The sign, first used by a man who lost his fingers, is now associated with surfing, but it was a fixture of daily life in the islands long before it caught on.
The gesture is sometimes known outside the islands as the “hang loose” sign associated with surf culture, but it was a fixture of daily life in the islands long before it caught on in California, Brazil and beyond. People in Hawaii have a variety of shaka styles and use it to convey a range of warmhearted sentiments, from hi and bye, to thanks and aloha, among other meanings.
Senator Glenn Wakai, who introduced the Senate version of the proposed law, said he couldn’t imagine the measure meeting any opposition and expected it to “sail through”. Those from beach or rural communities tend not to shake it. But in the capital city of Honolulu, it’s common. “It’s such a versatile gesture,” said state Representative Sean Quinlan, who introduced the House bill at the behest of a documentary filmmaker exploring the sign’s backstory.
Other residents adopted Kalili’s three-finger-less wave more broadly, according to family lore, and it spread, possibly fuelled by the waves of tourists that began arriving after World War II. There are various theories about how the term “shaka” became associated with the gesture. Some have suggested that the name came from Japan’s Shaka Buddha.The sign has spread around the world since the surfing boom of the 1950s and ’60s. It’s popular in Brazil, where it’s been used by martial arts aficionados. Brazil soccer greats Ronaldinho and Neymar incorporated it into their goal celebrations.
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