Hawaiiana is a popular term of academia used in reference to history and various aspects of the culture of Hawaiʻi, currently a region and state of the United States. The term is used especially in reflection of the periods of antiquity and the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi era. Hawaiiana has become increasingly popular among students of history and sociology throughout the world. The principal repository of cultural items from the Hawaiian Islands is the Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum in Honolulu on the island of Oʻahu. The institution is also called the Hawaiʻi State Museum of Natural and Cultural History and often shares artifacts and information with other institutions globally for the sake of research and study.
The term "Hawaiiana" has been in use since 1915,[1] perhaps even earlier, despite the widespread belief Hawaiian entertainer and cultural expert, Nona Beamer, coined the term in 1948.[2]