Why a Small Ship Cruise is the Best Way to Discover Hawaiian Culture
From Sharon McDonnell, The Telegraph UK
After a conch shell was blown announcing our group’s arrival in Molokai’s extremely lush Halawa Valley, we pressed our foreheads and noses against the faces of the family we met while breathing in – the traditional Hawaiian greeting, or honi.
We were learning about ancient Hawaiian traditions from the Solatorio family, who have lived in this valley, one of the earliest recorded settlements in Hawaii, where Polynesians settled as early as 650 AD, for 50 generations.
“There was no me, my or I – just our or we. Everyone lived off the land, each family had a specific responsibility and everything got done. Certain families were designated to take care of streams, others irrigation ditches and so on,” said Greg Solatorio.