Touring Scenic and Historic Honolulu by Segway
Sheila Beal Imagine getting a scenic tour, history lesson, cultural lesson on a tour that’s actually fun. That’s what we experienced on the Honolulu Scenic History and Culture Tour with Segway of…
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Culture & History
148 posts
Hawaii’s State Motto: Ua mau ke ea o ka aina i ka pono
I took this photo of Hawaii’s motto at the gates of the Iolani Palace in Honolulu. It says, “Ua mau ke ea o ka aina i ka pono” which literally…
Try Poke in Hawaii
When you’re in Hawaii, there’s a good very chance you’ll see poke (pronounced po-keh) on the menus and in the grocery stores. Next, you may be wondering what it…
Polynesian Tiki
Most hotels or luau grounds have a tiki statue. We took the photo above at the Old Lahaina Luau in Maui. These wood carvings can look pretty intimidating. They are…
More on the Kauai Hula Video
Some of you wrote me to tell me how much you enjoyed the Kauai hula and chant video I posted a couple of weeks ago. Well, if you liked that…
History Carved in Stone – Finding Petroglyphs in Hawaii
The petroglyph like the human figure shown above is one of many images you may find carved in lava rock in Hawaii. No one seems to be sure they know…
Hawaiian Hula and Chant Video Set on Kauai
I hope you’ll enjoy this hula and Hawaiian chant video. I love that this hula was performed on a beach on the south shore of Kauai. What a gorgeous setting! …
A quick grammar lesson: Hawaii vs. Hawaiian
In today’s post I wanted to share a little bit of a grammar lesson with you. Since I’ve been blogging about Hawaii as a great vacation destination, I started noticing…
The Lehua Blossom on the Ohia Tree
When you are in Hawaii, you may notice a unique tree with twisted looking branches and a bright red or yellow blooms. That’s the Ohia tree. It’s native to Hawaii…
Iolani Palace – America’s Only Royal Residence
Did you know that there is a royal residence in the US? There is one and only one and that is the Iolani Palace in Honolulu. This palace was built…
What is an imu ceremony at a luau?
As you’re trying to choose a luau, you’ll probably come across the term imu ceremony. You may be wondering what is an imu and why is there a ceremony. An…
Hawaiian Music Q&A with Mountain Apple Records Executive Leah Bernstein
Today, I have a real treat to share with you. I’ve recently had the honor of a Q&A session with Leah Bernstein who is the President of the top island…
The Shaka Sign
When you visit Hawaii, I hope you’ll get a shaka directed towards you. Why? This hand signal is a kind gesture. Much unlike the middle finger salute, you actually want…
Oahu’s Largest Heiau (Hawaiian Temple) Puu O Mahuka
Oahu’s largest heiau,a Hawaiian religious temple, is Puu O Mahuka. You’ll find this temple perched on a hill overlooking Waimea Bay on the North Shore. It’s definitely worth a 20…
Pahoehoe and A’a Lava
There are two distinct types of hardened lava you’ll likely see in Hawaii – pahoehoe and a’a. These are Hawaiian names that have been adopted universally for describing the two…
