Hawaii is a tropical paradise that is more than just unpolluted beaches, breathtaking sunsets, high waterfalls and reefs populated by colorful fish. Anyone who's been here knows that Hawaii is different, unique, special and unforgettable. What separates these islands from the rest of the world?  A culture full of fascinating customs, music (music), legends (legends), traditions and values. Lei flower Today, the custom Hawaiian more enjoyable and memorable are the garlands of flowers or Flower Lei. The custom says that a lei of flowers should be kindly offered with a kiss and removed only in private. It is considered rude on a lei removed once it was accepted in view of others, but especially if it is removed in

view of the person who handed it over. The designs of the Hawaiian lei are left to the imagination of everyone, ranging from simple with a row of orchid, the facts with nard, used to be handed to those who arrive by plane or boat and the more elaborate, depending on how important is the situation. Experts canoe builders and sailors without instruments The ancient Hawaiians are known to be experts in building canoes. Tradition requires that food (food) and prayers are offered to the gods of the forest before, during and after cutting the tree in the forest. The protocol determines exactly how culture has to be knocked down every tree for canoes. The ancient Hawaiians were also masters of the art of navigating without navigational instruments. Using only the moon, the sun, stars and the waves were known to cross the Pacific, which allowed the occupation of many small islands of Polynesia. Hawaiians have a vast knowledge about the location and types of celestial bodies. From the star of the cross from north to south have Hawaiian identities. The language The Hawaiian language (Hawaiian Language) consists of only six vowels and eight consonants, is the shortest alphabet in the world. Hard to master for the majority, the language is composed of soft sounds with words that contain many meanings, sometimes hidden. One of the most notable words is "aloha." It's probably the best known among all word and is one of the most important. Aloha means not only "hello, goodbye and love," also means sympathy, kindness, compassion, affection and love. This word is just a greeting or an expression of love is the basis of what the Hawaiians believe that is the heart of their cultural values. Hawaiian cultural values also include terms such as akahai, which defines the behavior of a person as a modest, gentle and somewhat pretentious. Another important word is lokahi, which means peace and harmony, oluolu means tolerant and pleasant and ahonui, which means the patient and stoical. The hula Another icon is the Hawaiian hula. It is an image of hips in motion, graceful hands and colorful costumes. The hula was for many years an exclusive activity for men and religious purposes, but today there is as contemporary dances where both women and men dance for fun, to express themselves and more as an entertainment. The hula today has two distinct forms, ancient or modern hula, or kahiko and hula yet. The hula kahiko is conducted in the Hawaiian language along with drums and other percussion. The hula kahiko practiced with religious purposes, for ceremonial or narrate stories. The dancers are adorned with a bad (a cloth rolled under and around the crotch), coconut fibers and native plants. The hula is yet colorful, musical and entertaining. Yet the dances are accompanied by songs in English or Hawaiian, as well as ukulele and guitar. The costumes of the dancers are colorful and are decorated with prints of flowers. Music The music has also become a popular and familiar part of the Hawaiian culture. It has evolved from being a simple song accompanied by drums to the music of today, with a multitude of artists and genres that include hapa-haole (Hawaiian melody with lyrics in English), traditional luau, kolohe (a hula bolder), chalangalang , Jawaiian and more. Legends Another facet of the culture lies in the legends. The ancient Hawaiians were known for telling stories. The legends were a way of documenting the history, knowledge, facts and beliefs from generation to generation. Some of the most popular legends include the story of demi-God Maui, who brought to the island from the sea bed, the wicked, about a legend Pele, the misleading and jealous goddess of the volcano and its sister Poliahu, the goddess of the snow. There are legends about Kumulipo, which have on the creation of the Hawaiian Islands and others that tell stories of fishing and of the God-shark. The Hawaiian culture has many superstitions and omens that are widely known and today still have value. The rain and the rainbow are considered blessings of the gods. This takes more courage even if it rains during a wedding. If pork is carried in the Pali road, which connects with the windward leeward on the island of Oahu, is considered an action that upsets the gods and brings bad luck or problems with the car. It's bad luck, too, climbing to a banana boat ride roughshod over a baby who is on the floor and wear a lei during pregnancy. Another bad sign is that art is about to take lava rocks from a volcano, that means you will be haunted by bad luck. It is known that many of these rocks are returned by tourists to Hawaii by mail. Many people sent the rocks collected and brought their houses back to Volcanoes National Park in Hawaii with no sender. The Hawaiian culture is rich, unique and mysterious. Is what makes Hawaii a place truly special. Then, when you're in Hawaii, be sure not to miss the sunsets (sunsets), sunrises, the surf, sand, and take time to explore the culture that makes the Hawaiian Islands a site truly special and unforgettable. Site related to HAwaiian culture is- Maui Nui Culture General resources for learning about the rich Hawaiian culture in Maui Nui. Mele a me Pila Ho`okani - Hawaiian Music Nothing embodies the spirit of the islands like Hawaiian music. Listen via RealAudio or order CDs, and find out about concert schedules. `Olelo - Hawaiian Language Hawaiian language resources online, including tutorials and dictionaries to help you pronounce Hawaiian words accurately, and understand some basic phrases. Meakanu - Hawaiian Plants Plants, both endemic and Polynesian introduced, play essential roles in Hawaiian culture. Hawaii's high level of biodiversity also means it has many endangered species. Holokai - Polynesian Voyaging The ancient Polynesians arrived in Hawaii on double-hulled canoes, and now the art of voyaging has been renewed. These vessels, and the heritage they embody, are a source of great cultural pride. Ea - Hawaiian Rights & Sovereignty In 1993, the U.S. Congress and President Clinton officially apologized for the illegal overthrow of the internationally recognized constitutional monarchy of the Kingdom of Hawaii a century earlier, and today there is an active self-determination movement in Hawaii. Kaho`olawe Island To be managed as a Hawaiian cultural reserve for eventual transfer to a sovereign Hawaiian nation. General Cultural Websites Cultural websites for Hawaii in general - diverse resources for gaining a deeper understanding of Hawaii's host culture - past, present and future - to help you be a respectful and appreciative visitor. Na Ki`i `Oni`oni - Videos Videos on the history and culture of Hawaii. Kukakuka - Discuss, Talk Story Newsgroups, chat rooms, discussion areas and listservers provide an opportunity to interact with cultural practitioners and kama`aina (locals). Na Papa Helu - Lists One-way email lists you can subscribe to and receive information about various topics related to Hawaii and its culture. Na Papa Kuhikuhi o Na Puke i Heluhelu `Ia - Bibliographies Resources for further study of Hawaii and its culture and history, with sources to order books Noi`i - Search Hawaii If you can't find what you seek in the sites featured here, these directories, indices, search engines and other tools provide exhaustive listings of websites related to Maui Nui and Hawaii in general, in the areas of culture and other information.