Story of the Shaka origins being made into a documentary

[@EdNoyWonderTVDERM]

Very nice history and documentary. It's so nice and very interesting to know this. You have a new friend here.

[@MaureenKo1]

The people who restored the old cane haul train to Ko Olina (The Hawaiian Railway Society) tell the story about one of their conductors who used to wave the trains to go or stop at certain junctures. They insist that the conductor had 3 missing fingers and so his wave looked like the “Shaka” sign we use today. I don’t know if this story can be validated but I guess it’s one of several versions of how the hand wave came to be.

[@healingfrequenciesofhigher7520]

Your story seems to be the consensus 🤙 Kamana Kalili 🫶

[@stevesue3593]

If you have anyone that can help us with the Ko Olina train story, please forward any comments to me. Mahalo!

[@user-r8or-pko3dfg]

@@stevesue3593 I had heard on local radio many years back, that a Hawaiian surfer got attacked by a shark, which bit off three of the inner digits of one of his hands.

[@stevesue3593]

@@user-r8or-pko3dfg thx for mentioning this. We covered this and many other alternative origin stories. All are presented in the film and we leave it to audience members to decide for themselves which version they prefer to believe. If you have any evidence, like photos or movies of the originator of the Shaka, please share. Many have shared pictures and their memories of their times with the originator and more would help. We also have uncovered a lot of archival newspaper and movie content that spans more than a century of time. Mahalo!

[@ken-waidoo6180]

I'm 80. In my youth, the shaka was only 1 flick of the wrist, like to throw off water. When Frank Fasi ran for office, he made signs in which the shaka signs were motorized, and move. I believe that they moved left to right, not twisting, but that was ages ago.

[@edwarddelacruz7505]

The hand gesture what people know today as Shaka originally came from a man name Kamana Kalili that got his three inner fingers caught in the press machine at Kahuku sugar mill..

[@alexcarter8807]

And in high school there was the mandatory "field trip" to that mill because you know, if you got good grades you might get a job there .... that place REALLY smelled like sugar... If you want to know that smell/taste, just get "Sugar In The Raw" that's sugar mill sugar.

[@purplepidgin]

Shaka comes from the Hakalau mill big island. Security guard that used to kick the kids off the cane trains was missing middle three fingers, so the kids used to “shaka” at him teasing the fact he was missing the fingers. So do more research not just believe what your friends tell you.

[@lategod]

lol every single place has a story like this everyone in laie knows about the fisherman who lost his fingers same exact story told for forever

[@mikeuptegrove]

That’s the story I heard too.

[@stevesue3593]

If you have anyone that can help us with the Hakalau Mill, Island of Hawaii story, please forward any comments to me. Mahalo!

[@XIII5XIII]

Can't buy anyone Christmas gifts this year, so everyone is getting the ssshakaaa🤙🏽 from me. Skakakalikimaka 2022

[@waro808]

Im glad this guy is doing this, educate the people on the mainland that has no idea what the shaka means and what its all about just that is cooler than the peace sign, I see it done all the time on TV.

[@stevesue3593]

Mahalo for this comment. We certainly don't want the Shaka going the way of the Peace Sign. Shaka is much deeper, more dimensional, more philosophical and more important to the betterment of the world.

[@uluboy143kapeka]

Love the idea, not convinced about him being sure folks don't know the history. How many kupuna were asked?

[@stevesue3593]

The percentage of people who had no idea where the Shaka came from was from a survey that Anthology Research did last year. On number of Kupuna interviews, we've done 30+ now and a few more are coming in still even after our major shots have wrapped. If you know of anyone who can testify from first-hand knowledge, we'd love a connect. Mahalo!

[@mikeuptegrove]

The story I know sounds different. I am also close friends with some families who bought land from King Kam directly. My guess is, they probably have a good beat on the story. What I heard: Had to do with a train and missing fingers and waving to children who waved back hiding their fingers to poke fun. Wasn’t in Laie however.

[@alexcarter8807]

My teen years were spent on the Windward Side and we got in alll the trouble. Going to Sacred Falls, getting a nice juicy stalk of sugar cane from one of the old fields in Punalu'u, terrorizing the parking lot of Hano Hano Hale on our skateboards, etc. Not sure how that area ties in more with the shaka than anywhere else (hint: the Mormons didn't invent it).

[@kathypaaaina3953]

Aloha hugs 🤗 Work had his fingers cut off working he was a very Happy Man & Waved

[@TwistedCoconut808]

Hamana Kalili our tutu from Laie was always waving with missing fingers, but the word "shaka" was the surfers slang. I remember my tutu lady telling us this story.

[@healingfrequenciesofhigher7520]

Awe I miss my tutu 🤙

[@QuantumOfSolace1]

Rap Replinger perfected the Shaka- everyone knows that!!

[@johnnyv5995]

AWESOME!

[@thisisbs808]

Reading the comments, sounds like there are multiple possible origin stories. Hope they do interviews to include as many of them as possible.

[@genesebrown7802]

Very interesting, lots of support from community members and kanaka of the area. Did you dig deeper and find out if he had any ohana that was willing to share HIS STORY, possibly from their POV?

[@pamelyncaldwell4060]

Awesomeness!🤙

[@denzillee3664]

I heard long time ago it was a man who lost his fingers except for his pinky and thumb and he used to wave and that's how it became shaka

[@dandelionsarefree7436]

Yes!

[@mcsuchnsuch]

I thought everyone in Laie throw these: 🤟🏽

[@tamehamehaprints3604]

I have a photo of Duke KAHANAMOKU flashing a Shaka c1910.... its the oldest Ive seen personally...

[@stevehhadley]

It started with the lepairs on Molokai

[@lategod]

u should post this picture

[@erictoulon5946]

Duke Kahanamoku was an incredible gentleman. The first time I saw him on Oahu he was driving this red convertible that was huge that had the golden statue of him surfing for his hood ornament. I would love to see that picture.

[@healingfrequenciesofhigher7520]

@@erictoulon5946 His restaurant has good fish taco’s 🤙

[@doreenredford8971]

Woot woot 🙌

[@stevehhadley]

It started with a man who had Leprosy on Molokai waving to people!

[@toddcrozier5525]

Yes all he had was his thumb and pinky finger. He would place his hand on his face to make a smile .

[@stevesue3593]

This is one of the origin stories we're covering. It's one of the thinner stories and more voices would help substantiate it and bring it to life. Do you have any contacts with anyone who can testify?

[@HiKimiko]

the "thumbnail" looks like a thumbs up not a shaka... even if it's not how I remember, glad people are taking interest in the origins 🤙(

[@Jim-fe2xz]

So how exactly is lds playing into this???

[@jackspal]

He was LDS

[@anythinginlife9334]

It’s mean Hawaii is expensive🤙🏽🤙🏽🤙🏽🤙🏽🤙🏽🤙🏽🤙🏽

[@soupbums]

Shaka if Harbor freight opens a store here👍

[@ShimaUta86]

🤙🏽

[@pamelyncaldwell4060]

Yes, bring back the hukilau!

[@XIII5XIII]

Cost of living came as the real "SHAKA" 🤦‍♂️😭🤣🤣🤣

[@langya9810]

🤙Carabao cuz...

[@pkodani72]

I use to think it meant trash LOL It was on the trash cans with the words Mahalo LOL!

[@jamesgonda3785]

now days when someone trow shaka at you they saying whoa i when look all you dope already lmao

[@Cer3aleater]

Cheeehuuu! 🤙😄

[@JonahNAloha]

Yessah, throw the Shaka. 🤙🏽

[@darvibarino1416]

What about on the side of Fasi’s van “ Fasi for Mayor “ it had a big SHAKA 🤙🏾😁😛😛

[@walterclemente6325]

A worker who had his three middle fingers caught by the cane juice press machine and torn off in Wailua would go around waving at people with his remaining two fingers,Thus the Shaka. everyone showed him support by waving back to him and the Shaka took off to other mills , the rest of the Hawaiian Territories , and surfers around the worl. happened in 1915 I think, das what my uncles friends sister told me

[@stevesue3593]

Aloha Walter. Is it possible to talk with your uncle's friend's sister? This could be helpful to our story. Mahalo!

[@808BURN3RS]

@@stevesue3593 lol I wouldnt put much stock in it everyone is a joker, I put it out in case anyone can verify or add to it. It was awhile back when I heard it and it stuck with me

[@stevesue3593]

@@808BURN3RS mahalo nui for responding. We've done some interviews in Wailua on the word origin part of the story, so know a bit about Wailua. That town should be happy to know that they'll be represented in the film. And of course Wailua is relatively close to the Kahuku Sugar Mill where another lost fingers story from the same era originates from. If you come across any pics or elders who can go on record, please ping me back. Aloha!

[@808BURN3RS]

@@stevesue3593 Will do keep up the good work , Plantation life is one of my Interests :) .

[@p42once1]

The person who created the shaka was actually a surfer who was bitten by a shark losing his index, middle and ring finger.

[@masteryoda7583]

🤙🏻

[@keaka560]

I travel to Brasil one or twice a year and they use it there to

[@stevesue3593]

What years did you travel to Brazil and when did you first see the Shaka there? Was it related to Brazilian Ju Jitsu? Do you have photos of Shakas there?

[@keaka560]

@@stevesue3593 Been traveling to Brasil since 2010 once or twice a year. Most recent last fall. No photos. Not related to JJ. They openly do it. I kid them all the time.

[@keaka560]

Kid them thats from our country

[@SteveSue808]

@@keaka560 mahalo for sharing... we knew Brasil was completely down with the Shaka. Perhaps we'll do a premiere there once we get the picture done... ;)

[@keaka560]

@@SteveSue808 You ought to visit. I know it is a long trip from the islands. Many similarities. The fruits, the land, the people, the food, the lifestyle, You do know some of the top surfers are Brasilians.

[@kekelaward]

Oh boy

[@masteryoda7583]

🤙🏻🤙🏻🤙🏻

[@e.g.7977]

How about the origins of the Kalaupapa shaka? ✊

[@monicalopez8634]

Man personally, it gets on my nerves when eeeeverybody and their mother died that.

[@markeddowes1467]

Laie sugar cane plantation accident dude, right ?

[@AMS-ri3xm]

🤙

[@Momzie808]

My daughter did research on this year's ago and yes it was a man who lost his fingers in a press. So I told my daughter so if you doing the Shaka Sign aren't you making fun of a person's disability........ Lol 😂🤣😆

[@zion-jabezrobello7853]

Whoopty woo

[@lifesoundtrack8272]

Started by a man who cut his three middle fingers working on a sugar cane field.

[@jerrygomes116]

What mirror use the shocker saying before he's advertisement Frank fussy

[@Critique808]

I was expecting to see a Hawaiian but got a Chino. lol

[@mangelwurzel]

I thought Lippy Espinda invented it ... no?

[@MaureenKo1]

He used it but didn’t invent it. I know because I was a kid when he did that, as we all did.

[@bigkanak797]

Was da guy Fasifomaya

[@koro287]

Nah..it was Noah

[@jackspal]

I think he brought it to the Forefront I made it more popular

[@stevesue3593]

Lippy Espinda is one of the origin stories we are presenting. If you know of anyone who knew him in his Maui days, please forward contacts to me please. Mahalo nui!

[@kanoawai]

White people say hang loose lol

[@josephcazzuto7198]

No way bro. The surfers invented that. It means hang loose like a one eyed goose.

[@jerrygomes116]

It actually came from California