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Published: September 18th 2007
Aloha Week started off with a Floral Parade this past Sat. and coincidentally a Thunderbird Airshow in the afternoon. From what I read a while back, the origin of Aloha Week was commercial rather based on any ancient Hawaiian tradition. Since September and October was a slow season for tourism, the tourist industry cooked up the concept of Aloha Week to draw tourists to Hawaii during the 1930 or so.
As the title indicates, the word Aloha has many meanings such as Love, Affection, compassion, mercy, kindness, charity greeting, regards, sweetheart, loved one, beloved, loving to love, hello, good-bye and even alas. So Aloha Week would most likely mean a week of showing Affection and kindness by the sharing of the culture of the Islands.
The streets of Waikiki will be blocked off for one night and stages erected for Hawaiian and other entertainment, and on another night, the same with a street in Downtown Area. Various cultural exhibitions and performances will take place during this week at various locations and venues, mostly focused on Hawaiian culture.
Other variations of the word Aloha are Aloha Oe-greetings to one person. Aloha Kakou-greetings to more than one person, Aloha Kakahiaka-
Good Morning, Aloha Ahiahi -Good Evening and Aloha Ino - Alas, what a pity. I often add Aloha or Mahalo, at the end, to my e-mail messages especially when making a request or demand to soften the effect and not cause ruffled feathers.
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Hawaiian Kango
non-member comment
Aloha, Aloha, ALOHA!
I haven't been in Hawaii for Aloha Week, but I know what you mean about its ubiquitous usage: Much as the French use "s'il vous plait," I found myself using "aloha" as an interjection! If I inadvertently bumped into someone? "Aloha!" If someone sneezed? "Aloha!" Once, I overheard someone mutter "Aloha" after they let loose with a little burp! They weren't native Hawaiian, of course, but you get my drift . . . Seriously, it does sound like Aloha Week epitomizes the friendliness Hawaii, which is one of the things that keeps me going back.