Ohana
ʻOhana is a Hawaiian term meaning "family" (in an extended sense of the term, including blood-related, adoptive or intentional). The term is cognate with the Māori word kōhanga, meaning "nest".
The root word ʻohā refers to the root or corm of the kalo (taro) plant, the staple "staff of life" in Hawaii, which Kanaka Maoli consider their cosmological ancestor.
Usage
[edit]In Hawaii
[edit]- In contemporary Hawaiian real estate jargon, an "ʻohana unit" is a type of secondary suite. It may be part of a house or a separate structure on the same lot, and is intended to house a relative; it may not be rented to the general public.[1][2][3]
- The Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu's Office for Social Ministry runs a food and housing program for vulnerable individuals and families called "ONE ʻOHANA: Food and Housing for All".[4]
In popular culture
[edit]
The word was popularised by Disney's 2002 film Lilo & Stitch and serves as the central theme throughout its franchise: "ʻOhana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind—or forgotten."[5]
ʻOhana is used again in the 2025 live-action adaptation of Lilo & Stitch. In this film, the concept extends beyond biological family to include supporting characters David Kawena and his grandmother Tūtū, who eventually adopt Lilo themselves. Their adoption is referred to as "hānai" or "hānai-ohana", a form of adoptive relationship in Hawaiian tradition, as referenced by the character Mrs. Kekoa.[6][7]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- Wight, K. (1997). Illustrated Hawaiian Dictionary. The Bess Press.
- City & County of Honolulu 2003, Land Use Ordinance
- Whitney, Scott (September 2001). "Inventing ʻOhana". Honolulu Magazine. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
- Conklin, Ken (March 2006). "The word ʻOhana is a modern invention". Angelfire.com. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
- "The Word ʻOhana Is A Modern Invention". KenConklin.org. 25 January 2006. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
Citations
[edit]- ^ "Ohana Zoning Fact Sheet". Archived from the original on September 8, 2007.
- ^ "Land Use Permits Division FAQs" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on February 16, 2012.
- ^ "Ohana Pre-Check Form" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on February 20, 2009.
- ^ Diocese of Honolulu, Office for Social Ministry, ONE ʻOHANA: Food & Housing for All, published on 12 August 2016, accessed on 13 May 2026
- ^ Grant, Stacey (January 19, 2016). "This Crazy Lilo & Stitch Fan Theory Actually Makes A Ton Of Sense". MTV. Archived from the original on January 21, 2016. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
- ^ Young, Kai (June 2, 2025). "Lilo & Stitch's "Ohana" Explained: Hawaiian Culture's Unique Take on Family". ComicBook. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
- ^ Hitt, Christine (May 30, 2025). "The 'Lilo and Stitch' backlash reveals how little America understands Hawaiians". SFGate. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
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