HONOLULU (KHON2) — A simple name change can have statewide and national consequences.
At its Dec. 10 meeting, the Hawaii Geographic Names Commission voted to change the official name of “Hawaii Island” to “Hawaii,” bringing it in line with the state’s other islands.
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The decision comes after more than a year of discussion and public attention.
When the proposal was first proposed, many people didn’t even know the board existed.
This change was made to be consistent with the other islands and to be more culturally respectful.
“I think we all know that Hawaii is a state and it’s the name of an island, there’s no difference between the two, and we want to respect the history of the island itself and give it the right name,” HBGN President Marques Marzan said in April.
Hawaii County Mayor Kimo Alameda had no objection to the name change.
“I know, historically, it’s always been named after Loya, the Hawaiian navigator. So, Hawaii makes sense. It might be confusing because of the state of Hawaii. But, hey, I’ll take it. I mean, Hawaii, that sounds good to me,” the mayor said.
The change will standardize “Hawaii” on federal and state maps, documents and signage.
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Locals and tourists may still refer to it as “Hawaii Island” or “The Big Island.”
It is now before the federal council for review, a process expected to take about a year.
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