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The 13-Letter Hawaiian language consists of only eight consonants and five vowels. Mixed in with these consonants and vowels is enough pidgin to say a whole lot. Chinese immigrants were responsible for starting pidgin, maybe because they were trying to figure out how to communicate with Hawaiians or each other.
You (a haole seestah or brah) don’t need to master a great many Hawaiian or pidgin words and phrases to understand what’s going on or express yourself a little at certain moments. The names of places are another matter. Good luck because it’s really tough to remember these names that seem so similar (and many of them are alike), not to mention pronouncing them.
The first rule of using Hawaiian patois is to relax brah. Haole means a person with no breath or “breathless.” You don’t want be dat. It will all turn out akamai (locally correct or good enough). You have to learn to chance ‘em (take chances) in Hawaii or you won’t enjoy or learn anything. You don’t have to be clear and precise like maybe back on the mainland. Da Kine will do, not exactly right, maybe, but close enough for two people to know what they’re talking about even if they haven’t nailed the right word or meaning.
In Hawaii kane (male) and wahine (female) go out holoholo (for pleasure and fun). Work pau (finished), have fun, brah. You shaka brah (hang loose), everything stays cool. Howzit? (How’s it going?) To da max (as good as it gets) brah! (Put up your thumb and pinkie, and everyone knows that life is the way it should be – cool brah.) You feelin’ junk (poorly), maybe better say li’dat (that’s the way it is). Most time no hear aloha (hello, goodbye, and love you) except from people selling stuff, tour bus drivers, people wearing shoes and malahinis (non-locals). But you hear lots of mahalos (thank yous) that kind’a have aloha’s in them.
You live Honolulu, hear lots more wikiwiki stuff (go fast). On Maui, and mo’ bettah (even better) Moloka’i and Lana’i, people say slow down brah. Kahuna (wise people you respect) say take time, talk story (converse), spend mo’ ohana (family and friends) and keiki (children) time. Maui’s a place for hana hou (more enjoyment and joy). You live mauka (inland) or makai (toward ocean), no matter. Maui no ka oi (Maui is the best).