Hawaii

Each year, Hawaiian authorities receive hundreds of packages from tourists returning lava rocks after experiencing guilt or misfortune. Each year, Hawaiian authorities receive hundreds of packages from tourists returning lava rocks after experiencing guilt or misfortune. The gesture is well-meaning—people mail back stones they took from the Big Island, convinced Pele, the volcano deity, has cursed them. But the real problem isn’t supernatural; it’s a misunderstanding of a living culture. Hawaiian protocol isn’t a list of tourist dos and don’ts. It’s a system of relationships: between people, land, ancestors, and the spiritual world. Visitors who treat Hawaiʻi as a

On a patch of grass in Hilo, dancers from Halau Hi‘iakainamakalehua struck dense wooden sticks together, amplifying a chant that carried across the afternoon air. This was hula kahiko — the ancient form of hula that predates Western contact — and the emphasis wasn’t on the movement itself, but on the oli (chant) and mele (song) driving the performance. For anyone who thinks hula is just swaying hips and floral prints, watching a kahiko performance reorients the whole picture. This article covers what hula kahiko actually is, where to see it performed with integrity, and why understanding its history

In Hawaiian culture, guardian spirits, known as ‘aumākua, aren’t just distant deities; they’re deeply personal protectors, often family ancestors who’ve passed into the spiritual realm. They guide, advise, and safeguard their descendants, influencing daily life, offering tangible help, and shaping individual identity. Understanding the ‘aumākua is crucial to grasping the intricacies of Hawaiian spirituality and its profound connection to family, nature, and the unseen world. The Nature of ‘Aumākua: More Than Just Ghosts So, what exactly are ‘aumākua? They are ancestral spirits that have evolved beyond their human form, embodying the essence of certain animals, plants, or even natural