As the most isolated population center on the entire planet, the Hawaiian Islands are incredibly unique in everything from our scenery and land formations to our culture and common quirks. And while obviously, not everyone is the same, there are a few quirky habits that set Hawaii locals apart from other Americans.
Before we dive in, I wanted to thank our fans on our Only In Hawaii Facebook page for helping us with this article by sharing their opinions on what makes Hawaii locals weird. Now, without further ado, here are 15 of the most common shared habits that might elicit some strange looks from our friends on the mainland.
- Refuse to wear shoes in the house.
Bert Kimura/Flickr How dare you wear your shoes in someone else’s home. Just don’t do it — unless your host says it’s alright. Also, they’re called slippers, not flip-flops.
- Bundle up with the temperature dips below 70 degrees.
OnlyInYourState.com When you’re used to sunny skies and temperatures hovering around 85 degrees, anything colder makes you feel as though you’re going to freeze. Why not bundle up in one of our cozy Hawaii Roots sweatshirts, available here?
- Call anyone older than you auntie or uncle.
University of Hawaii - West Oahu/Flickr In Hawaii, everyone is Ohana, even if you may not be related by blood.
- Do not get alarmed to see chickens and roosters in public places.
Billy/Flickr It’s just a part of life in Hawaii. It’s also not uncommon to see birds flying around stores.
- Business owners often keep extremely flexible hours, and we all understand.
Rosa Say/Flickr How can you be expected to keep to a schedule when the ocean is beckoning you?
- Routinely grab food from gas stations, especially spam musubi from 7-11.
Ken-ichi Ueda/Flickr Who needs expensive food when you can get cheap musubi from your local 7-11?
- Back into parking stalls.
808 Viral/Flickr Not only does it make it easier to leave later, it’s kinda… fun.
- Use the word “shishi” when referring to urination.
riNux/Flickr This might be the “weirdest"quirk on this list, and one of the hardest habits to break.
- We will always refer to directions using “mauka,” or toward the mountains and “makai,” meaning towards the sea.
Andrew K. Smith/Flickr It is also common to use the terms “Ewa” and “Diamond Head” when giving directions on Oahu.
- Eat rice with every meal.
_Wiedz/Flickr See, also: this breakfast staple served at Hawaii McDonald’s.
- Refuse to use our car horn while driving.
Thomas Hawk/Flickr It’s just plain rude, and we don’t do it.
- Install slated glass windows, or jalousies, in most homes.
Megan Shute/OnlyInYourState.com Anyone you ask will tell you that it helps with air flow. And in Hawaii, where we love keeping the windows open as much as possible, this is important to us.
- When packing for a trip, you leave room for da snacks. And you always bring special Hawaiian foods with you to share at your destination.
Megan Shute/OnlyInYourState.com You can guarantee that every time I leave Hawaii, I pack my suitcase full of local coffee and macadamia nuts on the way to the mainland, and with other goodies on the way back.
- Welcome geckos into your home with open arms.
Martha Heineemann Bixby/Flickr Not only are geckos adorable, but they eat up all of those unwanted bugs that somehow make their way into your home - despite how often you clean your house.
- Eat li hing mui on a variety of foods — including gummy bears and pineapple.
chotda/Flickr All we can say is… Yummmm!
How many of these weird things do you do? For more great content on what it means to be a Hawaii local, check out these 17 things all Hawaii locals have done at least once.
Bert Kimura/Flickr
How dare you wear your shoes in someone else’s home. Just don’t do it — unless your host says it’s alright. Also, they’re called slippers, not flip-flops.
OnlyInYourState.com
When you’re used to sunny skies and temperatures hovering around 85 degrees, anything colder makes you feel as though you’re going to freeze. Why not bundle up in one of our cozy Hawaii Roots sweatshirts, available here?
University of Hawaii - West Oahu/Flickr
In Hawaii, everyone is Ohana, even if you may not be related by blood.
Billy/Flickr
It’s just a part of life in Hawaii. It’s also not uncommon to see birds flying around stores.
Rosa Say/Flickr
How can you be expected to keep to a schedule when the ocean is beckoning you?
Ken-ichi Ueda/Flickr
Who needs expensive food when you can get cheap musubi from your local 7-11?
808 Viral/Flickr
Not only does it make it easier to leave later, it’s kinda… fun.
riNux/Flickr
This might be the “weirdest"quirk on this list, and one of the hardest habits to break.
Andrew K. Smith/Flickr
It is also common to use the terms “Ewa” and “Diamond Head” when giving directions on Oahu.
_Wiedz/Flickr
See, also: this breakfast staple served at Hawaii McDonald’s.
Thomas Hawk/Flickr
It’s just plain rude, and we don’t do it.
Megan Shute/OnlyInYourState.com
Anyone you ask will tell you that it helps with air flow. And in Hawaii, where we love keeping the windows open as much as possible, this is important to us.
You can guarantee that every time I leave Hawaii, I pack my suitcase full of local coffee and macadamia nuts on the way to the mainland, and with other goodies on the way back.
Martha Heineemann Bixby/Flickr
Not only are geckos adorable, but they eat up all of those unwanted bugs that somehow make their way into your home - despite how often you clean your house.
chotda/Flickr
All we can say is… Yummmm!
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