ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the intercultural aspects of a linguistic landscape at the International Market Place (IMP), a highly-touristed location in the heart of Waikīkī. The IMP is built on land owned by the Queen Emma Land Company (QELC), which was established for Queen Emma Kalanikaumakaʻamano Kaleleonālani Naʻea Rooke, who reigned from 1856 to 1863 and is highly regarded for her efforts to improve the well-being of the Hawaiian people. This chapter takes an intercultural communication approach to look at how Queen Emma’s contribution to Hawaiʻi is semiotized at the IMP, while recognizing that the marketplace is a context for commercial interests and tourism. This study examined the semiotics of the intercultural landscape of the IMP by qualitatively analyzing photographs of design elements and signage, recorded performances, and social media. Queen Emma and her family are semiotically prioritized in the Queen’s Court, where there are competing discourses about her life. Outside of the IMP’s courtyards, the attention shifts to the commercialized tourist aspect that showcases international brands with hints of iconic Hawaiʻi symbols. While the design elements related to Hawaiian history and culture are hardly remediated on visitors’ social media accounts, a vast majority of the posts represent the commercialized tourist activities.
