Maine and Hawaii
Researched by Cayley R. 2003-04	RESEARCH REPORT  MY INTERVIEW  BIBLIOGRAPHY  ABOUT THE AUTHOR  DEDICATION  WHY I CHOSE THIS TOPIC  SELF-EVALUATION  THANK YOU

 The state of Hawaii would be a fun place to visit, but not only once… many times. When you go to Hawaii be prepared to see a lot of kukui (candlenut) trees. The bird that you most often see is called Nene (Hawaiian goose). The state flower is the yellow hibiscus.   The state song is called “Hawaii Ponoi”, it is sung in Hawaiian.  Hawaii’s motto is “The Life of the Land is Perpetuated in Righteousness”.

  According to my interviewee, John Fairchild, the best time to go to Hawaii is around Labor Day. That is when all the condominiums, apartments, and hotels are at their lowest price. 

 Hawaii is a state with a very small population. Hawaii has five counties: Honolulu, Hawaii, Maui, Kauai, and Kalawao, a small part of the island of Molokai.   The division of the counties is marked on a map in the middle of the water between the islands.  Hawaii is the only state made of only islands. Hawaii is also the only state not on the continent of North America.  Hawaii has 750 miles of coastline.  

Fun Activities
The state is a good place to surf, scuba dive, snorkel, and look at all the sea creatures that live under water.  There are several national and state parks to visit, including dormant volcanoes in Haleakala National Park, on Maui. The Polynesian Cultural center teaches a lot about the native culture of Hawaii.  Sightseeing the lush islands just to see the beauty in nature is also popular. Attending a Luau including food and Hula dancing is also something expected when you visit Hawaii.  

Economy
The primary products in Hawaii are sugar cane, pineapples, and flowers. 
 
Tourism is a large source of income for Hawaii’s economy. 

Abbreviation and Alphabet
The abbreviation that you will most likely see for Hawaii is “HI”. There are only 12 letters in the Hawaiian alphabet: A, E, H, I, K, L, M, N, O, P, U, and W. Every Hawaiian word and syllable ends with a vowel.  There will always be a vowel between consonants.   My interview said that the language is very singsong like with different inflections used that almost sound more like noises than words.
Highest and Lowest points
The highest point in Hawaii is Mauna Kea and the elevation is13,769 feet. The lowest point is the sea level of the Pacific Ocean.

Hottest and Coldest time, temp, and place
The hottest time, temperature, and place is Pahala: 100 degrees Fahrenheit on April 27th, 1931. The coldest time and temperature was January 2nd, 1961: 14 degrees Fahrenheit up in the mountains. The wettest place in the world is Mt.Waialeale.  Hawaii only has two seasons: one is called “rainy season” and the other called “summer”. During the rainy season, it rains every day. The average temperature in July is 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The average temperature in January is 68 degrees Fahrenheit. That is only an 8 degrees difference between summer and winter.
Culture
Hawaii’s population is made of people of Polynesian descent, in addition to whites and blacks from the mainland.  There are also many citizens of Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, and Southeast Asian ancestry.  These people have helped make life in Hawaii colorful. 

 Although it is not the largest island, most of the people who live in Hawaii live on the island of Oahu, in or around Honolulu.  Most of the other islands are covered in dense vegetation.  There is still an existing Leper colony on the island of Molokai.  You have to ride a mule to get there.  The people who lived there were sent there so that their disease could not be given to other people. 

On December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, engaging the United States into World War II.  At that time, Hawaii wasn’t a state but a territory of the United States.

Words to know
Annex-to have control of another country.
Dormant-can not move.
Hansen’s disease-a disease that attacks the skin, nerves, and muscles and was once called leprosy.
Hurricane-windstorm that forms over an ocean and causes great damage when it comes to land.
Lava- a hot liquid that will come from a volcano when it erupts and it hardens as it cools.
Plantation-big farm.
Rain forest-a forest of many trees where a lot of rain falls.
Republic-a country with elected officials.
 
 

Maine Facts
Maine was the 23rd state to enter the United States.  It entered the union on March 15th, 1820.   The state of Maine’s population as of 2000 was 1,274,923. Maine has 30,865 square miles of land.   Maine forms the northeastern corner of the United States.  Augusta is the capital of Maine, and the largest city is Portland.  Maine is considered part of the New England States, and is the largest of the New England states in size.  It is well known for its beautiful Atlantic Ocean shoreline.  Lighthouses, sandy beaches, quiet fishing villages, thousands of little offshore islands, and Acadia National Park—the only National Park in New England -- are all  reasons people like to visit Maine.  Maine has 228 miles of coastline.
The state bird is the chickadee.  The state motto is Dirigo, which means I direct or I guide.  The state tree is the white pine.  The state flower is the white pine cone and tassel.  The state song is the “State of Maine Song”.

Fun Activities
Fishing is a popular sport in Maine. The state has thousands of clear lakes, rivers, and streams for good fishing. There are many water competitions including boat races and lobster festivals.  Hunting is also a popular recreation. Skiing is available on the mountains of Maine.

Economy
Paper products, wood products, transportation equipment and electrical equipment are the main products that come out of Maine. L.L. Bean, which is famous for its boots, is in Maine. Livestock and livestock products account for much of the agricultural income. Maine’s fishing industry is responsible for bringing in about $200 million dollars a year.  The yearly catch of lobster is bigger in Maine than in any other state.

Abbreviation and Alphabet
The abbreviation that is accepted for Maine is ME.  Their alphabet is the same as the rest of the English language.  The language that is spoken in Maine is English, but the people there sound as though they are adding an “R” to the end of the words that end in “A”.

Highest and Lowest Points
The highest point in Maine is Mt. Katahdin, at 5,268 feet.  The lowest point in Maine, like Hawaii, is at sea level but it is at the Atlantic Ocean, rather than the Pacific Ocean like Hawaii.

Hottest and Coldest time, temp, and place
The hottest recorded temperature in Maine was 105 degrees Fahrenheit on North Bridgton, on July 10,1911.  The coldest temperature recorded in Maine was ­48 degrees Fahrenheit at Van Buren on January 19,1925.  The highest temperature in Maine is not that much hotter than Hawaii, but the coldest temperature is much colder.  The average temperature in Maine in July is 67 degrees Fahrenheit. The average temperature in Hawaii in July is 75 degrees Fahrenheit.  The average amount of rainfall in Maine is 41 inches.  Hawaii’s is 110 inches. Hawaii is much wetter.

Culture
Maine has a large part in the history of the United States.  The Revolutionary War had many Maine patriots involved who opposed the taxes imposed by the British government.   The French and Indian Wars were fought in and around what is now Maine.  In 1785, Maine started a fight for its own statehood and to separate from Massachusetts.  The history of Maine as part of the United States is much older than the history of Hawaii as part of the United States. 

Thousands of Indians lived in what is now Maine long before white settlers came.  It is thought that Vikings, led by Leif Erickson, probably visited Maine around the year 1000.  

Who I Interviewed And What I Learned I interviewed John Douglas Fairchild. January 15,2004 at the Teriyaki Grille in Selah.  He was a good person to    interview because he just recently got back from Hawaii right after New Years. He is not really involved with the state of Hawaii, but in 1962 he went on a vacation with a friend.  Hawaii was a very new state then.  They didn’t even get a phone line to Hawaii until 1957! They both got jobs; he wanted to work for United Airlines of Hawaii. He worked there for fourteen years. He moved back to Selah in 1976. He has visited there four or five times since.   He is currently involved with the state of Hawaii as a tourist.  How he got involved John’s roommate went to Hawaii and John wanted to go when he got out of college. One by one the people that his friend wanted to go with couldn’t go for various reasons. So John said he would go. They ended up staying 14 years and his friend is still there 40 years later.   Spirit  “The Spirit of Aloha” is a funny kind of thing…. the air in Hawaii is usually warmer than it is in Selah. When the wind blows it doesn’t brush you like it does here in the spring, it sort of fluffs you; it is really soft because of the humidity.  Hawaii has an aura about it… there is a natural sense of relaxation, of enjoyment, of beauty, and of nature.  The aura goes back to the history of the people of Hawaii, their language, and their costumes. He thinks any body who spends time in Hawaii should try to get involved so they understand what the phrase “Spirit of Aloha” means.  The music of Hawaii is very rich and fulfilling and it’s part of the aura of Hawaii. John had some friends in Selah who have a musical group called “Dakine.” One of them, Tim Shultz, is a music teacher at John Campbell. He and two other fellows from Hawaii play Hawaiian music in town once a month.  It is a little piece of Hawaii and “Aloha” that you can experience here. They are probably John’s most important link to Hawaii now because they maintain the spirit and when they get together they talk a type of language called Pidgin English. John says, “Pidgin English is kind of sing-song and chop-suey.  It just happens naturally and it is just part of their heritage and part of the culture.”  John is worried about the growth in tourism in Hawaii.  When he lived in Waikiki in 1960’s there were probably 1/4 or 1/5 as many high rises and skyscrapers.  Now it looks like a big city because everything is tall and there are hundred of hotels and condominiums and tourist attractions.  It is understandable because Hawaii is such a wonderful place but it seems sad to lose that old part of Hawaii, because that was really unique.

Bibliography Condon, Richard, and Frederic, Paul.  “Maine, The Pine Tree State”.  The World Book Encyclopedia.  1998. Fairchild, John Douglas.  Personal interview.  January 15, 2004. Hintz, Martin.  America The Beautiful:  Hawaii.  New York:  Children’s Press, 1998.  pp.130-134. Kent, Deborah.   America The Beautiful:  Maine.  New York:  Children’s Press, 1999.  pp.130-139. King, Pauline, and Wester, Lyndon.  “Hawaii, The Aloha State”.  The World Book Encyclopedia. 1998.

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