Aloha

The beautiful and fragrant flower is made into the Leis that Hawaii is known for.

So much of the romanticized idea of Hawaiian paradise can be summed up in one word: aloha.  Those five little letters can conjure up images of tropical sunsets, sparkling beaches and hula dancers in the imaginations of people the world over.  Aloha has a variety of meanings and like most words and language, it has evolved over time.  The base meaning of the word is peace, affection, compassion and mercy which carries over into the greater Hawaiian ideology of the “Aloha Spirit”.  Using aloha as both a greeting and farewell seems to have its roots in the missionary period of the mid-1800s as there are other, distinct Hawaiian terms for “hello” and “goodbye”.  The late comedian George Carlin pointed out that using the same word for hello and goodbye might mean “if you spend enough time in the sun, you don’t know whether you’re coming or going!” which may bring more insight into the mindset of those white missionaries.

Andrew Doughty is the famous author of the widely popular Hawaii Revealed series including Kauai Revealed, Oahu Revealed, Maui Revealed and the Big Island Revealed. He moved to Kauai many years ago after he fell in love with the beauty of the islands and decided to never go back. He is known for his candid opinion on each of Hawaii’s attractions, be it a restaurant, a helicopter ride, a beach or a resort. For the last two decades, he has managed to keep his identity anonymous so that his reviews can remain unbiased and only be influenced by his own opinions and thoughts. You can learn more about his beautiful journey at this link – About the author