Regional Government formally establishes House of the Azores of Hawaii - Communication

Secretaria Regional dos Assuntos Parlamentares e Comunidades

The Regional Government has formally established the House of the Azores of Hawaii, reinforcing the global network of Houses of the Azores and confirming, with historical and strategic significance, the presence of an Azorean community linking the Atlantic to the Pacific.

"This act goes beyond an administrative level: it reflects a vision of the future rooted in the identity, memory and capacity of the Azores to project themselves as an archipelago with worldwide presence," stated Paulo Estêvão, Regional Secretary responsible for Communities.

"For many Hawaiians of Azorean origin and others, the Azores are the Hawaii of the Atlantic: islands of volcanic origin, raised by the energy of the earth and sea, with stunning natural beauty. They are territories shaped by coexistence with nature, a culture of resilience, the prominence of the ocean, and communities that have learned, over the centuries, to transform isolation into openness to the world. This deep-rooted affinity between both archipelagos now creates a unique opportunity for cooperation based not only on a shared history, but also on a shared vision of sustainable development, knowledge and identity," emphasised Paulo Estêvão.

The House of the Azores of Hawaii was officially recognised through the signing of a cooperation protocol on December 19 in Hilo, on the Big Island, becoming the twentieth House of the Azores in the world and the third in the United States of America, after California (1977) and New England (1985).

The protocol was signed by the Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Food, António Ventura, on behalf of the President of the Government of the Azores, José Manuel Bolieiro, at a ceremony attended by the Regional Director for the Communities, José Andrade.

The House of the Azores of Hawaii stemmed from an initiative by a group of Azorean descendants from the islands of Hawai'i, Maui, O'ahu, and Kaua'i, chaired by university professor Marlene Andrade Hapai. It is the result of the efforts undertaken by the Regional Secretariat for Parliamentary Affairs and Communities over the past year. This step fulfils a long-standing aspiration, recognised since the 1980s, finally giving institutional representation in the Pacific to one of the most significant Azorean diasporas.

Between 1878 and 1913, more than 14,000 Azoreans emigrated to Hawaii, mainly to work on sugar cane plantations. They took with them their language, their faith, their community values and an island way of life. They also took with them cultural practices that have survived time and distance, such as the Holy Spirit Festivals, the greatest expression of solidarity, sharing and community organisation in the Azores, as well as traditions linked to music, gastronomy and a spirit of overcoming adversity and integration that defines the Azorean communities.

Nowadays, the Pacific archipelago, located about 12,000 kilometres from the Azores, is home to tens of thousands of Azorean descendants, many of whom also trace their roots back to Madeira, maintaining deep emotional ties to the islands of their origin. The persistence of these traditions shows that the Azorean diaspora did not simply integrate: it managed to take root without diluting itself, preserving essential elements of its culture over several generations.

The creation of the House of the Azores of Hawaii embodies a broader vision: that of an Azorean world extending far beyond the island territory, with communities deeply rooted in North and South America, namely in the United States of America, Canada, Bermuda, Brazil, and Uruguay, forming a continuum of human geography that borders the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. This Azorean world is not just a legacy of the past; it is a living network of people, institutions, and cultural practices that represent a strategic asset for the future.

In this context, cooperation between the Azores and Hawaii can take on a truly transformative dimension. It should be based on sharing knowledge between volcanic island territories, valuing the ocean as a space for science, sustainability, and the economy, while also promoting responsible models of identity-based tourism, educational and youth exchanges, cultural diplomacy, and the international promotion of communities that turn remoteness into an opportunity and culture into a factor of cohesion and projection.

Hence, the House of the Azores of Hawaii takes on a mission that goes beyond preserving memory: it will be a meeting place between the past, present, and future, capable of transforming cultural heritage into tangible cooperation and strategic vision.

Over the last four years, the Regional Government has supported the creation of four new Houses of the Azores in Portugal, Brazil and the United States — Apiacá (2022), Coimbra (2024), Belo Horizonte (2025) and now Hilo (2025) — consolidating a network that embodies an essential idea: being Azorean means belonging to an archipelago and a global community.

The Houses of the Azores are associations representing emigrant communities and their descendants, dedicated to preserving Azorean identity and promoting cultural, social and economic relations with the Autonomous Region of the Azores through cooperation agreements.

With the House of the Azores of Hawaii, the Azores reaffirm themselves as an archipelago with history, a present and a future: a people of islands who crossed oceans taking their traditions with them and who, generation after generation, have managed to keep them alive.