Hawaiians

the native inhabitants of the Hawaiian Islands. They speak Hawaiian and have a knowledge of English. Anthropologically they are Polynesians. The invasion of Hawaii (beginning at the end of the 18th century) by European and American colonizers and, in particular, its seizure by the USA, has led to a sharp reduction of the indigenous Hawaiian population—from 250,000-300,000 to 10,000 (according to official inflated 1967 figures); according to other sources, the population has dwindled to 1,000-2,000. A large group of mixed-bloods (population, 105,000 in 1967) has formed as a result of the merging of Hawaiians with American, European, and Asian immigrants; some of these have preserved the Hawaiian language and certain elements of the Hawaiian culture. The Hawaiians and mixed-bloods work on sugar and pineapple plantations and provide tourist services. The present-day Hawaiians are Christians (Protestants of various denominations and Catholics).