Hauʻoli Lā Hānau Hawaiʻi

Today is Hawaii's 48th birthday! Could have fooled me though, because Hawaii doesn't look a day over 30! In honor of the 50th state to be admitted into the Union, I've compiled a list of trivia about the Aloha State.

Quick facts...

• State nickname: The Aloha State
• State animal: Humpback Whale
• State bird: Nene (Nēnē) (Branta sandvicensis)
• State fish: Reef triggerfish (Humu­humu­nuku­nuku­āpuaʻa)
• State flower: Yellow Hibiscus
• State tree: Kukui (Aleurites Moluccana)
• State gem: Black Coral
• State motto: Ua mau ke ea o ka aina i ka pono ("The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness")
• State song: Hawaii Ponoi (Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī) ("Hawaii's own [people]")

Did you know...

• Hawai‘i is only one of two states that does not observe Daylight Saving Time in any of its territories; the other state being Arizona.
• Despite its notoriety for having one of the most centralized state governments in the United States, Hawai‘i is the only one without a state police force.
• It is also the only state without a unified Department of Motor Vehicles; vehicle registration and driver license issuance is delegated to the four counties.
• Kamehameha Day is the only holiday in the United States that celebrates a monarch.
• Prince Kuhio Day is the only other day that celebrates the life of a royal.
• The North American Numbering Plan area code prescribed for the entire state of Hawai‘i is 808. It is one of only a few states to have a single, unified area code.
• Hawai‘i orientation is not expressed using traditional cardinal directions of north, south, east and west. Traditional compass points are sometimes considered confusing or even impractical in a mountainous island environment, especially when used for driving directions. Instead, the term mauka is used to orient a person towards the mountain or center of an island. Makai is used to orient a person towards the sea. On the island of O‘ahu, Diamond Head is used to orient a person towards the eastern shore. ‘Ewa is used to orient a person towards the western shore. On the island of Hawaii (a.k.a. "The Big Island"), directions are expressed with Hilo and Kona sides.
• Hawai‘i has the most endemic species of plants and animals that are vulnerable to outside threats. Ecologists have called Hawai‘i the endangered species capital. Among the rarest of these species is the Po‘ouli Hawaiian honeycreeper; it has only two known survivors found in Maui.
• Hawai‘i currently has three highways: the H1, H2, and H3. The H3 work crew is reputed to have sealed completed electrical and water housings due to funding shortages. The H2 is known for the strange zig-zag pattern of concrete laid for added "safety grip" by an engineer. Drivers are advised not to stare at the pattern as it both distracts and disorients.
• Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace is the oldest Roman Catholic cathedral in continuous use today in the United States.
• ‘Iolani Palace is the only official royal residence on United States land.
• It is customary at Hawai'i weddings, especially at Filipino weddings, for the bride and groom to do a "money dance" (also called the pandango). As the bride and groom dance, the guests express their best wishes to the newlyweds with a monetary gift.
• It is considered impolite to refer to the U.S. mainland as "the States" or to otherwise imply that Hawaiʻi is not part of the U.S. Asking, "Do you accept American money?" or "How do you like the United States?" would be considered rude and ignorant.
• The traditional Hawaiian lu'au is something seen most frequently as a tourist event, as opposed to a regular occurrence in local culture.
• It is customary for Hawai‘i families, regardless of ethnicity, to hold a lū‘au to celebrate a child's first birthday. In Hawaiian culture (and also in Korean culture), the first birthday is considered a major milestone.
• When visiting a home, it is considered good manners to bring a small gift (for example, a dessert) for one's host.
• For men in business or professional roles, an aloha shirt and slacks are the norm. Suits and ties are rarely worn except by judges and lawyers (those working in the judiciary) and by legislators. Legislators in Hawaii maintain an interesting double wardrobe where they wear a coat and tie on the floor of the State House or Senate or when in Washington, but outside or even in their state legislative offices, will wear an aloha shirt and slacks. Any local Macy's department store can outfit you with this Hawaii business attire.

Famous people from Hawaii

• Father Damien (January 3, 1840 – April 15, 1889) Beatified towards sainthood by Pope John Paul II
• Mother Marianne Cope (January 23, 1838 – August 9, 1918) Beatified towards sainthood by Pope Benedict XVI
• Hiram Fong (October 15, 1906 – August 18, 2004) First Chinese American and Asian American elected United States Senator
• General Eric Shinseki (born November 28, 1942)
• Duke Kahanamoku (August 24, 1890 – January 22, 1968) Gold-medal winning Olympic athlete who popularized surfing
• Don Ho (August 13, 1930 – April 14, 2007) was a Hawaiian musician and entertainer
• Israel Kamakawiwo'ole (May 20, 1959 – June 26, 1997) "Braddah IZ" was a Hawaiian musician and entertainer
• Jack Johnson (born May 18, 1975) Hawaii-born musician, filmmaker, and surfer