The Hawaiian Islands are made up of eight major islands – Hawaii, Oahu, Kauai, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, Maui and Niihau – a few atolls and various small islets in the North Pacific Ocean. The 50th U.S. state since 1960, its history dates back so far that it’s actually in “pre-history” and is considered an ancient, noble “sea land” by its proud inhabitants. It is unknown exactly when the Polynesian explorers first set foot on the islands but it is certain that they were the first people to inhabit it. As the Hawaiian people did not always have a written language, but instead preserved their history with chants and legends, many details of the old days are lost forever. Some of the earlier history was also lost with the deaths of the Kahunas and other learned men whose job it was to pass on the knowledge to succeeding generations of Hawaiians through those songs and tales. Nevertheless, Hawaii grew and thrived and its people remained strong.

In 1778, Captain James Cook led an expedition that landed him on the islands of Kauai and Niihau. However, Cook was not the first man to discover the Hawaiian Islands, just the first known European to arrive. Studies of the Hawaiian language and various archaeological discoveries have led to the conclusion that Hawaii was actually settled in two separate waves of Polynesian migration. Captain Cook himself was also aware that the original Polynesian settlers came from the South Pacific up to a thousand years before his time. (more…)