Mele Kalikimaka & Haoli Makahikihou!

These Hawaiian phrases mean “Merry Christmas & Happy New Year”
When my friend, who can speak English very well, came to Hawaii, she sometime felt difficulty to understand what local Hawaiian people are talking. Actually, local Hawaiian people use Pidgin language-affected English, because Hawaiian culture consists of many races such as Polynesian, Asian, Caucasian and local Hawaiian. Besides, people naturally use Hawaiian, Japanese and Korean words.
Though “Aloha” is most popular Hawaiian word, there are many common Hawaiian words; Mahaho (Thank you), Keiki(Children), Hale(Building), Ohana(Family), Limu(Seaweeds), Poi（Mashed Taro）, PuPu(Appetizer), Ahi(Tuna), Pau!(Finished), Moana(Ocean), Mauna(Mountain) etc.
There are only twelve letters less than half number we juggle in English. Five of these are the old familiar vowels: a, e, i, o, u. Seven are consonants: h, k, l, m, n, p, w. Then, Hawaiian names of place and people looks similar. In many times, I can not pronounce and remember them.

（message on the cap of manhole in UH campus）