“Aloha is literally the combination of two words. ‘Alo,’ means to be face to face or in the presence of. ‘Ha,’ means the breath of life. So, ‘aloha,’ means to be face to face, or exchanging, the breath of life. This is a kind of blessing that is used to say hello, good bye, I love you, and generally to describe people living with respect and love for each other (“live aloha” or the “aloha spirit”).
A great way to say I love you in Hawaiian, without using words, is the honi. Two people gently press their foreheads and noses together (with eyes and mouth closed). Calmly breath through the nostrils for a few breaths, exchanging ha. This is the greeting of both Hawaiians and Maori. And it is also the way that I say good night to my children,” commenter on a yahoo forum.
Exchanging the breath of life, what a beautiful imagery for lovemaking. I hope you enjoy this offering from Hawaiian music’s most famous artist, Israel “Iz” Ka’ano’i Kamakawiwo’ol. Through Iz’s skill with the ukelele and incorporating other music genres into his traditional Hawaiian style, he remains a strong influence in Hawaiian music in spite of his death. Iz also was a Hawaiian sovereignty activist. He desired to keep Hawaiian culture/land thriving and vibrant. He died in 1997 at the age of 38 having battled morbid obesity all of his life.
Today’s Hawaiian music helps me anticipate a trip we are taking this fall to the Islands. Thanks for indulging me!
