With president elect Barack Obama back on Oahu for vacation, there has been increased media focus on Obama and his relationship to Hawaii. In the last couple of days I read two very different articles on Obama and Hawaii that I thought were worth sharing. The first was a piece in the New York Times that looked at how Obama's Hawaii Upbringing helped contribute to his cool temperament. It also talks about how the multi-culturalism of Hawaii may have had an impact on his willingness to consider and accept a diversity of viewpoints.
Photo courtesy of Obama-Biden Transition Project via Creative Commons
The second article looked at how members of Hawaii's surfing community wanted to give Obama a keepsake to remember his island roots. While Obama is known to enjoy bodysurfing, he is not believed to be a surfer. That being said an Oahu surfboard shaper collaborated with a talented airbrush artist to create a board that they hope to have delivered to Obama to keep in the white house. The board is meant more for display than catching waves.
While Hawaii is part of the United States, there is no denying its unique and rich culture. The islands draw traditions from Polynesia, Asia and Europe. This multi-culturalism has an impact on all of Hawaii's residents including its most famous former inhabitants like the president elect.
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