Hawaii's Official Hello?

Many people greet their friends with a fist bump or a high five. People in Hawaii also use another gesture: the shaka.

The hand signal is made by sticking out your thumb and pinkie while folding down your middle three fingers and sometimes twisting your wrist. It could soon become an official greeting in Hawaii.

In May, lawmakers there passed a bill that would make the shaka the official state gesture. The bill also recognizes Hawaii as the shaka’s birthplace. When this issue went to press, Hawaii’s governor was expected to sign the bill into law.

For Hawaiians, the shaka has a variety of meanings, such as hello, goodbye, aloha, and thank you. The hand signal is believed to be more than a century old. 

State Senator Glenn Wakai, who introduced the bill, says the shaka is important because it captures what’s special about Hawaii. “It is a symbol of happiness,” he explains.