As a Native Hawaiian and as someone that has grown up in Hawai‘i, I find it interesting how the "shaka" has become one of the main fads of this football season. The Shaka is held by extending the thumb and pinky finger while holding down the three middle ones. As you look through missionary photos, you are bound to find pictures full of shakas.
Why is the ROC all of a sudden jumping on this bandwagon? Is it because of our new head coach, Kalani Sitake's Polynesian roots, or is it because the shaka is also the American Sign Language sign for letter "y"? No matter the reason, I believe that all Cougars need to know the history of this iconic sign.
The story that was told to me was of a Hawaiian fisherman by the name of Hamana Kalili of Lā‘ie, Hawai‘i. Lā‘iewai is also my home town. He lived there during the old plantation days and worked for the Kahuku Sugar Mill. In a horrible accident, he lost three of his fingers on one hand, leaving only a thumb and a pinky. Because of the accident, he was forced to work the on the train as a security guard, looking after the precious sugar cane that was very valued at the time. Some say that he used to warn others of the train coming by yelling and waving his fingerless hand. Others say that the children would try to steal sugar cane off the train, and they would shaka to each other to tease Hamana and warn each other if he was on the train or not. Later in life, he would wave to tourist as he played King Kamehameha, Hawaiiʻs first monarch, at the Lā‘ie Hukulau. Either way the shaka was born.
A Statue of Hamana Kalili at the Church sponsored Polynesian Cultural Center.
Today, the shaka is an international sign of the Aloha spirit. In Hawai‘i, if someone cuts you off on the road, a shaka is the appropriate way for them to say sorry. When you see someone that you have not seen in a while, a shaka is an appropriate way to say, "Good to see you and we will talk later." The shaka has almost as many meanings as the word "aloha."
What does this mean for Cougars fans this football season? If you are going to use the shaka, you must treat everyone with the Aloha spirit. This means you must act in a Christ-like matter ALWAYS, you must never check your religion at the door, and you need to remember that BYU Football is only a means to spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
In terms of cultural appropriation, donʻt use it wrong. The choice is yours. The shaka is an important part of my culture, and if you are going to use it, you should treat it with the same respect and aloha as my people do.
