Chicken Skin literally means “goose bumps”, only it is almost never used to describe the goose bumps themselves. While we normally think of goose bumps when we are chilled, in Hawaii we rarely use “chicken skin” to describe the temperature or the weather. Rather it is usually used to describe how we get goose bumps.
Something Scary: When a spooky story is told and the hairs on our arms stand up, we call this chicken skin.Many will actually use the term chicken skin when describing how scary the story is to them. [Morgan’s Corner was dark and mysterious, but when we took a ghost tour and they told us who died there and how, I got chicken skin!]
Something Coincidental: Ever see a photo of your grandfather as a child and remark how he looks exactly like your son? Ever have a song stuck in your head, only to hear your friend sing the exactly lyrics you were singing in your head? Ever hear about twins separated at birth, and learn that they lead the exact same lives and even married men that look exactly alike? “That is sooooo chicken skin!”
Something Memorable: The most memorable moments that give people a physical reaction tend to surround the national anthem (well, not recently). Watch old videos of the national anthem sung by Whitney Houston or Jennifer Hudson, or when an abbreviated version of the national anthem plays at the Olympics while our flag is being raised. There are also moments where amazing performances are done by keiki (young children) or kupuna (seniors). “Wow, grandma danced the hula at my wedding. It was so chicken skin“.
Something Great to Eat: Um… this doesn’t sound very healthy, but if you’re on vacation you may as well try this fantastic delicacy. A spin off of fried chicken, this is simply fried chicken skin. You could even compare this fried skin to chicharron (only it’s healthier, because it’s chicken… ha ha!). Try a batch. You may find that you like it so much the chicken skin may give you chicken skin!
Many say that “da-kine” is a catch-all phrase used to fill in a mental blank when talking, much similar to “um” or whatchamacallit”. While this is mostly true there are a handful of other ways this term is used:
WORDS WE SHOULDN’T USE: “Da-Kine” can be used in place of a mean word, or one that could be taken offensively. For example, when a person takes advantage of their own good looks and charm, often getting the best of the opposite sex they may be referred to as “da-kine”. [Fred is out on a date with his fifth girl this week… OMG he is soooo “da-kine”.] [All Betty has to do is bat her eyelashes and the men come running to her rescue. Sooo “da-kine”]
WORDS THAT DESCRIBE BEHAVIOR THAT YOU DON’T APPRECIATE: Let’s say your sister runs into the bathroom just as you’re about to step into it. and proceeds to monopolize the bathroom for the next hour and a half. And then when it’s finally your turn to get into the bathroom you find you only have five minutes to get ready; to which your sister tells everyone that you’re always rushing around making everyone late. Yeah, she is so “da-kine”.
WORDS SOMEONE ELSE IS LOST FOR: Let’s say someone else is telling a story and can’t seem to find a word they need to describe something. You could help them by feeding them “da-kine” so they can stop looking for the word. This way they can just focus on finishing the story.
Da-Kine, generally speaking, is used to fill in the blank when you can’t find a word. However, it can also be used for words that you either don’t want to use or shouldn’t use. So don’t be “da-kine”, and use “da-kine”…otherwise you would just be “da-kine” to everyone else.
While Honolulu is often considered “Big City”, it is really only one city that consists of most of one island, which is just short of 70 square miles. The rest of Hawaii is made up of a scatter of cozy, tight-knit towns where everyone looks out for one another. Within each town lies an intimate community that grows up together, knows each other’s families, supports each other, and roots for each other. They go to the same schools, have the same circle of friends from kindergarten to graduation, and often grow up with the same, or similar, valued traditions. In fact, when local people want to get to know each other on a more personal basis one of the first questions asked is what high school was attended (the high school is an indication of what town they are from). Once the high school is revealed, both parties search their memories for a list of people that attended that high school for common people they might know, giving new meaning to “it’s not what you know, but who you know”.
Ohana is the Hawaiian word for family. There tends to be a strong sense of family when growing up in smaller towns. In the old days, families in Hawaii tended to be quite large, often four or five (or more) siblings. And when these four or five (or more) siblings have four or five (or more) children, you become the town, yet you really are family. So that could have meant that a whole town could very well have consisted of maybe just a handful of really large families. Today families have one, maybe two or three children, creating a twist to the old meaning “ohana“. While the English translation for ohana is still family we have transitioned the word to be used in a looser context to include extended family, or friends that are as close as family.
Ohana in a sentence: “My bruddah is a jock, my sista thinks she’s a princess, my maddah is super embarrassing and my faddah thinks he’s the best at everything. But it’s always good to come home because my ohana is my home”
Ohana in the movies: Lilo & Stitch (2002) — “Ohana means ‘family.’ ‘Family’ means ‘no one gets left behind’.”
In Hawaii, we often adopt people into our hearts and into our families. Extended families are so common in Hawaii that anyone you are close to that is close in age is considered a sister (pronounced “sis“or “sista“)or a brother (pronounced “brah“ or “bruddah“). Anyone you are close to that is a generation older than you is considered aunty (pronounced “antee“) or uncle (pronounced “anko“). [Hint: if “Aunty” is followed by a name, like Aunty Helen, chances are they are related. If a person just says “Aunty” chances they are extended family. Note: Children younger than millennials tend to call everyone “Aunty” and “Uncle” regardless of family lines, making it confusing for everyone].
Hanai in a sentence: My hanai son will always take care of me.
Hanai in the movies: Money Train (1995) — John Powell (Wesley Snipes) and Charlie Kaylor (Woody Harrelson) were hanai brothers.
