Tags
"Huk" Planas, Duke Kahanamoku, Duke's Place, Maui, ohana, The Guest House, The Tournament of Kings
‘Ohana means family. Families are bound together and members must cooperate and remember each other, according to Wikipedia. And ‘ohana is such an integral part of Hawaiian culture that an ‘ohana unit is part of a house or a separate structure on the same lot that may contain a relative, but which may not be rented to the general public.
I am missing Hawaii tonight, and especially missing that spirit of ‘ohana that we felt with each visit. It was there at The Guest House in Lahaina, where we were welcomed into the home of an aunt of one of my daughter’s classmates. On a later visit, it included helping decorate the Christmas tree with seashells and Hawaii-themed ornaments, and teenagers on street corners passing out candy canes from pillow cases. Mele Kalekemaka!
It continued the year we timed our visit for The Tournament of Kings, and after the competition was over we were invited back to the home of a local student of Mr. “Huk” Planas for a luau and music…the Scotch flowed and the mood was mellow, and I could have stayed there forever, mesmerized by the guitar and ukulele. Even the geckos were content as they sat by the lamps waiting for bugs to snack on.
My beautiful sister in our kitchen at Lahaina Shores, June 2011.
And the last time…my sister was with me, and we shared all my favorite places on Maui. I watched a YouTube video about Duke Kahanamoku, who saved the tradition of surfing and popularized it outside of Hawaii, and remembered sitting at Duke’s Place and listening to the waves on the shore. The only thing better would be to have my whole family with me.
Which brings me back to ‘ohana. ‘Ohana means family.
triggershorse 
I LOVED Hawaii and I, too, could have stayed there forever! Pineapple pancakes in a cabana on the beach listening to the waves hit the rocks. I can feel it now. Thanks for bringing those memories back! Hugs, Phyl
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Fresh pineapple chunks served with McDonald’s happy meals…when my daughter was young we would let her dad sleep in, and we would get a happy meal for breakfast. We would walk across the street to the beach and eat; she would share the pineapple with me as the waves lapped up. Pure heaven! – Fawn
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To be with you family in one of your favorite places, oh, that’s pure happiness. Great word for family and such a lovely post.
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When Melody and I were planning our trip, I was trying to take her to all my favorite places on Maui and Oahu…I finally realized that there was no way I could show her in one week what I had discovered in seven visits. So we simply went to Maui, parked the car, and walked most everywhere. – Fawn
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I will forever be grateful to you for sharing your favorite places with me. Our trip to Hawaii together was so special. I would love to have a time with the whole family there together.
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Wouldn’t that be fun! I was telling Daddy today about how we parked the car and didn’t get back in until it was time to drive to Kehei. I would love to have us all there at once! – Me
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