There are silly questions about Hawaii, and then there are questions where the answer isn’t quite as readily apparent, where our regional differences might baffle the rest of the world. Just because it’s stuff that we take for granted doesn’t mean there isn’t a good explanation. Here, we hope to clarify some of the wonderful, […]
More often than not, iconic Hawaiʻi things like plumeria, slippers and the ʻukulele are so ingrained in the culture and history of the Islands, many visitors—and locals too!—think that they’re from here. But many are not. That’s right, those oh-so-Hawaiʻi things, in fact, were brought over to the Islands from travelers who came to Hawaiʻi post-Western
“Slippahs” if you want to be truly local from your sole to your soul. But NEVER flip-flops. Say “thongs” and watch residents’ eyebrows rise. A plantation old-timer will understand you if you say “geta,” the Japanese word for the footwear Islanders borrowed and made iconic. If it’s got a backstrap, a raised heel or it
