting
because it was a Japanese temple that looked like the Taj
Mahal. It was unlike any other temple. It was amazing to see
all the detail inside and out. Then we went to another
temple which also had very interesting details inside. At
the shrine we saw, Tanabi spoke about the different
spiritual materials. They believed in many superstitions.
After I picked my own fortune and tied it around a tree and
it will supposedly come true. It was an interesting day.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Blog from Megan
I can't believe that there are only a few days left in
Hawaii. When we all arrived to the University of Hawaii it
had started to rain. As we walked into class we were
excited to get the lesson under way. Today's lecture was
Hawaii Economy with the professor Sumner La Croix. His
lesson taught us about how Hawaii changed over time.
Starting with the understanding of the sugar plantations.
How they were stated and who was brought over to work on
them. Working on the sugar plantations, and the hard work
that it required. Then over time the sugar
plantations started to disappear and oil and military became
the new thing of Hawaii. Through out the 60'/70's/80's
traveling to Hawaii brought new challenges to the Hawaiian
people. They did not have the accommodations for all of
the people that were coming over on the jets. Than Hawaii
increased airports, roads, hotels, restaurants, and tour
companies to help people find things to do around the
island.
After this lecture we all went to lunch and had a lecture by Dan Boylan who spoke about current issues. This lecture was interesting and insightful. He included us all
in his lecture, asking questions, making jokes, and
involving both the students from Korea and Hartford in the lesson. He
explained to us why there are so many homeless people around
the island and what the government is trying to do to fix
the problem. Also that it is hard for people afford housing
because of the value of the land. I learned there is more
people then houses, and we need to learn how to fix the
problem. Both lectures gave me a good insight of what the
Hawaii economy is like and how it is similar to our states.
Hawaii. When we all arrived to the University of Hawaii it
had started to rain. As we walked into class we were
excited to get the lesson under way. Today's lecture was
Hawaii Economy with the professor Sumner La Croix. His
lesson taught us about how Hawaii changed over time.
Starting with the understanding of the sugar plantations.
How they were stated and who was brought over to work on
them. Working on the sugar plantations, and the hard work
that it required. Then over time the sugar
plantations started to disappear and oil and military became
the new thing of Hawaii. Through out the 60'/70's/80's
traveling to Hawaii brought new challenges to the Hawaiian
people. They did not have the accommodations for all of
the people that were coming over on the jets. Than Hawaii
increased airports, roads, hotels, restaurants, and tour
companies to help people find things to do around the
island.
After this lecture we all went to lunch and had a lecture by Dan Boylan who spoke about current issues. This lecture was interesting and insightful. He included us all
in his lecture, asking questions, making jokes, and
involving both the students from Korea and Hartford in the lesson. He
explained to us why there are so many homeless people around
the island and what the government is trying to do to fix
the problem. Also that it is hard for people afford housing
because of the value of the land. I learned there is more
people then houses, and we need to learn how to fix the
problem. Both lectures gave me a good insight of what the
Hawaii economy is like and how it is similar to our states.
Blog from Stephanie
Another exciting day in Hawaii filled with events! We first
started our day by attending a Buddhism lecture with George
Tanabe. George Tanabe gave us an insightful background on
the origins of Buddhism and its impact in Hawaii by the
Japanese. We learned that Buddhism started in India and was
brought to Hawaii by Japan who built the temples that we saw
later today. Buddhism has managed to spread throughout the
world taking many different forms and later forms seem to
contract earlier ones. Practices have changed because of
western influences that are depicted in the architect of the
temples we saw today. The most interesting part about the
lecture was when he told us the story of how a prince that
lived in a small kingdom in India named Siddhartha came to
be known as the Buddha which means the enlighten or awaken
one. He grew up having everything one could ever want and
imagine, but still he wasn’t happy. He never used to go
outside so one day, he finally did and was very disappointed
with what he saw –hard labor, illness, old age and finally
death. He thought that this could not be what life is all
about and that the idea of reincarnation was a form of
torture because of this reoccurring cycle after one dies.
From that moment, he began searching for the meaning of
happiness and ways of achieving it. He later discovers that
happiness comes within and that the core of it is to end all
desires because life is not satisfactory and as long as we
keep wanting more, we will never be able to reach happiness.
We spoke about so many other aspects of Buddhism like karma
which is the moral consequence of our actions and thoughts
and how it gives followers a sense of direction to be good.
The best aspect of Buddhism is that it focuses on the
benefit of everyone, and gratitude is extremely important.
We also learned about the pure land and nirvana, and there
different requirements for entry. The most significant
piece of information I will take with me is that when
studying or practicing religions, we cannot take things
literally but know that it has a symbolic meaning because
many records are written years after the events and are told
orally through generations. George Tanabe was a wonderful
speaker filled with so much knowledge and jokes as well.
BACK TO MIDDLE SCHOOL EVERYONE!
started our day by attending a Buddhism lecture with George
Tanabe. George Tanabe gave us an insightful background on
the origins of Buddhism and its impact in Hawaii by the
Japanese. We learned that Buddhism started in India and was
brought to Hawaii by Japan who built the temples that we saw
later today. Buddhism has managed to spread throughout the
world taking many different forms and later forms seem to
contract earlier ones. Practices have changed because of
western influences that are depicted in the architect of the
temples we saw today. The most interesting part about the
lecture was when he told us the story of how a prince that
lived in a small kingdom in India named Siddhartha came to
be known as the Buddha which means the enlighten or awaken
one. He grew up having everything one could ever want and
imagine, but still he wasn’t happy. He never used to go
outside so one day, he finally did and was very disappointed
with what he saw –hard labor, illness, old age and finally
death. He thought that this could not be what life is all
about and that the idea of reincarnation was a form of
torture because of this reoccurring cycle after one dies.
From that moment, he began searching for the meaning of
happiness and ways of achieving it. He later discovers that
happiness comes within and that the core of it is to end all
desires because life is not satisfactory and as long as we
keep wanting more, we will never be able to reach happiness.
We spoke about so many other aspects of Buddhism like karma
which is the moral consequence of our actions and thoughts
and how it gives followers a sense of direction to be good.
The best aspect of Buddhism is that it focuses on the
benefit of everyone, and gratitude is extremely important.
We also learned about the pure land and nirvana, and there
different requirements for entry. The most significant
piece of information I will take with me is that when
studying or practicing religions, we cannot take things
literally but know that it has a symbolic meaning because
many records are written years after the events and are told
orally through generations. George Tanabe was a wonderful
speaker filled with so much knowledge and jokes as well.
BACK TO MIDDLE SCHOOL EVERYONE!
Blog from Pedro
What a great day to start my day, with rain! While at breakfast the scenery was great because of the rain the view of the mountain looked like a shadow. When finished with breakfast a plant holding furniture came and almost hit Matt. It was hilarious because instead of Matt moving away he just sat there. Later, at twelve o’clock Gabe and I went to Zyppi’s for lunch. The prices of the restaurant were reasonable compared to some other restaurants in Hawaii. I was relieved because every time I went out to dinner I always complained to Matt and Gabe about how expensive Hawaii really is. After lunch, Dean Goldenberg took the group to the Iolani Palace. I have learned from Dean Goldenberg that some of the artifacts aren’t still found because they were sold during the invasion of Hawaii. Also, what I have learned is that Queen Kapiolani was imprisoned in that palace for eight months during the takeover of Hawaii. Iolani is a great place because they still have the wooden floors and the furniture. Thank You Dean Goldenberg for taking us to Iolani Palace!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Patricia Swanson
I can't believe that a week in Hawaii has already gone by!
We have done so much in the classroom and lectures and
outside activities as well. This morning I ate breakfast
with Kweyah and Rachel as we usually do everyday. Usually
it is nice and sunny when we eat but today it was very
cloudy and windy in the dining area. What was nice was
that we got to sleep in a little bit later because we didn't
have to meet for the bus until 9:15. We had a whole coach
bus to ourselves. It was huge. The destination that the
bus was taking us to was the Hawaii Institute of Marine
Biology, also known as HIMB. It is located on Coconut
Island. From Coconut Island you could see Chinaman's Hat,
which we have passed numerous times. We were also across
from the point that we went to on the Island Tour that we
took the other day, Nuuana Pali Lookout. Coconut Island is
also where the opening scene of Gilligan's Island was
filmed. I thought that was cool because a lot of movies and
such were filmed in Hawaii so it was interesting to see that
this is where it actually took place. We arrived in the
marina and took a boat ride over to the island. During the
boat ride our instructor Sal fished for plankton. Plankton
includes both plant and animal species. We learned later in
our lecture that plankton are drifters of the sea. We got
the chance to see some plankton under a microscope and we
had to draw what we saw. It was hard to draw some of them
because they kept swimming around and they did not stay
still for very long. They looked wicked cool underneath the
microscope. I really liked our other speaker too Rob
Toonen. His lecture was basically about the different types
and classification of species and how important marine
invertebrates are to everyday things such as medicine. I
did not know that so I thought that was an interesting fact.
But at the same time researchers have so much to explore
and learn about animal diversity that only 10% of species
that are known. There are so many living organisms that a
lot more research has to be done because there is so that
are unknown or undiscovered. After that lecture we had
lunch in this pretty pool area that was filled with sea
cucumbers. Professor Bullard held one up and we got to
touch it. It was sticky. We learned that sea cucumbers can
change their form and go from a solid to a liquid. Which is
exactly what it did. Before we left we got to see sharks!
There was only a few and they we not that big but I got some
really good pictures :)
We have done so much in the classroom and lectures and
outside activities as well. This morning I ate breakfast
with Kweyah and Rachel as we usually do everyday. Usually
it is nice and sunny when we eat but today it was very
cloudy and windy in the dining area. What was nice was
that we got to sleep in a little bit later because we didn't
have to meet for the bus until 9:15. We had a whole coach
bus to ourselves. It was huge. The destination that the
bus was taking us to was the Hawaii Institute of Marine
Biology, also known as HIMB. It is located on Coconut
Island. From Coconut Island you could see Chinaman's Hat,
which we have passed numerous times. We were also across
from the point that we went to on the Island Tour that we
took the other day, Nuuana Pali Lookout. Coconut Island is
also where the opening scene of Gilligan's Island was
filmed. I thought that was cool because a lot of movies and
such were filmed in Hawaii so it was interesting to see that
this is where it actually took place. We arrived in the
marina and took a boat ride over to the island. During the
boat ride our instructor Sal fished for plankton. Plankton
includes both plant and animal species. We learned later in
our lecture that plankton are drifters of the sea. We got
the chance to see some plankton under a microscope and we
had to draw what we saw. It was hard to draw some of them
because they kept swimming around and they did not stay
still for very long. They looked wicked cool underneath the
microscope. I really liked our other speaker too Rob
Toonen. His lecture was basically about the different types
and classification of species and how important marine
invertebrates are to everyday things such as medicine. I
did not know that so I thought that was an interesting fact.
But at the same time researchers have so much to explore
and learn about animal diversity that only 10% of species
that are known. There are so many living organisms that a
lot more research has to be done because there is so that
are unknown or undiscovered. After that lecture we had
lunch in this pretty pool area that was filled with sea
cucumbers. Professor Bullard held one up and we got to
touch it. It was sticky. We learned that sea cucumbers can
change their form and go from a solid to a liquid. Which is
exactly what it did. Before we left we got to see sharks!
There was only a few and they we not that big but I got some
really good pictures :)
Monday, January 10, 2011
Blog from Ashley on Hawaii Inst. of Marine Biology
Today we took a trip to the famously known Coconut Island or
some may know it as "Gilligan's Island". When we arrived,
I couldn't believe it was a research island because it
seemed more like paradise. I can't even imagine working
there every day. To start our trip off, we did a plankton
tow behind a shuttle boat. Once we arrived in the lab and
put the water droplets under a microscope, I couldn't
believe how many little bug-like plankton there were. I kept
thinking about how we swim with these ugly things every time
we go to the beach. It's actually pretty gross, especially
since I swallowed a big gulp of salt water when surfing.
YUCK. We also had two really great lectures that pretty much
explained the general sea creatures and classifications of
animals within the ocean.
After lunch, we saw sea cucumbers, puffer fish, and sharks!
The most interesting thing I learned on Coconut Island today
was its history. The original owner of the island, a
"playboy", not only had 12 bars and amazing swimming
lagoons, but also had the most extraordinary animals. Our
instructor was amazed how he had elephants and camels, but
was more amazed how he had chimpanzees dressed in tuxedo's
that roamed around the island. It's hard to even image
that this research island was a home to a man with zoo
animals!
some may know it as "Gilligan's Island". When we arrived,
I couldn't believe it was a research island because it
seemed more like paradise. I can't even imagine working
there every day. To start our trip off, we did a plankton
tow behind a shuttle boat. Once we arrived in the lab and
put the water droplets under a microscope, I couldn't
believe how many little bug-like plankton there were. I kept
thinking about how we swim with these ugly things every time
we go to the beach. It's actually pretty gross, especially
since I swallowed a big gulp of salt water when surfing.
YUCK. We also had two really great lectures that pretty much
explained the general sea creatures and classifications of
animals within the ocean.
After lunch, we saw sea cucumbers, puffer fish, and sharks!
The most interesting thing I learned on Coconut Island today
was its history. The original owner of the island, a
"playboy", not only had 12 bars and amazing swimming
lagoons, but also had the most extraordinary animals. Our
instructor was amazed how he had elephants and camels, but
was more amazed how he had chimpanzees dressed in tuxedo's
that roamed around the island. It's hard to even image
that this research island was a home to a man with zoo
animals!
Lindsay - Jan 9, 2011
Today a group of us went kayaking with 3 hawaii student instructors. It was so much
fun! It was fun because we could double up in the kayak or have singles. Kweyah and I
shared one. We paddled from the beach to a narrow river connected to the beach..it
was interesting. While we were all kayaking, we stopped at a tire swing in the water.
It was an interesting experience and full of laughter for Alexandria, as well as the
instructors. I didn't see any animals but our guides said the river is full of
tilapia, and tilapia isn't the best fish to eat here. Kweyah and I were trying to
gain control of the kayak at one point, and it flipped over! It was so funny and we
all got wet. I think our group was entertainment to the instructors, AJ, Ryan and
Sean. I loved kayaking with our group! After kayaking, some of us went to the beach
to relax and soak up the sun. I think some of us are going to Taco Ricos tonight.
We'll see! Todays highlight was kayaking! :)
fun! It was fun because we could double up in the kayak or have singles. Kweyah and I
shared one. We paddled from the beach to a narrow river connected to the beach..it
was interesting. While we were all kayaking, we stopped at a tire swing in the water.
It was an interesting experience and full of laughter for Alexandria, as well as the
instructors. I didn't see any animals but our guides said the river is full of
tilapia, and tilapia isn't the best fish to eat here. Kweyah and I were trying to
gain control of the kayak at one point, and it flipped over! It was so funny and we
all got wet. I think our group was entertainment to the instructors, AJ, Ryan and
Sean. I loved kayaking with our group! After kayaking, some of us went to the beach
to relax and soak up the sun. I think some of us are going to Taco Ricos tonight.
We'll see! Todays highlight was kayaking! :)
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Matt - Jan 8, 2011
Today was a very interesting day. We began with a delicious breakfast provided by the Hotel and after that made our way down to the lobby to wait for the bus. Surprisingly we all were greeted by Dean Goldenberg who had arrived the day prior. It was great to see him and his arrival started the day off with a bang. I was and still am on the hunt for the Dog, (Dog the Bounty Hunter). After we saw the State capital we drove by Da Kine Bail Bonds, which is where Dog works. We then made our way to a lookout point where we saw a great view of Hawaii. After that we ventured fourth to the Buddhist temple. I lit some incense and said a prayer while in the temple and also rang the bell that was nearby. Then we stopped at Waimea beach and took some photos. I had already been there prior on Tuesday when I rode the city bus for two and a half hours only to discover that the people I was going to meet were ready to go. The last part of the day that I thought was interesting was when we went to the Dole plantation. I got some Dole whip or pineapple ice cream. Overall today was a memorable and exciting day that I will remember for a long time to come.
Alexandria - Jan 7, 2011
So today we learned about Hawaiian Music and our instructor was Fred Lau. I thought
he was cool and very socialable (he talked a LOT). Lau spoke about the different
groups of people that migrated to the Hawaiian islands, such as the Chinese,
Japanese, Korean, Filipinos and the Portuguese. Then from each of these groups we
learned a little something about their music.
The Chinese has their own Cantonese Opera Dance, of which their are about 5 of these
groups in Chinatown.
The Japanese has the Koto...an important instrument to Japanese culture. Women need
to learn how to play the Koto if they want to marry into a good family. I actually
enjoyed listening to this form of music. I thought it was kinda
interesting...although it isn't something I would listen to on a regular.
However, a song that I can see myself listening to on a regular would be Over The
Rainbow. I really like that song...I think its one of those songs you would listen to
if you just want to hear something soft and relaxing.
he was cool and very socialable (he talked a LOT). Lau spoke about the different
groups of people that migrated to the Hawaiian islands, such as the Chinese,
Japanese, Korean, Filipinos and the Portuguese. Then from each of these groups we
learned a little something about their music.
The Chinese has their own Cantonese Opera Dance, of which their are about 5 of these
groups in Chinatown.
The Japanese has the Koto...an important instrument to Japanese culture. Women need
to learn how to play the Koto if they want to marry into a good family. I actually
enjoyed listening to this form of music. I thought it was kinda
interesting...although it isn't something I would listen to on a regular.
However, a song that I can see myself listening to on a regular would be Over The
Rainbow. I really like that song...I think its one of those songs you would listen to
if you just want to hear something soft and relaxing.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Kweyah - Jan 7, 2011
Today the lecture was about Hawaiian Musics. This lecture was very interesting
because it was diverse, meaning that it touched on history, culture, music and many
other aspects. The lecturer Frederick Lau, even touched on geography. We learned that
there are eight islands in the state of Hawaii and what each island is known for. For
example, the island Nihue is home to mostly Hawaiians. The island Kahoolawe is
controversial because it is used by the military and one of its location. Recently a
project was started to clean up the island. On the island Molokai, there is only one
road in the entire island and two stop lights. What I found most interesting was
that, there are 1.2 million people in the state of Hawaii and 90 percent of those
people live on the island Oahu.
I learned that each group of people that came to Hawaii developed their own music to
address universal themes and to express a world view. Each of the settlers that came to the island of Hawaii have their own music and instrument. The settlers of Hawaii are
Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, and Portuguese. There are also different genres
of Hawaiian music. In chinese music, the most popular is the Lion Dance which are
still used for openings of new shops in centers around the island. Contenese Opera is
also very important to Chinese music. Japanese music is called Japanese Koto. Koto is
a smooth and relaxing sound. Also, if women wanted to marry into a proper family,
they had to learn or know how to play the Koto. Korean music is soft music. Filipino
music is known as the latina of asia. Portuguese music is mostly from the Azores
Island. Hawaiian music genres are Hula, Hapa Haole, Slack-Key which is hawaiian way
of playing guitar, Jawaiian which is mixed between reggae and hawaiian music, and
Ukulele which is a small pluck string instrument.
After hearing this lecture I realized that Hawaiian is not what I thought it was.
Before I came to Hawaii I use to think it was all about the beaches and palm trees
and great resorts that you see on TV. However, I realized that it is much more than
that. Hawaii as a whole is diverse in every aspect which makes it such a great place.
because it was diverse, meaning that it touched on history, culture, music and many
other aspects. The lecturer Frederick Lau, even touched on geography. We learned that
there are eight islands in the state of Hawaii and what each island is known for. For
example, the island Nihue is home to mostly Hawaiians. The island Kahoolawe is
controversial because it is used by the military and one of its location. Recently a
project was started to clean up the island. On the island Molokai, there is only one
road in the entire island and two stop lights. What I found most interesting was
that, there are 1.2 million people in the state of Hawaii and 90 percent of those
people live on the island Oahu.
I learned that each group of people that came to Hawaii developed their own music to
address universal themes and to express a world view. Each of the settlers that came to the island of Hawaii have their own music and instrument. The settlers of Hawaii are
Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, and Portuguese. There are also different genres
of Hawaiian music. In chinese music, the most popular is the Lion Dance which are
still used for openings of new shops in centers around the island. Contenese Opera is
also very important to Chinese music. Japanese music is called Japanese Koto. Koto is
a smooth and relaxing sound. Also, if women wanted to marry into a proper family,
they had to learn or know how to play the Koto. Korean music is soft music. Filipino
music is known as the latina of asia. Portuguese music is mostly from the Azores
Island. Hawaiian music genres are Hula, Hapa Haole, Slack-Key which is hawaiian way
of playing guitar, Jawaiian which is mixed between reggae and hawaiian music, and
Ukulele which is a small pluck string instrument.
After hearing this lecture I realized that Hawaiian is not what I thought it was.
Before I came to Hawaii I use to think it was all about the beaches and palm trees
and great resorts that you see on TV. However, I realized that it is much more than
that. Hawaii as a whole is diverse in every aspect which makes it such a great place.
Beth - Jan 3, 2011
Hello Everyone,
Today was a very interesting day and consisted of a lecture by Jonathon Osorio, a tour of the University of Hawaii (where we got a University of Hawaii ID), and a very nice dinner at a Japanese restaurant. Professor Osorio’s lecture was very stimulating and informed us about the history of Hawaii. What I found most interesting about the lecture was the prayer he did at the beginning of the lecture and the song that he performed to close the lecture. What I also liked about the lecture was that we were combined with a bunch of Korean students that knew perfect English. But the highlight of the day was when Mrs. Fujimoto gave us a tour of the University of Hawaii. It is much bigger than the University of Hartford and has a much better dining hall than what we are used to in Connecticut. During the tour we got to see two of the libraries that the University has, which was pretty cool because from what I have heard their libraries are ten times better than what Hartford has to offer. After we took the tour Mrs. Fujimoto took us to get our ID’s done which was pretty cool because now we are all a part of the University of Hawaii’s system. Something that I know all of us looked forward to was the University of Hawaii’s bookstore. Everyone was excited to get their University of Hawaii apparel because we all knew that this trip was a once in a lifetime experience. After sweating all day in the sun everyone returned to the hotel to get showered and to get ready for the dinner that we were planning while waiting for the bus. The walk to the restaurant took us 25 minutes to get their but in the end it was worth it because a very nice man named Kenneth and his wife gave us $100 towards our meal. It is only day three of our adventures in Hawaii and we have already experienced many different things.
Today was a very interesting day and consisted of a lecture by Jonathon Osorio, a tour of the University of Hawaii (where we got a University of Hawaii ID), and a very nice dinner at a Japanese restaurant. Professor Osorio’s lecture was very stimulating and informed us about the history of Hawaii. What I found most interesting about the lecture was the prayer he did at the beginning of the lecture and the song that he performed to close the lecture. What I also liked about the lecture was that we were combined with a bunch of Korean students that knew perfect English. But the highlight of the day was when Mrs. Fujimoto gave us a tour of the University of Hawaii. It is much bigger than the University of Hartford and has a much better dining hall than what we are used to in Connecticut. During the tour we got to see two of the libraries that the University has, which was pretty cool because from what I have heard their libraries are ten times better than what Hartford has to offer. After we took the tour Mrs. Fujimoto took us to get our ID’s done which was pretty cool because now we are all a part of the University of Hawaii’s system. Something that I know all of us looked forward to was the University of Hawaii’s bookstore. Everyone was excited to get their University of Hawaii apparel because we all knew that this trip was a once in a lifetime experience. After sweating all day in the sun everyone returned to the hotel to get showered and to get ready for the dinner that we were planning while waiting for the bus. The walk to the restaurant took us 25 minutes to get their but in the end it was worth it because a very nice man named Kenneth and his wife gave us $100 towards our meal. It is only day three of our adventures in Hawaii and we have already experienced many different things.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Gabriel - Jan 6, 2011
So far its been a memorable week. Right now we're about to
board a coach bus to Pearl Harbor. This Shooting Star Bus is
so much better than The-Bus (Public Transit). We have just
taken a group photo in front of the Pearl Harbor Historic
Site sign with our friends from SNU (Seoul National
University). Our tour guide told us that 2 gallons leak into
the water each day. We are at The Road To War exhibit and
the display consists of two replica model ships. We also got
to see The Attack Exhibit had videos and audio information
there was little time for that. Did you know that Tora!
Tora! Tora! is a Japanese code word which signaled a
surprise. It's 10:00 and we are taking the boat to the U.S.S
Arizona Memorial. I am at the site now and you can see the
remains of different ships. At the far part of the exhibit
they have a list of names to honor our fallen hero. Later we
ended up buying tickets to see the Bowfin Submarine. The
submarine has low ceilings and we were confined in tight
quarters. It's pretty neat that I got to see a Purple Heart
medal. Now we are at the gift shop getting some Peal Harbor
gear. I am about to head back to the hotel so that we can
leave for a basketball game. It's going to be Idaho vs.
Hawaii at San Sheriff Arena. Will be leaving the hotel at
6:15 and will be picking up some SNU students. I am
predicting a Rainbow Warrior victory tonight. I wonder if
its snowing in Connecticut? Thanks for reading.
board a coach bus to Pearl Harbor. This Shooting Star Bus is
so much better than The-Bus (Public Transit). We have just
taken a group photo in front of the Pearl Harbor Historic
Site sign with our friends from SNU (Seoul National
University). Our tour guide told us that 2 gallons leak into
the water each day. We are at The Road To War exhibit and
the display consists of two replica model ships. We also got
to see The Attack Exhibit had videos and audio information
there was little time for that. Did you know that Tora!
Tora! Tora! is a Japanese code word which signaled a
surprise. It's 10:00 and we are taking the boat to the U.S.S
Arizona Memorial. I am at the site now and you can see the
remains of different ships. At the far part of the exhibit
they have a list of names to honor our fallen hero. Later we
ended up buying tickets to see the Bowfin Submarine. The
submarine has low ceilings and we were confined in tight
quarters. It's pretty neat that I got to see a Purple Heart
medal. Now we are at the gift shop getting some Peal Harbor
gear. I am about to head back to the hotel so that we can
leave for a basketball game. It's going to be Idaho vs.
Hawaii at San Sheriff Arena. Will be leaving the hotel at
6:15 and will be picking up some SNU students. I am
predicting a Rainbow Warrior victory tonight. I wonder if
its snowing in Connecticut? Thanks for reading.
Emily - Jan 6, 2011
Today was my favorite day so far we went Pearl Harbor!!!
Being a history major I could not wait to see the U.S.S
Arizona, and everything else that was at Pearl Harbor.
After a short bus ride we finally made and it and of course
we had a photo shoot just outside the entrance. Before we
went in we were told we had very little time to see the
museums before we had to watch a short movie and then head
over to the Arizona. I tried to read everything that I
could while inside the museums but anything I did not have
time to read I took a picture of it. Tricia and I were
going a little crazy with taking pictures, later in the day
our cameras died. Then it was time for the movie.
Professor Bullard said the movie was very one sided and it
made America look like the good guys. I agree with him, the
footage that was in the movie was great but it was a very
"yay America look how good we are" movie. After that we got
on a boat and headed to the U.S.S. Arizona. On the monument
we could see the ship underneath and could both see and
smell the oil that is stilling coming up out of the ship.
After that was over we got back on the boat and it was time
to leave. I was a little disappointed and I felt that I had
not seen anything. So I got off the bus with Carol and we
went on the U.S.S. Bowfin Submarine. We then met up with
Tricia, Gabe, Rachel, and Professor Bullard. I was so happy
that I got off the bus and went back to see what else there
was. Not only did I get to see more exhibits but I also saw
a mongoose. I hope everyone had just as much fun as I did!!
Being a history major I could not wait to see the U.S.S
Arizona, and everything else that was at Pearl Harbor.
After a short bus ride we finally made and it and of course
we had a photo shoot just outside the entrance. Before we
went in we were told we had very little time to see the
museums before we had to watch a short movie and then head
over to the Arizona. I tried to read everything that I
could while inside the museums but anything I did not have
time to read I took a picture of it. Tricia and I were
going a little crazy with taking pictures, later in the day
our cameras died. Then it was time for the movie.
Professor Bullard said the movie was very one sided and it
made America look like the good guys. I agree with him, the
footage that was in the movie was great but it was a very
"yay America look how good we are" movie. After that we got
on a boat and headed to the U.S.S. Arizona. On the monument
we could see the ship underneath and could both see and
smell the oil that is stilling coming up out of the ship.
After that was over we got back on the boat and it was time
to leave. I was a little disappointed and I felt that I had
not seen anything. So I got off the bus with Carol and we
went on the U.S.S. Bowfin Submarine. We then met up with
Tricia, Gabe, Rachel, and Professor Bullard. I was so happy
that I got off the bus and went back to see what else there
was. Not only did I get to see more exhibits but I also saw
a mongoose. I hope everyone had just as much fun as I did!!
Carol (?) - Jan 4, 2010
Rachel and I woke up about 6 30. We both like getting an
earlier start to the day. We wouldn't want to waste one
minute while we are in Hawaii. After we were finished
getting dressed we headed down for breakfast. since half the
group was going surfing some of us decided to go to the
North Shore. The North shore is known its wicked waves for
the pro surfers, so why any of us wanted to venture that far
I have no idea. So we took the bus there a local told us to
take the 55 bus so we could see the island. If we wasn't
able to I don't know how I would made it since the trip was
2 hours long. We finally made it, but the waves were to
dangerous for us to get in so we laid on the beach for a
while. after we got back we meet up with others and we went
to Senor Frog for dinner.
earlier start to the day. We wouldn't want to waste one
minute while we are in Hawaii. After we were finished
getting dressed we headed down for breakfast. since half the
group was going surfing some of us decided to go to the
North Shore. The North shore is known its wicked waves for
the pro surfers, so why any of us wanted to venture that far
I have no idea. So we took the bus there a local told us to
take the 55 bus so we could see the island. If we wasn't
able to I don't know how I would made it since the trip was
2 hours long. We finally made it, but the waves were to
dangerous for us to get in so we laid on the beach for a
while. after we got back we meet up with others and we went
to Senor Frog for dinner.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Pedro - Jan 1, 2011
Finally in Hawaii! The most interesting thing about the plane ride was when we were
landing and a luggage fell out. Even though the plane ride was long it was worth it
because I'm in Hawaii. The first night in Hawaii I saw a lot of homeless people
sleeping in the ground. Now my two weeks in Hawaii begin.
landing and a luggage fell out. Even though the plane ride was long it was worth it
because I'm in Hawaii. The first night in Hawaii I saw a lot of homeless people
sleeping in the ground. Now my two weeks in Hawaii begin.
Nicole - Jan 5, 2011
Today was a long day spent at the University of Hawaii. It started bright and early when Megan and I woke up at 7am and headed down stairs to eat. Then the group was ready to go and head to the University for our Hawaiian dance class with Professor Takamine. I personally had such a great time. I found the whole background to the dancing so interesting. On top of dancing we even learned a couple of words in Hawaiian and chanted while we were dancing. I liked how we actually had to get up and dance rather then sitting in a lecture hall. This was a good experience for us to learn a different type of dance.
After we left the dance room the group headed off to lunch where everyone ate and prepared for our second lecture of the day. I got ready by thinking of a couple of questions I wanted to ask Mr. Roth about his book Broken Trust. It turned out that I was fascinated with Dr. Roth's lecture and thought he did an excellent job. I thought he was a very good and clear speaker. He had the answer to the questions I had before I could even ask them. I learned so many new things about the Bishop Estate Scandal and a lot of things about Hawaii in general. After a very long day it was time to head back to the hotel. I'm excited for Pearl Harbor tomorrow, it should be so interesting.
After we left the dance room the group headed off to lunch where everyone ate and prepared for our second lecture of the day. I got ready by thinking of a couple of questions I wanted to ask Mr. Roth about his book Broken Trust. It turned out that I was fascinated with Dr. Roth's lecture and thought he did an excellent job. I thought he was a very good and clear speaker. He had the answer to the questions I had before I could even ask them. I learned so many new things about the Bishop Estate Scandal and a lot of things about Hawaii in general. After a very long day it was time to head back to the hotel. I'm excited for Pearl Harbor tomorrow, it should be so interesting.
Rachel - Hula Dance and Broken Trust (Jan 5, 2011)
This 5 hour time difference is really starting to catch up
to me! Today is Wednesday and I started my day off with
delicious breakfast while looking at Diamond Head volcano
right next to our hotel. Our first class of the day started
at 9:00am and we learned how to Hula. I thought the Hula
dance was what everyone pictures it to be; swinging your
arms back and forth while moving your hips. Boy, was I
wrong. It was a lot harder than I expected, but plenty of
fun. What I didn't know was each dance has it's own meaning
and they all tell a story. Our instructor, Vicky Takamine,
informed us that none of the dances and their chants have
been written down, but passed down orally for thousands of
years. It was so cool to watch myself in the mirror try to
master the dance. After Hula class, we went to the Gateway
Cafeteria for lunch where I ate the most fresh, juicy
pineapple I've ever had. At 1:00 we got the opportunity to
meet with the author of Broken Trust which is the the 2007
Book of the Year about the conflicts between Princess
Pauahi's vision of the trust and how the trustees today tore
it apart. The author, Randall Roth, was very interesting to
listen to. It seems as though the Bishop Estate changed
everything Princess Pauahi wanted, hence the title Broken
Trust. After the lecture, Patricia and I explored the
Hamilton Library because we were told it was very, very
big... and it is. This campus is a lot bigger than the
University of Hartford campus. Over all, today was filled
with lots of stories and history about the culture, politics
and economy of Hawaii dating back to thousands of years ago.
Tonight, I am forcing myself to try Sushi for the first
time ever. What better place to do it than in Hawaii,
right?
to me! Today is Wednesday and I started my day off with
delicious breakfast while looking at Diamond Head volcano
right next to our hotel. Our first class of the day started
at 9:00am and we learned how to Hula. I thought the Hula
dance was what everyone pictures it to be; swinging your
arms back and forth while moving your hips. Boy, was I
wrong. It was a lot harder than I expected, but plenty of
fun. What I didn't know was each dance has it's own meaning
and they all tell a story. Our instructor, Vicky Takamine,
informed us that none of the dances and their chants have
been written down, but passed down orally for thousands of
years. It was so cool to watch myself in the mirror try to
master the dance. After Hula class, we went to the Gateway
Cafeteria for lunch where I ate the most fresh, juicy
pineapple I've ever had. At 1:00 we got the opportunity to
meet with the author of Broken Trust which is the the 2007
Book of the Year about the conflicts between Princess
Pauahi's vision of the trust and how the trustees today tore
it apart. The author, Randall Roth, was very interesting to
listen to. It seems as though the Bishop Estate changed
everything Princess Pauahi wanted, hence the title Broken
Trust. After the lecture, Patricia and I explored the
Hamilton Library because we were told it was very, very
big... and it is. This campus is a lot bigger than the
University of Hartford campus. Over all, today was filled
with lots of stories and history about the culture, politics
and economy of Hawaii dating back to thousands of years ago.
Tonight, I am forcing myself to try Sushi for the first
time ever. What better place to do it than in Hawaii,
right?
Monday, January 3, 2011
Megan - Jan 2, 2011
First full day in Hawaii? There we many different things
that everyone wanted to get done. A group of us from the
trip had one thing in mind, to go see what the beaches in
Hawaii were like. On the walk to the beach we stopped at the
store that was one every corner, the ABC store. We saw all that
the store had to offer and how different it was from the
stores in CT. Arriving to the beach we saw that they had
different sections. The further away the beach the prettier they
got. The beach that we stayed at had rocks halfway
sectioning off the water. A person could walk up on the
rocks and go fishing. Also the water on the beach was much
different then what we were all used too. When we went in
there were little fish swimming around I could see my feet
through the water. After we went to a restaurant called
Cheeseburger in Paradise. Then finished the night off with
shopping down the stripe. I picked out an oyster and then
found that I got a pink pearl. I enjoyed my first full day
in Hawaii hoping that the rest would be just as fun!
that everyone wanted to get done. A group of us from the
trip had one thing in mind, to go see what the beaches in
Hawaii were like. On the walk to the beach we stopped at the
store that was one every corner, the ABC store. We saw all that
the store had to offer and how different it was from the
stores in CT. Arriving to the beach we saw that they had
different sections. The further away the beach the prettier they
got. The beach that we stayed at had rocks halfway
sectioning off the water. A person could walk up on the
rocks and go fishing. Also the water on the beach was much
different then what we were all used too. When we went in
there were little fish swimming around I could see my feet
through the water. After we went to a restaurant called
Cheeseburger in Paradise. Then finished the night off with
shopping down the stripe. I picked out an oyster and then
found that I got a pink pearl. I enjoyed my first full day
in Hawaii hoping that the rest would be just as fun!
Melanie - Jan 3, 2011
Early start today, woke up with Isabel at 7:30 to get ready
for our first day of class with our lecturer Professor
Osorio. We headed to the University of Hawaii as a group by
taking the bus. After arriving Professor Osorio spoke for
about two and a half hours. He started the lecture off with
two Hawaiian prayers and by singing on his guitar. Then we
discussed Hawaii's past and its origins. We spoke about the
Chiefs of Hawaii whom are also known as Ali'i and the
ordinary people whom are known as Maka'ainana. We learned
that the Chiefs were seen as Gods and divided land by
mountain tops as political divisions called Ahupua'as. What
I also found interesting in the lecture is when the traveler
James Cook arrived in Hawaii with his men. We learned that
native women interacted with his men and they were the
reasons for so many exchanged diseases such as tuberculosis,
syphilis, and gonorrhea. Most importantly, the Hawaiian
people were polygamists and had multiple partners and
children with different partners. After our lecture we went
to the Gateway cafeteria on campus and had lunch. After
lunch we took a campus tour and got our University of Hawaii
IDs printed. After a long day we finally headed back to the
hotel and went to dinner at night at nearby restaurant that
has really good cheeseburgers. After dinner I called it a
night. Tomorrow we are going to have our surfing lessons so
I'm going to fall asleep earlier to have energy for the day
spent at the beach.
for our first day of class with our lecturer Professor
Osorio. We headed to the University of Hawaii as a group by
taking the bus. After arriving Professor Osorio spoke for
about two and a half hours. He started the lecture off with
two Hawaiian prayers and by singing on his guitar. Then we
discussed Hawaii's past and its origins. We spoke about the
Chiefs of Hawaii whom are also known as Ali'i and the
ordinary people whom are known as Maka'ainana. We learned
that the Chiefs were seen as Gods and divided land by
mountain tops as political divisions called Ahupua'as. What
I also found interesting in the lecture is when the traveler
James Cook arrived in Hawaii with his men. We learned that
native women interacted with his men and they were the
reasons for so many exchanged diseases such as tuberculosis,
syphilis, and gonorrhea. Most importantly, the Hawaiian
people were polygamists and had multiple partners and
children with different partners. After our lecture we went
to the Gateway cafeteria on campus and had lunch. After
lunch we took a campus tour and got our University of Hawaii
IDs printed. After a long day we finally headed back to the
hotel and went to dinner at night at nearby restaurant that
has really good cheeseburgers. After dinner I called it a
night. Tomorrow we are going to have our surfing lessons so
I'm going to fall asleep earlier to have energy for the day
spent at the beach.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Leevette Blog Current Issues in Hawaii
Hello Everyone,
Today’s lecture covered Current Issues in Hawaii. Our instructor, Professor Dan Boylan, was very energetic and happy to discuss with us a few internal affairs impacting Hawaii’s prosperity. He starts his presentation by stating that Hawaii has a three-legged stool that has build up its economy. The sugar plantations established when the missionaries came in increased the economy’s wealth. However, because of the demand of land by tourism the plantations declined. There is now one large operating sugar plantation located in Maui. The strategic placing of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean is the reason why the U.S. military wanted the Pearl Harbor. Currently the U.S. military occupies portions of Hawaiian lands that help to maintain the economy. Lastly, he stated that Hawaii’s economy makes it’s living off of tourism. Japanese tourist have invested a lot of their money into Hawaii that has given a boost to the economy.
Boylan also discussed the expensive cost of housing and food. The cost of housing is extremely high because there is not much land. The cost of food is highly priced because they are mainly shipped or flown in. He mentioned that in education the private schools are well educated and are only opened to people with Hawaiian blood. But, the public schools rank low in education. Relaying the Hawaiian sovereignty bill being disputed in Congress in ends the lecture. I thought the lecture was pretty interesting. I am curious to know how the bill is resolved.
Today’s lecture covered Current Issues in Hawaii. Our instructor, Professor Dan Boylan, was very energetic and happy to discuss with us a few internal affairs impacting Hawaii’s prosperity. He starts his presentation by stating that Hawaii has a three-legged stool that has build up its economy. The sugar plantations established when the missionaries came in increased the economy’s wealth. However, because of the demand of land by tourism the plantations declined. There is now one large operating sugar plantation located in Maui. The strategic placing of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean is the reason why the U.S. military wanted the Pearl Harbor. Currently the U.S. military occupies portions of Hawaiian lands that help to maintain the economy. Lastly, he stated that Hawaii’s economy makes it’s living off of tourism. Japanese tourist have invested a lot of their money into Hawaii that has given a boost to the economy.
Boylan also discussed the expensive cost of housing and food. The cost of housing is extremely high because there is not much land. The cost of food is highly priced because they are mainly shipped or flown in. He mentioned that in education the private schools are well educated and are only opened to people with Hawaiian blood. But, the public schools rank low in education. Relaying the Hawaiian sovereignty bill being disputed in Congress in ends the lecture. I thought the lecture was pretty interesting. I am curious to know how the bill is resolved.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Javianna Silvers blog
| The |
The Polynesian Cultural Center-Andrea Mullin
Hello fellow Aloha cousins and blogger
The Polynesian Cultural Center is a wonderful place to
experience. I feel as though if you want to understand the
full culture and history of Hawaii this trip was well worth
the time. When I first arrived at the center my immediate
thoughts where this place reminds me a lot like Disney's
Epcott. It was a hand on look into the history and the many
cultures that make Hawaii what it is. Unlike the lectures
and readings from a textbook this history came alive. In
front of us stood Samoan men climbing trees and playing with
fire. The Tongan men could bang their drums with a loud
rhythmic beat. Tahiti men and women shaking their hips in a
fast paced motion that left most of us in shock! The
Polynesian Cultural Center was Directed by many Bingham
Young University students. It was interesting to think that
some of these students could have been the same age as me.
The students and employees represented the island people and
nations of Hawaii, Samoa, Maori New Zealand (Aotearoa),
Fiji, Tonga, Easter Island, Tahiti and the Marquesas (French
Polynesia. The few that I asked where they were from where
actually from the island they represented. The man from New
Zealand talked to us for a while and taught us how to play a
common game that they play by tossing sticks in an intricate
pattern. As the sequences got harder Larissa and I became
more intense leaving us with the upmost respect for all the
he people from New Zealand that showed us this game
technique in the demonstration. This may have been a long
day but a lengthy day is needed to show how important the
different cultures are in Hawaii. Just when I was starting
to get hungry I realized that we were fortunate to
experience our first Luau. The Alii Luau is one of Hawaii's
finest traditional "feast for a king". It was and an
all-you-can-eat cosmopolitan dinner buffet. I was able to
try many native foods like poi. To me a tasteless paste that
most Hawaiians eat. The host was very exciting and presented
many hula dancers as we eat, which was exciting to watch how
graceful they were. The night came to a closure with the big
performance of Ha Breath of Life. The cast was of over 100
islanders performing traditional Polynesian song and dances.
Ha Breath of Life was beautiful to see all the nations that
we had learned about all day come together to perform how
they all work together to make up the exquisite and unique
Island of Hawaii. Overall I had a great time at The
Polynesian Cultural Center and it really brought many loose
strings I had about the Island come together.
The Polynesian Cultural Center is a wonderful place to
experience. I feel as though if you want to understand the
full culture and history of Hawaii this trip was well worth
the time. When I first arrived at the center my immediate
thoughts where this place reminds me a lot like Disney's
Epcott. It was a hand on look into the history and the many
cultures that make Hawaii what it is. Unlike the lectures
and readings from a textbook this history came alive. In
front of us stood Samoan men climbing trees and playing with
fire. The Tongan men could bang their drums with a loud
rhythmic beat. Tahiti men and women shaking their hips in a
fast paced motion that left most of us in shock! The
Polynesian Cultural Center was Directed by many Bingham
Young University students. It was interesting to think that
some of these students could have been the same age as me.
The students and employees represented the island people and
nations of Hawaii, Samoa, Maori New Zealand (Aotearoa),
Fiji, Tonga, Easter Island, Tahiti and the Marquesas (French
Polynesia. The few that I asked where they were from where
actually from the island they represented. The man from New
Zealand talked to us for a while and taught us how to play a
common game that they play by tossing sticks in an intricate
pattern. As the sequences got harder Larissa and I became
more intense leaving us with the upmost respect for all the
he people from New Zealand that showed us this game
technique in the demonstration. This may have been a long
day but a lengthy day is needed to show how important the
different cultures are in Hawaii. Just when I was starting
to get hungry I realized that we were fortunate to
experience our first Luau. The Alii Luau is one of Hawaii's
finest traditional "feast for a king". It was and an
all-you-can-eat cosmopolitan dinner buffet. I was able to
try many native foods like poi. To me a tasteless paste that
most Hawaiians eat. The host was very exciting and presented
many hula dancers as we eat, which was exciting to watch how
graceful they were. The night came to a closure with the big
performance of Ha Breath of Life. The cast was of over 100
islanders performing traditional Polynesian song and dances.
Ha Breath of Life was beautiful to see all the nations that
we had learned about all day come together to perform how
they all work together to make up the exquisite and unique
Island of Hawaii. Overall I had a great time at The
Polynesian Cultural Center and it really brought many loose
strings I had about the Island come together.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Re: Brendan O'Neil Hawaii Blog Entry
I remembered that the .doc file did not tend to work, sorry this is a bit late but this is the blog entry for our visit to coconut island:
Brendan O'NeilToday we ventured to world famous Coconut Island, not to join Gilligan and the gang, rather to visit one of the most celebrated marine biology research centers on the planet. We were joined by two volunteer guides who gave the group a brief summary of the islands history which was quite fascinating; the island was previously private property owned by Christian Holmes II, heir to the Fleishmann fortune known for wheat and gin, which he made it his private "playground" hosting extravagant parties and even imported some of his favorite animals such as elephants and chimpanzees he dressed for parties. After a scientist needed to use his island as his ship was in need of help, Holmes began to donate more and more land to his scientific research, eventually the entire island was donated and thus became the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology. As the island has grown as a facility it has become one of the most advanced in its field as it offers the comfort of collecting samples while on the research facility and a wealth of natural habitats available. We sat in on a lecture by one of Professor Bullard's old friends Mr. Toonen who gave a very extensive but informative talk on the issues of oceanic conservation and the threats and hurdles it faces in the modern age. One of the most interesting facts he presented was the time frame that coral reef had left on the planet, an estimated one hundred years on the planet and fifty for Hawaii. This is due to the rising acidity of oceanic water as a result of the chemical change that takes place as CO2 is absorbed into the ocean. He also spoke on the issue of overfishing local areas and its worldwide impact. The idea that resonated with me was the breach between the bond of nature and the natives of the island, especially the one made when Hawaiian's lived in Ahupuha'a societies. The Hawaiians understood that they needed to respect nature and give back from what they took from the land like we had learned from our course on hula dancing the making of lei's and how essential the indigenous plants and flowers to the islands so they can maintain their practices for years to come. The connection between the natives and nature has been a common theme over the past two weeks and has played a major role in my interpretation of the lecture material. I look forward to learning more about the island and putting all of this information together to form my understanding of these islands and their history.
Chief Editor of Officeal
(www.officeal.com)
blog on buddhism-Brittany Womack
So today we learned about Buddhism and Shinto. Buddhism
was familiar to me but I had never heard of Shinto. I
learned that Buddhism historically traveled through
different countries including China, India, and Japan. Shinto
had only survived in Japan because of its connection to
Buddhism. Buddhism is all about welcoming other religions.
Buddhism has been around so long on the basis of happiness.
Prof. Tanabe interested me in the story of how The Buddha
came about. His mother, the Queen, has a dream of seeing an
elephant then she becomes pregnant and The Buddah pops out
of her side. Prof. Tanabe's story of The Buddah wanting to
find happiness reminds me of a story that I read last
semester called Rasselas. In both stories, the princes want
to find happiness and try to learn from different people,
but nobody exactly knows how. As The Buddha goes away from
all his family, he figures out how to find happiness, simply
getting rid of all his desires. That is something I am not
sure that I could do. I try to be content where I am, but
how the world is always gets me to want to stay updated. I
thought it was very sweet how The Buddha's wife forgives him
for leaving after hearing his weird explanation on leaving
to find happiness. It really is true that if people don't
get any attachments, whether to a person or a thing, they
won't get hurt.
As went visited the temples and shrine, they
were so different than what I'm used to. They had
incense(food) for the Buddhas. The temples were clean and a
wonderful sight to see. The Shinto Shrine was small and a
little creepy to me but it was really cool that people good
wrap good fortunes on a fortune tree. I am seeing how Hawaii
has all different types of religious sanctuaries for
everyone. Even though I don't practice Buddhism, I respect
it and I had a great learning experience.
was familiar to me but I had never heard of Shinto. I
learned that Buddhism historically traveled through
different countries including China, India, and Japan. Shinto
had only survived in Japan because of its connection to
Buddhism. Buddhism is all about welcoming other religions.
Buddhism has been around so long on the basis of happiness.
Prof. Tanabe interested me in the story of how The Buddha
came about. His mother, the Queen, has a dream of seeing an
elephant then she becomes pregnant and The Buddah pops out
of her side. Prof. Tanabe's story of The Buddah wanting to
find happiness reminds me of a story that I read last
semester called Rasselas. In both stories, the princes want
to find happiness and try to learn from different people,
but nobody exactly knows how. As The Buddha goes away from
all his family, he figures out how to find happiness, simply
getting rid of all his desires. That is something I am not
sure that I could do. I try to be content where I am, but
how the world is always gets me to want to stay updated. I
thought it was very sweet how The Buddha's wife forgives him
for leaving after hearing his weird explanation on leaving
to find happiness. It really is true that if people don't
get any attachments, whether to a person or a thing, they
won't get hurt.
As went visited the temples and shrine, they
were so different than what I'm used to. They had
incense(food) for the Buddhas. The temples were clean and a
wonderful sight to see. The Shinto Shrine was small and a
little creepy to me but it was really cool that people good
wrap good fortunes on a fortune tree. I am seeing how Hawaii
has all different types of religious sanctuaries for
everyone. Even though I don't practice Buddhism, I respect
it and I had a great learning experience.
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