Driver's 35-character surname ‘exposes disrespect towards Hawaiian culture’

Janice Lokelani Keihanaikukauakahihuliheekahaunaele is outraged by the Hawaiian authorities’ failure to recognise her full name on her driving licence.

Mrs Keihanaikukauakahihuliheekahaunaele has expressed her dissatisfaction with her licence, which fails to include the final letter of her last name and doesn't include her first and middle names at all.

"The county has never accommodated my name on my driver's licence," she told a local television station, stating that the shortening of the name was "disrespectful to the Hawaiian people."

She has encountered identification problems as a result of the misleading document. Recalling an incident with local police, she said: "He [the police officer] looked at it and he goes 'Well, where is your first name?' And I said, 'Don't blame me. This is your department.'"

Despite requests to use her aiden name for official purposes, Mrs Keihanaikukauakahihuliheekahaunaele is retaining her full name in tribute to her late husband.

In an email to website Gawker, she wrote: "Unfortunately, many people have been shamed into hiding their real names because they don't fit in with the dominant culture's lack of respect for the name."

In response to Mrs Keihanaikukauakahihuliheekahaunaele’s appearance on local TV station KHON 2, a spokesperson for the authorities said: "We have been made aware of that issue and I know right now they are working to extend that limit to, I believe, 40 characters so that the issue can be resolved."