Haleakala National Park. Views from the viewpoint of Leleiwi . Maui. The amazing beauty of Hawaii matches the beauty of its people , which contributes to the Aloha spirit that make the islands a unique place around the world. Hawaii is known for its diversity , a true melting pot of cultures near and far . When we look at the diversity of Hawaii of these times , we have an indication of the beginning, when the islands began inhabited by Polynesians thousands of years ago. Christian missionaries from New England arrived in the islands in 1820 , dramatically impacted Hawaii's native population as they brought with them diseases , and thus was formed the Caucasian population or " haole " ( foreign ) . The cultural mix is hereby given , in part, thanks to the workers pilgrimage pineapple ( pineapple ) and sugar cane from Portugal, Japan , China and other nations of the east, in the middle and late nineteenth century . Other immigrants that followed include Puerto Ricans, Filipinos and Koreans. Approximately 43.5 % of Hawaii 's current residents were born elsewhere, and it is easy to see the reason why people travel from around the world to make Hawaii their permanent home . Today , the island of Oahu , which holds more residents and visitors to any of the other islands combined , is affectionately nicknamed " The Gathering Place" . Samoan , Tongan , Hawaiian, Chinese , Japanese , Maori , Canadians, Tahitians , Vietnamese, Spanish , Scottish , Irish, Italian and other ethnic groups combine to give life to these wonderful islands. Whatever the island where you are , be sure to find characters from different sources , local or tourists , full of wisdom and stories to tell . The fascinating mix of cultures in Hawaii makes it not uncommon to hear several different languages ??in the streets , including Samoan , Portuguese, Japanese , Hawaiian , Chinese and pidgin ( a local dialect that combines a mix of Hawaiian and English language ) .