Got Aloha? The State’s Use of Aloha in Hawai`i

Abstract

The traditional Hawaiian value of “aloha” is a concept adopted and continuously used by the state of Hawai`i to express the “spirit” of the state. This is evident in the rhetorical use of “aloha” as an ideal, as well as the legislative use of it as a state value. The Aloha Spirit Law (HRS § 5-7.5 ) advises all government officials to act in consideration of aloha as interpreted by the state to ultimately mean “mutual regard and affection.” To what extent are the state’s actions and the outcomes of those actions consistent with this interpretation of “aloha”? To determine the extent to which aloha is realized by the state, Hawaii’s statistics on the treatment of minority subcultures will be compared to national statistics and measured by inequality indexes. In many cases, including in the treatment of the homeless, the prison population, and public school education, Hawaii’s actions and lack of actions may create unequal economic, social, and racial well-being among certain populations. By adopting “aloha,” the state uses aloha to characterize and even legitimize state actions, whether or not they adhere to the concept. It can be argued that the continuous affirmation of aloha masks the many policies that are anything but aloha. This has important implications if indeed the state has a duty to fulfill its explicitly stated ethical standard of conduct.