The Hawaiian handshake, known as honi, is a customary greeting gesture in Hawaiian culture that has been practiced for centuries. It involves lightly touching nose tips or pressing foreheads and noses together while sharing a breath. This intimate gesture is used as a warm welcome and sign of mutual respect between family, friends, and acquaintances in Hawaii.
Origins of the Hawaiian Handshake
The origins of the Hawaiian honi date back to the first Polynesian settlers who came to the islands around 300-500 AD. In ancient Hawaiian culture, the honi was a traditional greeting that honored the life spirit, or ha, that was believed to reside in a person’s breath. By touching foreheads and noses, people exchanged ha with one another and connected on a deep spiritual level.
The honi was also symbolic of opening communication between two people. Ancient Hawaiians believed that thoughts and intentions originated in the na’ao, or gut/intestines, and passed up to the pu’uwai, or heart, before being voiced. By touching foreheads and noses, they were transmitting inner thoughts to each other as a spiritual exchange.
Over the centuries, the honi continued to be practiced among native Hawaiians as a uniquely Hawaiian greeting that honored their cultural heritage. It remains a tradition in Hawaii today as an expression of love, greeting, reconciliation, or say farewell.
When is the Hawaiian Handshake Used?
The honi is commonly used in Hawaii during initial greetings and encounters between family, friends, acquaintances, and even strangers. Some specific situations when the Hawaiian handshake is likely to occur include:
- When family members greet each other, especially after not seeing each other for a while
- When old high school friends reunite
- When making introductions to new people in Hawaii
- When greeting Kumu Hula teachers and Hawaiian elders with respected status
- During Hawaiian cultural celebrations and festivities
The honi is generally reciprocated upon meeting and departure. The exception is when greeting elders, who may initiate a honi without expecting one in return as a sign of respect.
How to Do the Hawaiian Handshake
To properly execute the Hawaiian handshake:
- Stand facing the other person, relaxed and making eye contact
- Lean forward slightly towards each other
- Inhale gently through the nose before making contact
- Gently touch nose tips or press foreheads together
- Breathe together softly for a brief moment
- In some cases, lightly grasp each other’s right forearm or elbow
- After a breath or two, slowly pull back
A light brush of the nose tips is suitable when first meeting someone. Pressing foreheads together is generally reserved for closer friends and family members. The key is to move gently and intuitively while exchanging breath.
Significance of Breath Exchange
The breathing component of the honi is central to the meaning behind the Hawaiian handshake. Breath, known as ha, was considered sacred and an expression of one’s life essence and inner spirit. When two people press foreheads and inhale each other’s breath, they are mingling their ha in a spiritual exchange.
Breathing together also serves to create an intimate bond and sense of shared humanity. By literally breathing life into another person, the honi helps break down barriers and connect two people through their fundamental life force.
Purpose and Meaning
The Hawaiian handshake serves several culturally important purposes:
- Sign of affection – The honi conveys warm feelings of love, care, and fondness for those you are close with.
- Welcome greeting – It is a traditional Hawaiian custom used to graciously receive guests or newcomers.
- Farewell – Hawaiians often perform a honi when saying goodbye to close companions to share a last symbolic breath.
- Reconciliation – After conflicts, honi can help restore a sense of friendship and harmony between two people.
- Equal status – By reciprocating breath, honi represents a mutual exchange between equals with shared respect.
Overall, the honi represents the spirit of aloha, compassion, community, and connection between people at the very essence of Hawaiian culture.
Modern Practice of the Hawaiian Handshake
While the origins of honi date back centuries, the practice still remains a vital part of Hawaiian customs today. It continues to be practiced most commonly among native Hawaiians as an enduring cultural tradition.
Younger generations of Hawaiians integrate honi into everyday interactions, especially when greeting kūpuna (elders). Honi is still performed at major Hawaiian cultural events. For instance, dancers may honi with their kumu hula before performances or competitions.
However, honi is also becoming more widely known and used among Hawaii’s integrated, multi-ethnic society. Native Hawaiians often graciously teach newcomers or tourists about the custom. As more people learn about it, honi is evolving as a universal symbol of the aloha spirit rather than just a Hawaiian practice.
Honi in Business and Etiquette
As Hawaiian culture gains more global awareness, honi is sometimes incorporated into professional settings and business etiquette:
- At conferences in Hawaii, honi may be included as part of the opening protocol.
- When visiting offices in Hawaii, business associates may greet each other with a honi.
- Hawaii executives integrate honi into business culture to honor local traditions.
- Politicians at Hawaiian events incorporate honi to connect with constituents.
However, handshaking is still the dominant business greeting. Honi remains much more prevalent among family, friends, and in Hawaiian cultural spheres. Caution is needed before initiating a honi, since the intimacy can feel unwelcome in formal business.
Honi Versus Handshakes and Hugs
The honi provides some similarities to a handshake or hug:
- Like handshakes, honi involves touch and is reciprocated between two people.
- Similar to hugs, honi is intimate andused to express affection.
However, honi differs from those greetings in key ways:
- It only requires light, minimal body contact rather than firm gripping or embracing.
- Rather than multiple pumps (handshakes) or a squeeze (hug), honi involves a single, brief touch.
- Most importantly, honi focuses on the spiritual sharing of breath, which handshakes and hugs lack.
So while honi conveys some of the same warmth and intimacy as other greetings, the breathing component makes it distinct as a beloved Hawaiian cultural tradition.
Interesting Facts About the Hawaiian Handshake
- In ancient times, honi was sometimes performed with kissing rather than just touching noses.
- Honi can be incorporated into hula dancing as a symbol of connection between dancers.
- Cousins of the opposite sex were prohibited from doing honi in old Hawaiian culture.
- Pressing foreheads together for honi symbolizes putting your thoughts together.
- Turning the head to one side was traditionally done by women as a sign of respect to men.
- In the 19th century, missionaries discouraged honi believing it was inappropriate.
- Hawaiians do not typically honi with outsiders or tourists, except for cultural demonstrations.
Conclusion
The Hawaiian handshake remains a treasured tradition that expresses the heart of native Hawaiian culture. By sharing a symbolic breath called ha, two people form an intimate bond and bridge the gap between their spirits. For Hawaiians, honi represents compassion, unity, respect, and the essence of aloha. While honi has ancient origins, it continues to maintain cultural significance in Hawaii today as a unique local custom.