Post #643035 by Tikimiki on Fri, Jul 6, 2012 3:37 PM

I'm a native Hawaiian and have been reborn into the tiki world. I'm having a great time exploring this fun, happy, and totally irreverant world.

There's a difference in the Hawaiian language between a literal translation and a figurative one. In this case, simply saying "Maika'i ke ola" is plenty good. Literally, it means "good, the life." We don't get all crazy about prepositions and the like when we speak the words - it's all in the emphasis, which in this case, would be on the word "maika'i." So, keep it simple and easy, which is what the saying is all about.

In a figurative manner, we would say "'Ai i kalo mo'a" which means, literally, "eat cooked taro." To a Hawaiian, that means "enjoy a life of contentment and relaxation" because if you had poi to eat, then you had food on the table and were a happy camper.

Life really is good, isn't it?!