Hawaii has officially voted to change its name after a year of discussions, marking a significant step toward greater cultural respect.
The Hawaii Board on Geographic Names (HBGN) last week approved a measure to change the official name of the tropical oasis from the ‘Island of Hawaii’ to simply Hawaii, according to KHON 2 News.
The move is intended to better reflect cultural heritage and create consistency across the islands, according to officials.
‘I think we all know Hawaii is the state and also the name of an island, and there’s no distinction between the two, and we want to honor the history of the island itself and give it a proper name,’ HBGN Chair Marques Marzan told the outlet in April.
Some islanders, however, say the name change feels more like an empty symbolic gesture rather than a sign of respect.
‘It is the Island of Hawaii, Hawaii Island, Moku o Keawe and now this,’ Issac Paka Harp, of Waimea, told Island News earlier this year.
‘It doesn’t make any sense. It’s a waste of time.’
Despite its small size, Hawaii is comprised of 137 islands spanning five counties, and has been formally named the ‘Island of Hawaii’ in the federal database since 2000.
But most visitors know it for its eight main islands, collectively called the ‘Hawaiian Archipelago’: Hawaii (the Big Island), Maui, Kahoolawe, Lanai, Molokai, Oahu, Kauai and Niihau.
In March, board members pushed to rename the largest and most populated island, noting that it is the only one whose name begins with ‘Island of.’
‘It’s unusual that the official name has the phrase island of attached to it, in comparison to to all of the rest of the islands in the Hawaiian archipelago,’ Marzan previously told Island News.
‘Hawai’i, with the Okina, is already a variant name that exists attached to the island. So the only difference is it’s moving up to the official name versus the variant and an island of Hawaii is moving down to the variant name.’
‘I think to be consistent and to honor the island itself with its true name being Hawaii,’ he added.
The Big Island – Hawaii’s youngest – is over 4,000 square miles, nearly twice the size of all the other islands combined, and is home to Kilauea, the world’s most active volcano.
Legend has it that the island was first named the Island of Hawaii after the Polynesian voyager Hawaii Loa, who discovered it on a long fishing trip and made it his family’s home, according to University of Hawaii System.
After a year of discussions among board members – a board many residents didn’t even know existed – the path was cleared for an official name change.
‘I know it always has, historically, as kind of named after Hawaii Loa the Navigator,’ Hawaii County Mayor Kimo Alameda told KHON, offering no objections to the decision.
‘So, Hawaii makes sense. It could be confusing, because the state of Hawaii. But hey, I’ll take it. I mean, Hawaii, that sounds good to me,’ he added.
With the new name, the island will match the naming of the other islands and will be officially updated on maps, documents and signage at both the state and federal levels.
Officials said locals and visitors can still use the ‘Island of Hawaii’ or other traditional names, but some residents find the change confusing, having called their home by one name for generations.
‘To designate it from the State of Hawaii, most people say “Hawaii Island” or “Big Island” and I think it is ridiculous to consider a name change,’ resident Harp told Island News.
Some islanders turned to social media to share their frustration, including one Reddit user who wrote: ‘They keep trying to spin something that everyone knows as “the Big Island.”‘
On Facebook, one user commented: ‘Call it what ever they like officially, locals still gonna call it Big Island.’
‘What are they nuts??????’ wrote another.
‘It’ll always be THE BIG ISLAND to me,’ one comment read, earning dozens of thumbs-up reactions.
One angered local added: ‘Obviously you guys have nothing better to do. We’ll remember that when it’s time to vote for you. Bunch of over paid idiots. Are you guys going to start taking statues down next?’
The decision now goes to the federal board for review, a process that could take around a year, leaving the final word – and the debate – yet to come.
Read more
- Outrage erupts in Hawaii as residents hit back at controversial flag ban – is the homeowners’ association trampling on cultural pride?
- Could an outrageous beach blockade by a property owner spark a state-wide fight over Hawaii’s shores?
- How are determined Hawaiians fighting back against a theme park-style invasion on their historic lands?
- How does Hawaii’s relaxed island life make it the happiest state in America, despite its steep living costs and hefty taxes?
- Is New Jersey’s bold Bay statement a visionary move or just another ‘dumb’ idea? Critics clash over the name change bid!
