Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
mana
spirit power
mauka
a direction, toward the mountains
muumuu
loose-fitting gown or dress
nene
official state bird, a goose
ono
delicious
pali
cliff
paniolo
Hawaiian cowboy(s)
wiki
quick
PIDGIN: 'EH FO'REAL, BRAH
If you venture beyond the tourist areas, you might hear another local tongue:
pidgin English. A conglomeration of slang and words from the Hawaiian lan-
guage, pidgin developed as a method sugar planters used to communicate with
their Chinese laborers in the 1800s.
“Broke da mouth” (tastes really good) is the favorite pidgin phrase and one
you might hear; “'Eh fo'real, brah” means “It's true, brother.” You could be
invited to hear an elder “talk story” (relate myths and memories) or to enjoy
local treats like “shave ice” (a tropical snow cone) and “crack seed” (highly sea-
soned preserved fruit). But because pidgin is really the province of the locals,
your visit to Hawaii is likely to pass without hearing much pidgin at all.
