Category: Hawaiian Customs

House of the Sun – Sacred, Mystical, and Rare

Sunrise at Haleakala

No Matter Our Culture or Heritage, All People are Drawn to the Mountaintop  The mountains are calling and I must go –  John Muir.   I have been to the Mountaintop –  Martin Luther King Jr. The wind howls but the mountain remains still – Japanese Proverb Since ancient times, Haleakalā* has been and remains a… Read more »

Hawai’i Has Nearly 300 Special Names for It’s Rains

Downpour - one of 300 rains in Hawai'i

Many people who visit Hawai’i, especially for the first time, comment on how laid-back the lifestyle is here. The pace most locals and residents move seems slower than what people expect or are used to. You may even see a bumper sticker warning visitors or even rambunctious residents to, “Slow DOWN! This ain’t the Mainland!” … Read more »

Unique Fashion With Rare and Unusual History – The Aloha Shirt

Aloha Shirts

Like so many traditions in Hawai’i, The Aloha Shirt is deeply rooted in Hawaiian culture and history. Seeing an Aloha Shirt will make most people feel the irresistible pull toward Hawai’i. Everyone has a dream to someday visit or return to these magical islands.   The Aloha Shirt was initially called The Hawaiian Shirt. It was… Read more »

Feast Your Eyes! Look at the Favorite Ono Grindz of Hawai’i

Hana fruit stand

The people who live in Hawai’i tend to live an active lifestyle centered around being outside. As soon as their work is pau*, the outdoors calls. Things like surfing (body, board, wind, kite), SUP (stand-up paddling), paddling (canoe, kayak), snorkeling, swimming, running on the beach, or hiking to a waterfall with a freshwater pool. There… Read more »

The Sound of the Past, Bringing in the Future

For countless generations, the sound of the pū* would broadcast the arrival of Ali’i*, the beginning of protocols, the coming of canoes, and the setting or rising of the sun. It was even used to call Ke Akua*! In more modern times, it calls a gathering to attention at the beginning of an event, blesses… Read more »