People have been fantasizing about the Hawaiian islands ever since the first western explorers landed there in the 18th century. Musings about these lush tropical islands have lured many visitors over the years, but because of limited technology, no one really got to see the Hawaiian islands in all their beauty unless they were there. But once the advent of color photography arrived, people could vicariously travel to these islands. These stunning vintage photos will show you how Hawaii was the ultimate vacation destination of yesteryear.
Hula Dancers Sway Their Hips To Tell A Story
Welcome to Hawaii, where six beautiful islands of paradise await you! If you arrived in 1950 when this photo was taken, you might have seen a scene like this, where native Hawaiian dancers perform the traditional hula.
Hula was developed by Polynesians who originally settled on the Hawaiian islands. Hula is typically accompanied by "mele," which are traditional island chants, songs, or poems. The hula is meant to dramatize the mele in a visual dance form. There are two main categories of the dance: Hula Kahiko is ancient hula that was performed before Western encounters with Hawaii. Hula 'Auana is an evolved version with western influences.
A Hawaiian Lei Makes For A Warm Welcome
Here a woman is seen making leis circa 1954. She threads carnations together to create colorful flower necklaces that can be used as gifts for visitors to Hawaii. The lei tradition was brought to Hawaii by Polynesian voyagers from Tahiti and they were made with flowers, leaves, shells, seeds, nuts, feathers, and sometimes animal bones or teeth.
The lei is one of the ultimate symbols of Hawaiian culture to visitors who are greeted with a warm "Aloha" and a fresh flower lei. If someone gives you a lei, you must always accept it. You must also never take it off in front of the person who gave it to you.
Life In The Suburbs Of Hawaii
This is what life in Hawaii was like back in 1954. Neighbors chat across a white fence, not unlike suburbia on the Mainland. But unlike the Mainland, this neighborhood is nestled in a lush, majestic valley on the island of Oahu.
Wouldn't it be amazing to wake up to this scene everyday? These people certainly did. These folks live in the Hawaiian capital of Honolulu. Honolulu is the westernmost major U.S. city and also is the most remote major city in the entire world. It is likely that these families settled in Hawaii in the aftermath of WWII.
Preparing For A Hawaiian Feast
These cooks are preparing for a traditional Hawaiian luau in 1954. When pigs are roasted for a luau, part of the preparations include placing hot rocks from the fire pit into the pig carcass.There are plenty of different ways to consume a roasted pig at a luau. Perhaps these cooks will prepare laulau, a native Hawaiian dish.
Laulau typically consists of pork wrapped in taro leaves. The laulau is then steamed to perfection. Sometimes instead of pork, laulau can also be stuffed with salted butterfish, beef, or chicken. Laulau is traditionally steamed in an underground oven called an imu.
False Killer Whales Practice A Routine On Oahu
A woman is seen working with dolphins in this photo from 1969. These are false killer whales, the third-largest type of dolphin. There are three populations of false killer whales that inhabit the waters surrounding the Hawaiian islands. As a result, these are the dolphins that get observed the most, since populations are sparse elsewhere in the world.
There are places in Hawaii — Oahu especially, where this photo was taken — where you can see these elusive creatures up close. Dolphins are typically friendly to humans and these false killer whales have been known to catch fish and bring them to humans who are diving or boating.
Vacationers Sunbathe In The Warm Kailua Sun
If you didn't live in Hawaii, then the next best thing was to go there for vacation! That's exactly what these folks are doing at the Kailua Kona Hilton Resort in 1975. The resort has inevitably been renamed, but you can still visit the location.
1975 was also the year of the big earthquake and tsunami in Hawaii. On November 29, 1975, a 7.4 magnitude earthquake shook several of the islands, triggered a tsunami, and killed two people.
Hawaii Has Been Exposed Since The Early 20th Century
After World War II, Hawaii has been touted as a popular vacation destination. This photo is from a 1938 editorial in Vogue. It's one of the first examples of general public exposure to surf culture, which really wouldn't take off for another 20 years or so.
As early as the '30s, the American public was shown a whole new realm of vacation destinations. It was the country's newest state and although it was part of America, the tropical paradise was as if you were visiting a foreign country. Classic photos like these showed tourists what fun and adventure people had on the Hawaiian islands.
Legend Nick Beck Catches A Wave
This is surf legend Nick Beck catching a wave in 1963. A surf craze swept the nation in the '60s as awesome shots just like this one were published in LIFEmagazine. The publication introduced readers to surfing but also warned of its perils, too.
Nick Beck was born on Kaua'i, which is the fourth largest of the Hawaiian islands and the oldest. After a lifelong career as a teacher, Beck eventually settled down and became the principal of Hanalei Elementary School. Later in his life, he worked towards slowing development of Hanalei and Kaua'i to preserve their natural beauty.
Waikiki Was Where You Had To Be
This is Waikiki Beach in 1960. Even back then, vacationers would flock to this infamous location to enjoy a slice of paradise. O'ahu, where Waikiki Beach sits on the South Shore in Honolulu, isn't the biggest island, but the most populated. In Hawaiian, Waikiki stands for "spouting fresh water." There used to be springs and streams that separated this beach from the interior of the island.
Waikiki Beach is known for its clear blue waters, white sands, and iconic view of Diamond Head crater. This certainly looks more calm than what you would see there now. Today, Waikiki is a tourist hub and with plenty of development that lines the beach.
People Have Been Flocking To Ho'okipa For Decades
In this photo from 1987, these ladies enjoy the surf on the beach at Ho'okipa on the north shore of Maui. Ho'okipa is a popular destination for all sorts of water-related activities. "Ho'okipa" means hospitality in native Hawaiian and there's nothing more inviting than old-fashioned Hawaiian hospitality!
Ho'okipa is home to four distinct surf breaks, where the swell and reef form barreling waves that are perfect for surfing. This beach in particular is known as one of the most renowned windsurfing sites in the entire world.
