Many present Koreans in
Hawaii all practice many old traditions from Korea and
often play traditional Korean games on special evenings.
All of these practices that the Koreans are practicing
today, were all brought over from Korea by grandparents,
great grandparents, and maybe even great-great
grandparents. This year marks the one hundredth
anniversary of Korean immigrants to Hawaii. On January
13, 1903, 102 Korean immigrants arrived in Hawaii on the
SS Gaelic. The U.S. Census shows more
than 23,000 people who identified themselves as being of
Korean ancestry in Hawaii. This does not include
mixed-race residents whose ethnicity includes Korean.
Officials estimate another 20,000 Korean-speaking
nonresidents live here.
The year 2003
marked 100th anniversary of Korean immigrant to Hawaii.
According to recent studies, more than 90 percent of Koreans in Hawaii live in urban areas. They have one of the highest family median incomes. Additionally, they have the highest proportionate representation in the work force, with nearly two thirds of the men and one half of the women older than seventeen employed. In terms of occupation, they have a majority in professional services and public administration, about 36 percent as compared to 26 percent in other ethnic groups. In the post secondary education, the Koreans rank third. Also, the Koreans have the highest proportion of households headed by women. They also have the highest rates of interethnic marriage.
Many second and third generation Koreans married non-Koreans and dominated in professional occupations occupied by Caucasians. After World War II, many surviving immigrant women returned to South Korea to visit families and were depressed by the poor economic and educational conditions of their nation. They signed affidavits of support for their relatives and brought them over to the University of Hawaii to study. these newcomers were later joined by a more sizable number of Korean women who married American soldiers during and after the Korean War. They then came to settle in Hawaii. This created the first incoming Koreans since the Oriental Exclusion Act of 1924. Many of these brides found it difficult to assimilate into the social structure of the now local Koreans.
In 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed the new immigration bill into law in 1965. there has been a major increase in Asian immigration. The Koreans are the fastest growing group. Hawaii alone has received approximately six thousand Korean immigrants between 1969 and 1974. This new immigration more than doubled the Korean population in Hawaii.
Presently, there has been lots of ethnic pride and activity among the Koreans in Hawaii. For example, there are now fourteen Korean Protestant churches, one Catholic church, a Buddhist temple, a shaman, weekly television programs, more frequently broadcast radio programs, and two daily newspapers. Additionally, there are many Korean restaurants, grocery stores and other buildings. In Hawaii, it is common to hear the Korean language spoken in many places. In the University of Hawaii, there are more than thirty faculty members who are Korean immigrants. The second generation Korean immigrants have a deep respect for their past.
The new Korean immigrants come to Hawaii by choice. They come with their families intending to stay in the islands. They want better economic opportunities and better education for their children. As a group, the Koreans are one of the most educated in Hawaii. Their occupations are from skilled labor to professionals. Nearly half of the immigrants arriving in Hawaii have no money and almost a quarter of households are headed by women. Within the first six months of arrival, ninety percent of the household heads find employment. However, ninety percent of the immigrants have Korean as their only language which makes it difficult to find employment. About half the immigrants obtain American citizenship within the first six months of arrival, which is the highest rate among Asians. On the whole, immigrant students find school academically easy, except for the language barrier. The social environment is far less strict than in Korea.
Some of the traditional
holidays that were brought over from Korea by immigrants
are Harvest Moon Festival, New Years, Snow Festival, The
Kwangsan Kossaum Festival, The Samil Independence
Movement Festival, The Sokchonie Ceremony, The Myong-dong
Festival, The Chinhae Cherry Blossom Festival, The
Intangible Cultural Assets Festival, The King Tanjong
Festival, Kyongju Cherry Blossom, The Chindo Yongdung
Festival, and Onyang Cultural Festival,
This is a
picture of a Korean family
celebrating the Korean New Year
In all of these holidays,
people celebrate by playing traditional games like top
spinning, jacks, kite flying, bull fighting, taekwondo,
Chajon-nori, Chang-gi, Hapkido, Huwa-t'u, Jul
T'agi, Nol-twigi, Paduk, Ssirum, Yute, and other kinds of
sports and activities. These games and sports are said to
bring good luck and health.
Some boys
taking
Taekwondo lessons
Many Koreans now have jobs and work full-time, not like before, when they worked in the sugar cane farms. Many Koreans now are getting paid more highly and are getting pay raises. More families are happy and accepted by their communities but some still are not. Today, the second, third and fourth generation Koreans are leaders among Hawaii's community. They are doctors, lawyers, teachers, business entrepreneurs and government officials. Examples include Hawaii Chief Justice Ronald Tae Yang Moon, Big Island Mayor Harry Kim, state Schools Superintendent Patricia Lee Hamamoto and Honolulu Police Chief Lee Donohue.
Koreans have been facing
many struggles and are trying to overcome obstacles in
their life. But many have become successful citizens in
Hawaii.
The Present
Koreans in Hawaii
General Taekwondo Information
http://www.barrel.net/
Korean Centennial
http://www.koreancentennial.org/resources.htm
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