Meaning of the “Lei” – Here’s one for the Holidays!

In Hawaii, the “lei” is a traditional part of  Hawaii and is given at many events, special occasions, and is a way of showing, respect, love, congratulations,  and is also a way to welcome visitors to the islands.  
Traditionally leis are made out of many different flowers and now many lei makers are using leaves, shells and other plants, beads, and nuts [...]

Pilau

Although this word is not used as much as before most local people will know what this word means, used mostly when someone swears a lot or does something ethically wrong.
Used in context:
You went go see da pilau ting that bugga went go do?
That bugga get one pilau mouth!
Or, as we use it when someone [...]

Bath Salts from Hawaii (last in this series about salts)

Bath Salts Hawaii – provides a premium, all natural bath salt made from the finest grade sea salts, natural skin conditioners, vitamins, moisturizers and ‘essential oil’ blends.   These tropical scented bath salts are manufactured in Hawaii.
About Bath Salts Hawaii – “As a young boy,  my grandfather (a conservationist, fisherman and waterman) taught  how to gather sea [...]

A History Lesson about Salt – Part II – Sea Salt in Hawaii

The ancient Polynesians used bathing and soaking in the ocean to cure and ease everyday common calamities.  To this day the ocean is a great rememdy for cleaning and purifying sores, rashes, and other skin ailments.  Salt was also used to cure and preserve their food, and they would put it on their mead and [...]

A History Lesson about “Salt” – Part I

Throughout history salt has been widely used and known by every civilization.  The earliest documented use of salts and methods of its extraction was first published in China around 2700 BCE.
Roman soldiers were partly paid in salt money, salarium argentium, it is said to be from this that we get the word solider – ’sal [...]

May 31, 2010 – Memorial Day at the National Memorial of the Pacific – Punchbowl, Oahu, Hawaii

A visit to Punchbowl on Memorial Day on a sunny day,  brought a sense of awe and inspiration as you see the flags waving with the tradewinds blowing.  It is an unexplainable feeling as you stand and look around and know that with all that is happening in the world today, how [...]

Ukulele Lesson by Bruce Shimabukuro

For those of you who are thinking about learning to play the ukulele but don’t know where to start, here’s a video to give you a starting point. Bruce Shimabukuro, an ukulele instructor and performer, was gracious enough give us a quick lesson on strumming and picking. It’s not really a lesson on how to [...]

Aloha Spirit

What exactly is “Aloha Spirit?” Did you know that there is actually a law that is written in the Hawai’i Revised Statutes on the Aloha Spirit (read HRS below) . So this goes a lot deeper than what we normally see written about the meaning of Aloha or the Aloha Spirit.  
 So here’s a story – [...]

Island Style Decorating Idea – Number 3

Hawaiian quilt designs – the Hibiscus.  Get this quilted pillow cover for your sofa, chair or bedroom decoration.   Quilting was introduced to Hawaii in the 1820’s by the missionaries, and the designs represent nature and plants in Hawaii.

Mele Kalikimaka

Mele Kalikimaka is a transliteration of Merry Christmas. The Hawaiian language has 13 sounds and 13 alphabets. We won’t go into the process of analyzing how “Merry Christmas” got to “Mele Kalikimaka” but as a simple example the Hawaiian language does not have the letter “R” so “L” is its subtitute and the “li” becomes [...]

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