Hawaiian Word of the Week: Āina

If you have been to Hawaii, you understand the deep connection between Hawaiians and the āina (pronounced: eye-nah), or the land. We all know the beauty of Hawaiian āina but in Hawaiian culture, āina is so much more. It is believed that the āina has its own energy (in Hawaiian “mana”). Hawaiians have a deep respect for the āina, knowing that if they take care of it, that it, in turn will take care of them. 

He alii ka aina; he kauwa ke kanaka. (“The land is chief; man is its servant”)
- Hawaiian Proverb

How do you respect the āina, both in Hawaii and when you are at home?

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