"Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind - or forgotten." Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets forgotten or left behind. You may know this phrase from the animated movie "Lilo & Stitch" where the little Hawaiian girl Lilo, explains to the alien Stitch the important meaning of the word in Hawaiian culture about cohesion and growing together. The concept of "ohana" has touched me on a deeper level, especially in recent months. The meaning of being in exchange and connection with each other has taken on a whole new quality in our lives.
Ohana in the Hawaiian language means family connection. The small, close family characterized by kinship, including all ancestors. And also the self-chosen family:
Life communities, friends, village or city communities, and our world family - friends we have made around the world - includes this word. Because the whole world is a family, we can help each other remember, grow and heal. Ohana has an important place in Hawaiian culture for this reason as well.
Ohana is pure life. The meaning is derived from the taro plant, a potato-like fruit that contains a lot of starch and grows in knee-deep water in Hawaii. The small offshoots of the taro plant are called "ohanas". Taro is a Hawaiian staple and represents the origin of being, the source itself and contact with the ancestors. Everything about this plant is edible. The spinach-like leaves are also very tasty. Just as all parts of the plant are equally important in nourishing the community, each person has a special role in their own life.
Through our family and world family, we feel exactly who is there in good times and not so good times. We feel the connection, we start to open up, we start a new
section, we see people from new angles, we explore opinions, we change the lens. Ohana also expresses gratitude, thankful for every single person we meet in our lives and can mean a foundation for new paths.
The power and meaning of Ohana is often interpreted in tattoos. Nowadays, different flowers decorate the tattoos. This is because flowers also symbolize family life in Hawaii. Besides the taro plants, the hibiscus flowers are also very popular. And surely you know the Hawaiian flower wreath, the lei. Its meaning ranges from "welcome", "goodbye" and "love" to "thank you" and generally expresses appreciation to the gods and all living beings in Hawaiian culture. In addition, these charming flower wreaths have always stood as a symbol of peace and a positive attitude toward life in connection. This beautiful tradition has survived into modern times and is expressed in a single word: Aloha!
