Its no doubt that the Hawaiian culture has left an indelible mark in history. From the skillful, innovative ways of Polynesian sea voyaging to the ancient traditions of the Hawaiian ohana (family), we continuously learn from our ancestors.

The Hawaiian language is now being taught throughout Hawaii schools and the legacy of the Hawaiian monarchy is still revered today. The revitalization of the Hawaiian culture continues to remind us that the past clearly defines the present.

There are many ways to connect with both contemporary and historical cultural activities throughout each island.

Recreating a lost craft
In an effort to revive the ancient ways of surfboard building and practice, Diane Fujii Johnson and Tom Stone decided to reconstruct wooden surfboards and the traditions that surround them.

"I was born and raised here," says Diane, founder of the Hawaiian Longboard Federation (HLF). "I always loved surfing but never knew the historical and cultural aspects of it. Then as I began meeting with Tom, I found out there were a lot of rituals in making these ancient wooden surfboards."

"Back in the old days, you actually had to make your own board, so it was an extremely complex process," says Tom Stone, a professor of Hawaiian Studies at the University of Hawaii. "The wooden boards stood 12-feet tall and weighed over 100 pounds. So the community as a whole had to work together to make just one board." Hawaii trip package for hawaii travel package see hawaii tour and information. Hawaii travel guide for your hawaii trip see all hawaii tour packages.