Resources on the Hawaiian Renaissance

The term 'Hawaiian Renaissance' speaks of periods in history when there was a focused resurgence in the distinct cultural identity that draws upon kānaka maoli (Native Hawaiian) culture.

The first Hawaiian Renaissance has its foundation in the nationalist sentiments of King Kamehameha V (born Lot Kapuāiwa, 1830-1872) who wanted to form a national identity that was not modeled after Britain or the United States. This Renaissance was perpetuated by King Kalākaua who sponsored many traditional Hawaiian practices such as hula performances, royal rituals, and sporting events and he also had Hawaiian myths, legends, and chants recorded in media.

The second Hawaiian Renaissance took place in the late 1960's through the 1970's. This was a time of renewed interest in Hawaiian language, hula, crafts, and Hawaiian history. It was also a period of land struggles and politics focused on Native Hawaiian rights, the restoration of Hawaiian independence, and the birth of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Below are some resources from the Sullivan Family Library related to the Hawaiian Renaissance.

Low, S. (2013). Hawaiki rising: Hōkūleʻa, Nainoa Thompson, and the Hawaiian renaissance. Waipahu, HI: Island Heritage Publishing.

"The true story of Hōkūleʻa and the men and women who sailed in the wake of their ancestors to discover pride in their culture and themselves." -from publisher

Sai, D. (2015). Ua mau ke ea = Sovereignty endures: an overview of the political and legal history of the Hawaiian islands. Honolulu, HI: Pūʻā Foundation.

"Ua Mau Ke Ea takes the reader on a journey from eighteenth century Hawaiʻi under the rule of King Kamehameha I, through the nineteenth century of the Hawaiian Kingdom, and up to the twenty-first century of occupation." -from publisher

Silva, N. (2004). Aloha betrayed: native Hawaiian resistance to American colonialism. Durham, NC: Duke University Press.

"In 1897, as a white oligarchy made plans to allow the United States to annex Hawaiʻi, native Hawaiians organized a massive petition drive to protest. Ninety-five percent of the native population signed the petition, causing the annexation treaty to fail in the U.S. Senate. This event was unknown to many contemporary Hawaiians until Noenoe K. Silva rediscovered the petition in the process of researching this book." -from publisher

Walker, I. (2011). Waves of resistance: surfing and history in twentieth-century Hawaiʻi. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaiʻi Press.

"Drawing from Hawaiian language newspapers and oral history interviews, Walker's history of the struggle for the poʻina nalu revises previous surf history accounts and unveils the relationship between surfing and colonialism in Hawaiʻi." -from publisher