Interesting development out of Hawaii where the shaka has been elected the state’s official hand gesture (I wonder what New York’s would be…double freedom rockets?)
The shaka sign also known as “hang loose” is accomplished by extending the thumb and little finger, while curling down the three middle fingers and wiggling the hand at the wrist. It’s long been commonplace to see shaka’s thrown around Hawaii and the extended surfing world and last week Hawaiian lawmakers made it official by passing a bill deeming it the state’s official gesture. Here’s an excerpt from the bill:
“The legislature finds that the shaka gesture should be recognized as the official gesture of the State. While multiple origin theories exist, all theories have the shaka developing within the State. More importantly, while multiple Hawaii ethnic cultures and resident groups have contributed varying layers of meaning to the shaka, there is a shared agreement in the shaka’s positive sentiments and usage toward sharing aloha, fostering connection, and being pono.”
As a proud shaka thrower for many many years, I appreciate the Hawaiian lawmakers recognizing the practice as “a key brand symbol for the State, offering influential power to build the State’s economy, global brand, and resident pride.” Hell yeah!
Here’s a trailer to a movie about the shaka’s origin MORE INFO HERE:
