Aloha and Mahalo Nui Loa

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Aloha

Hawaii is a State of the a United States, it continues to be a separate 7 island based Polynesian culture, which most people in the world think of as a separate country. Hawai’i is a very unique and popular tourist destination, and Hawaii is a place with its own unique culture, language and history.

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Ha is the Hawaiian word for breath, but means more then that that, it means breath of life or presence of breath meaning that you live.

In English we greet each other with a Hello and How are you? Asking about each other’s health and well being. In Hawaiian we say Aloha and greet you with a hug and cheek touch to cheek touch. It not a kiss like Americans do, we touch Cheeks as a greeting and to feel your breathe or Ha your breath of life.

That is why the Hawaiians called the non-Hawaiian European visitors Haoles it simply means one who is without breath or who does not breath. It refers to the British and American custom of shaking hands and standing far away. The Hawaiians couldn’t embrace you or feel your breath. So they referred to them as ones without breath. Haoles

Now that we have COVID-19 we always feel awkward in Hawaii when we see a friend because normally we would be happy to see each other give each other a gentle hug and touch cheeks together. It expresses our fondness for each other and that although we haven’t seen each other for a while we still are happy to see each other. But this obviously violates social distancing rules and would spread the virus. Do we don’t do that anymore.

If you come to Hawaii be sure to go to the Polynesian Cultural Center and see the short play called Ha The breath of Life

Mahalo
@hawaiipolynesia