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 – after having dinner with a friend we walked by some young (about 25-28 years old) adults (yes, young to some…). They looked like they were about to hit the town, as they were in very good moods, smiling and laughing amongst each other.  As we passed them one of the guys said, “Aloha!” and all we said was “hey!” Using Aloha in that manner, coming from the heart doesn’t roll off of some tongues easily…. but this individual exemplified the sentence in the Statute — “Each person must think and emote good feelings to others.” You will find a warmth in some of the other nationalities on the island but the most heartfelt and outgoing, in our opinion, is from “Hawaiians”. Other nationalities might extend this in the sense of being helpful and/or being nice. Don’t get me wrong. Yes, sometimes it does really come from the heart but it’s the way that it’s shown and expressed that really makes the difference. Now with that said I have to say that we do have a few friends that are not Hawaiian but truly do exude the Aloha Spirit and a lot has to do with culture and upbringing.

The law, as written in the Hawai’i Revised Statutes, § 5-7.5 : “Aloha Spirit”. (a) “Aloha Spirit” is the coordination of mind and heart within each person. It brings each person to the self. Each person must think and emote good feelings to others. In the contemplation and presence of the life force, “Aloha”, the following unuhi laulā loa may be used: “Akahai”, meaning kindness to be expressed with tenderness; “Lōkahi”, meaning unity, to be expressed with harmony; “ʻOluʻolu” meaning agreeable, to be expressed with pleasantness; “Haʻahaʻa”, meaning humility, to be expressed with modesty; “Ahonui”, meaning patience, to be expressed with perseverance. These are traits of character that express the charm, warmth and sincerity of Hawaii’s people. It was the working philosophy of native Hawaiians and was presented as a gift to the people of Hawaiʻi. ”Aloha” is more than a word of greeting or farewell or a salutation. ”Aloha” means mutual regard and affection and extends warmth in caring with no obligation in return. “Aloha” is the essence of relationships in which each person is important to every other person for collective existence. ”Aloha” means to hear what is not said, to see what cannot be seen and to know the unknowable. (b) In exercising their power on behalf of the people and in fulfillment of their responsibilities, obligations and service to the people, the legislature, governor, lieutenant governor, executive officers of each department, the chief justice, associate justices, and judges of the appellate, circuit, and district courts may contemplate and reside with the life force and give consideration to the “Aloha Spirit”. [L 1986, c 202, § 1]