Kia Ora to my Kiwi friends

Kenny and Kilohana returned from their first trip to New Zealand a few months ago.  New Zealand had been on their bucket list of places to go and it finally made it to the top. They called it a ‘let’s check this out” kind of visit expecting that they would like it and probably return at some other time .  It seems it went very well as they met up with my friends Andy and Janine and took them out to lunch at the Cafe at Kohi.  Andy and Janine visited Kalaekilohana Inn and Retreat last May and they were happy  to see the guys away from the inn.

New Zealand and Hawai’i

Aloha is to Hawai’i as Kia Ora is to New Zealand.  Like aloha,  kia ora is how the Maori, our indigenous Polynesian cousins in Aotearoa, New Zealand’s indigenous name, say hello.  Hawaii, and New Zealand make up two points of what is called the Polynesian triangle in the Pacific Ocean.  The third point is Easter Island or Rapanui to the native population.   People located within the triangle include, Samoa, Tahiti, the Cook Islands. Hawaii, New Zealand, Tonga and the Marquesas Islands to name a few.  Kia Ora like aloha can be used to say ‘hi’ as well as “goodbye”.

Here’s a big Kia Ora to my Kiwi friends!