Hotels at seafront on the beach of Waikiki Beach. O'ahu. There are many ways to connect with the historical and contemporary cultural activities along each island. The culture of Hawaii has its origins among native hawianos. The Hawaiian language (Hawaiian language) is being taught in all schools in Hawaii (Hawaii schools) and the legacy of the Hawaiian monarchy is respected today. The revival of Hawaiian culture continues to remind us that the past clearly defines the present. The Native Population Decline When Captain James Cook arrived in Hawaii in 1778 and lived approximately 300,000 to 400,000 Native Hawaiians. In the following century, the population dropped by 80-90%. These declines were due, in large part, to diseases such as smallpox, measles, whooping cough and influenza. In 1878, the native population was estimated between 40,000 and 50,000 people. Despite having declined so much in just one hundred years, Native Hawaiians comprised over 75% of the total population. In the past 120 years, the number of pure Hawaiians, those who only have Hawaiian blood, continues to decline. Today, there are less than 8,000 pure Hawaiians alive. The number of people who are at least in part Hawaiians, and those who consider themselves Hawaiian, has increased steadily since the turn of the century.