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Culture of the Islands
Starwood Hotels & Resorts throughout Hawaii invites visitors to discover the rich artistic and cultural legacy of the islands through exclusive exhibits, unique activities and opportunities to meet with talented artisans and Hawaiian historians. Explore the culture of the islands with Starwood.
On the Big Island of Hawaii, guests at the Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa guests can journey back in time on the new cultural preserve tour. The self guided walk reveals remnants of long abandoned dwellings and shrines on the grounds of the property which is located on an ancient lava flow at Keauhou Bay. The resort designed the tour by studying archives of cultural surveys and consulting with revered kupuna (elders) in the area. As guests follow the trail, they will witness a former fishing shrine and remnants of a cattle pen, a canoe shed, and the platform for a home. The signage also describes the exotic flowers throughout the resort property.
The Sheraton Waikiki on the island of Oahu celebrates Hawaiian art and culture with breathtaking original works created for and displayed throughout the resort as part of the hotel's Arting-in-Place program. In September 2009, a group of native Hawaiian artists spent a week in residence at the Sheraton Waikiki as part of the program to share their vision of Helumoa, He Wahi Pana, A Storied Place. Helumoa is the name of the ancient area where Sheraton Waikiki is located.
The noted artists collaborated with 22 talented students from O'ahu’s schools to paint a large six-panel mural depicting the legend of Helumoa. After finishing the mural, the artists completed their own commissioned paintings. Today, visitors can view the mural and original paintings on their own or on guided tours.
Next door at The Royal Hawaiian, A Luxury Collection Resort, recently discovered photographs of famed aviatrix Amelia Earhart will be on exhibit starting July 24 through December 2010. The rarely seen images from Matson Navigation Company Archives document Earhart's time in Hawai'i from December 22, 1934 to January 12, 1935 and from March 18 to 20, 1937. The rarely seen black and white images show Ms. Earhart and her Lockheed Vega, the red high wing monoplane. There’s even photographs of Ms. Earhart relaxing at The Royal Hawaiian or sharing a pineapple with famed surfer Duke Kahanamoku.
