The Valuable Hawaiian Tikis
October 10, 2008 by writer
Filed under Hawaiian Culture
Tikis are very significant to the people of Hawaii. These are the wooden hand-carved figures that were meant to symbolize the islands’ guardians, chief gods, as well as spirit powers.
The early people of the Hawaiian Islands traveled from Polynesia roughly a thousand years ago and they brought with them several religious and sacred beliefs. The tikis are the representation of the numerous gods of both Polynesia and Hawaii. According to Polynesian mythology, the tiki usually stands for the first human being on the planet.
In Hawaii, the tikis were hand-carved in order to symbolize a particular god’s image along with the depiction of the god’s or power. The ancient Hawaiians believed that by means of the beautifully crafted tikis, it is quite possible that the people would strengthen their force in the event of a war, be shielded from any harm, and also be granted with thriving crops.
The leading gods of Hawaii that were exemplified by their tiki representations consist of Ku, which was the war god; Lono, which was the peace and agriculture god; Kane, which was the god of creation, jungles, sunlight, and fresh water; and Kanaloa, which was the god of the underwater world.
King Kamehameha II put an end to the early practice of religion called aikapu during 1819. Most of the ancient temples as well as spiritual images like tikis were ruined. But then, there are still several tiki relics that remain until now in honor of the era when austere religious convictions ran the ancient Hawaii people.
The tikis could take various crafted forms such as the huge sculptures, petroglyphs imprinted into rocks, god-like images engraved into boats or drums, as well as tattoo designs on one’s body. The artistic similarities produced in the tikis reveal such a superior level of workmanship and meticulousness. The most familiar tiki figure has a well-built, sturdy body that has a rectangular head and appears to be sporting a headdress. This mystifying character is somewhat an intimidating figure, complete with huge eyes and a war-like stance.
Ever since the 1930s, a tiki culture that represents the island lifestyle started to form around these unusual sculptures. There was a growth of tiki-themed restaurants that featured tiki torches, tiki carvings, rattan furniture, as well as bamboo or wooden products. Tiki bars were also put up and these bars offered mai tais in addition to other island cocktails. When Hawaii was made a state during 1959, the aloha shirt, the tiki culture, plus all the other island icons became unbelievably a huge hit all over the country. check out this hawaii tiki wedding
These days, one would be able to find some gigantic wooden figures in some key locations around the Aloha State, which includes the Polynesian Cultural Center located at the North Shore of Oahu. At La Marianas on Honolulu’s Sand Island, which is considered as Hawaii’s most renowned tiki bar, guests would be able to take pleasure in some tropical drinks among a great number of tiki memorabilia. Visitors of the state would definitely come across a tiki image wherever they go but these are not just any old figures, for they used to represent the ancient Hawaiian gods. Article by Oahu wedding and wedding themes
Kauai’s Kid-Friendly Activities
October 10, 2008 by writer
Filed under Hawaii activities
The state of Hawaii is not just a romantic place that is ideal for couples or honeymooners. It is also a spot where tourists can bring their little ones along. The island of Kauai, in particular, offers a lot of pursuits for travelers who have kids with them.
For one thing, children and adults alike could try surfing with a real professional. Margo Oberg, part of the prestigious Surfing Hall of Fame as well as a 7-time world surfing champion, offers her services to give surfing lessons to interested visitors. There is no one else in the island that could provide more impressive surfing credentials than she does and the best way to learn surfing is to take a course with an expert. Kauai wedding photographer
Another water sport that parents could take their kids is to kayak along the Huleia River. This scenic river curves through the wonderfully thriving Huleia National Wildlife Refuge. Aside from being picturesque, it could also be educational. The whole family could get to spot some endangered species in the area such as the great blue herons as well as the Hawaiian gallinules as they take flight. Kayaking along this gentle river is perfect for all ages.
For children who are active and full of energy, their parents could take them to the Kamalani Playground situated in Wailua’s Lydgate State Park. This is an interesting playground that has an assortment of jungle gyms that are just right for kids of any age. They could clamber up the wooden jungle gyms, slither down the slides, dangle from bars, examine the caves, and simply have fun. It is a great way to burn up the kids’ energy and it is an enjoyable area to bond with the little ones.
If it is a sweltering day, the entire family could cool off with some Hawaiian shave ice. Across from the Poipu Beach Park, families should check out Brennecke’s Beach Broiler. This is a favorite place of both locals and tourists when they are craving for a traditional shave ice. This Hawaiian delight is made up of crushed ice that is placed inside a paper cone and it is then topped with some scrumptious flavored syrup. Normally, when people are having a hard time deciding on a flavor, they go for the rainbow one, which contains 3 various flavors all in just a single cone.
Children would also have a great time in the Na Aina Kai Botanical Gardens. This lies on around 240 acres of land and it is dotted with roughly 70 life-sized extraordinary bronze statues. They also have tropical garden especially for kids. It showcases a tree house located in a rubber tree, a jungle gym, and a gecko hedge maze. They also have a Jack and the Bean Stalk Giant measuring 16 feet high with a wading pool underneath.
The kids would also love the Children’s Discovery Museum that could be found in Kapaa. In this museum, children could play with several native musical instruments, take part in a virtual television, and hide out in an enchanting tree house.
There are plenty of other kid-friendly pursuits in the Hawaiian Islands. These are just some of the activities that could occupy the children in the stunning island of Kauai.