06/03/2023
We all recognize the iconic hand gesture as a universal way to spread aloha, but how did it start?
The most common theory of its origins credit a man by the name of Hamana Kalili. Allegedly the Laie local lost his middle three fingers in an accident at the Kahuku sugar mill. From then on, children would mimick his unique wave and thus became the shaka.
Some also suggest it was Polynesians, who measured the stars with their thumb and pinky, that created the surferβs symbol. Others have proposed that the shaka is rooted in Spanish travelers who would put there thumb to their lips to signify sharing a drink with the locals. Regardless of where it came from, it is an unmistakable way to spread aloha.
If you see us out in the water, make sure you say hey and throw a shaka π€ Happy Aloha Friday!
