Aloha
in the Hawaiian language means affection
, love
, peace
, compassion
and mercy
. Since the middle of the 19th century, it also has come to be used as an English greeting to say goodbye
and hello
.
It is also the state nickname of Hawaii, the "Aloha State".
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ALOHA TICKETS
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Etymology
The word
aloha
derives from the
Proto-Polynesian root
*alofa
. It has descendents in other
Polynesian languages, such as the
Maori word
aroha
, also meaning "love."
A
folk etymology claims that it derives from a compound of the
Hawaiian words
alo
meaning "presence", "front", "face", or "share"; and
ha
, meaning "breath of life" or "essence of life." Although
alo
does indeed mean "presence" etc., the word for breath is spelled with a macron or kahako over the a (ha) whereas the word aloha does not have a long a.
Usage
Before contact with the West, the words used for greeting were
welina
and
anoai.
Today, "aloha kakahiaka" is the phrase for "good morning." "Aloha
ʻauinala" means "good afternoon" and "aloha ahiahi" means "good evening." "Aloha kakou" is a common form of "welcome to all."
In modern Hawai
ʻi, numerous businesses have aloha in their names, with more than 3 pages of listings in the O
ʻahu phone book alone.
Trends
Recent trends are popularizing the term elsewhere in the United States. Popular entertainer,
Broadway star and
Hollywood actress
Bette Midler, born in Honolulu, uses the greeting frequently in national appearances. The word was also used frequently in the hit television drama
Hawaii Five-O
. In the influential
1982 film comedy
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
, the eccentric teacher Mr. Hand makes use of the greeting. The Aloha Spirit is a major concept in
Lilo and Stitch
, a very popular
Disney series of movies and TV shows, set in Hawai
ʻi. The drama series
Lost
, shot in Hawai
ʻi, has a thank you note at the end of the credits saying "We thank the people of Hawai
ʻi and their Aloha Spirit". Aloha is a term also used in the
Nickelodeon program
Rocket Power.
Arguably the most famous historical Hawaiian song, "
Aloha ʻOe" was written by the last queen of Hawaii,
Liliʻuokalani.
The term inspired the name of the
ALOHA Protocol introduced in the 1970s by the
University of Hawaii.
See also
- Aroha a Maori greeting meaning 'love'.
- Namaste has a similar meaning
- Peace has a similar meaning.
- Salaam has a similar meaning.
- Shalom has a similar meaning.
- Mahalo may share related roots.
- Aloha shirt
References