Hawaiian Diversity

It may not have been James Cook’s intention to influence such great diversity when he sailed onto the Hawaiian island of Maui in 1778. In his essay The End of Race, Journalist Steve Olson speaks of the extreme diversity tourist encounter as soon as they arrive at a Hawaiian airport. He states, “Once out of the airport, they encounter what is probably the most genetically mixed population in the world. To the genes of Captain Cooks sailors and the native Polynesians has been added the DNA of European missionaries” (Olson 251). Through this statement, Olson is trying to give a picture of the extreme amount of diversity throughout these islands which was influenced by James Cook’s sailors getting involved with the native women. In fact, according to the United States Census Bureau, “Ethnic minorities account for 75 percent of Hawaii’s population” (http://archives.starbulletin.com/2008/05/01/news/story10.html). Therefore, it is seen that Olson’s arguments are very well supported. On the other hand, even on tourism sites it is encouraged for people to explore and learn about the vast diversity of the islands. Go Hawaii states, “Beyond the sun and surf of the islands, we urge you to discover the rich cultural history of Hawaii to add even more depth to your visit” (http://www.gohawaii.com/statewide/travel-tips/history). It is clear that Hawaii is very aware of their cultural history and very much do agree with Olson’s essay. It is simply amazing how these small islands have such an incredible amount of different races intermixed over many years. James Cook and many of the early foreign migrators of the past would be severely astonished with the great influence they had on Hawaiian culture today.