Christine Hitt
In December, the Hawaii Board on Geographic Names approved a name change for the Island of Hawaii, commonly know as the Big Island. It will be changed to simply Hawaii going forward.
The board, which exists to ensure names are correct, appropriate and consistent, said this particular change aligns it better with other island names, such as Kauai, Maui and Oahu, which do not have the "island" descriptor.
The board was clear that this change would only apply to documents and maps across government agencies. The change doesn't dictate how the public chooses to refer to the island, whether as the Island of Hawaii, Big Island or any other name they prefer.
Still, some members of the public are still worried that this change will cause confusion between the name of the island and name of the state, especially if the Hawaii Tourism Authority adopts the new change.
My opinion is that no matter what the island is called, it has always required explanation when speaking with visitors, so if the Hawaii Board on Geographic Names believes that naming the island simply Hawaii is appropriate, then I trust that move. After all, the island was called Hawaii long before it was adopted as the official state name when it joined the U.S. in 1959.
Whether people call it Hawaii Island, Island of Hawaii, Big Island or just Hawaii, I don't think there will be a time when I won't have to clarify which island I'm talking about to a visitor. Even Big Island causes confusion: I've met visitors who assumed that Honolulu is on Hawaii, assuming that the largest island must be home to the largest city.
Ultimately, the tourism agencies, travel advisors and other educators will continue to play an important role in helping visitors understand Hawaii's geography and the distinction between Hawaiian Islands, just as they always have.