The Hawaiian culture is rich and diverse with roots that go back centuries to when hardy Polynesian islanders came across the Pacific Ocean in wooden canoes to settle on the islands. It is a culture of music and dance interlaid with colourful legends, customs and traditions that are inseparable from island life. Ancient Hawaiians had a close connection with nature – they lived off the land and sea and relied on the stars to guide them thousands of miles across the ocean – and this is reflected in the culture that survives today. What makes it unique though are the many other influences that have been brought to the islands by generations of settlers and combined with the ancient traditions. Read the rest of this entry »