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a luau (a dish of taro leaves usually prepared with coconut cream and
octopus or chicken) to celebrate a child's first birthday. It is customary at
Hawai'i weddings, especially at Filipino weddings, for the bride and groom
to do a Money dance (also called the pandango). Print media and local

residents recommend that one refer to non-Hawaiians as "locals of Hawaii"
or "people of Hawaii".
Governance. As codified in the Constitution of Hawaii, there are three

branches of government: executive, legislative /’led slət v/ and judicial.
The state capital, Honolulu is located along the southeast coast of
O’ahu.
Federal government. Hawaii is represented in the United States

Congress by two Senators and two Representatives. All four are Democrats.
Education
Public schools. Hawaii has the only school system within the United

States that is unified statewide. Policy decisions are made by the fourteen-
member state Board of Education. The Board sets policy and hires the
superintendent of schools, who oversees the state Department of Education.

Private schools. Collectively, independent educational institutions of
primary and secondary education have one of the highest percentages of
enrollment of any state. There are four of the largest independent schools:

Iolani School, Kamehameha Schools, Mid-Pacific Institute, and Punahou
School.
Colleges and universities. Graduates of secondary schools in Hawaii
often enter directly into the work force. Some attend colleges and

universities on the mainland or other countries, and the rest attend an
institution of higher learning in Hawaii.’ The largest is the University of
Hawaii System. It consists of: the research university at Mānoa; two

comprehensive campuses Hilo and West O’ahu; and seven Community
Colleges. Private universities include Brigham Young University–Hawaii,
Chaminade University of Honolulu, Hawaii Pacific University, and Wayland
Baptist University.

FOR GREATER UNDERSTANDING

Questions

1. When was the transfer of Alaska from Russia to the USA?
2. On how many oceans does Alaska have coastline?

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