Omiyage,
folklore and the Aloha spirit
What
does it mean to live in Hawaii? Some of it goes
without saying — gorgeous beaches, plate
lunches, windward and mauka showers. But a big
part of what you need to know isn’t as
obvious.
Hawaii
folklore is a complex mix of ancient myth,
cultural superstition and urban legend so
prevalent it forms the core of common knowledge
in the Islands. Pay attention when someone tells
you not to take rocks from sacred places.
Don’t stand your chopsticks in your rice —
that will let in spirits. Don’t whistle at
night — it calls ghosts.
If
you see a procession of torches coming down from
the mountains, look away. Ghostly night
marchers, ancient warriors on patrol, don’t
like to be seen. And if you come across a
long-haired woman standing at the side of the
road, give her a ride and be on your best
behavior — even if she disappears from your
car. It could be Pele, the volcano goddess, who
is still occasionally sighted.
If
strange things are happening at your house, ask
a Hawaiian kahu or a Japanese odai-san to come
and bless it. Keep some blessed Hawaiian salt
around just in case.
As
for the living, co-workers, family, good friends
and neighbors will appreciate a little omiyage
when you come back from a trip, even if it’s a
weekend escape to a Neighbor Island. The custom
comes from Japan, whose tourists spend
inordinate amounts of time and money on these
gifts, but Hawaii people keep it simple. Tasty
morsels unique to the place you visited will do.
Regional libations are good, as are knickknacks
you can’t find here. With omiyage, it’s the
thought that counts. Make sure that anyone who
ever gave you omiyage in your lifetime
eventually gets something in return.
Finally,
the Aloha Spirit, that intangible quality that
flavors local society with smiles, goodwill and
humility, is actually part of State law. You get
Aloha Spirit points for letting traffic merge
into your lane, not honking and holding the door
for kupuna (senior citizens). And at
Christmastime, don’t forget small thank-you’s
for the mail carrier and the people who collect
your trash.
