In Hawaii, Embracing Is the Standard Greeting
A fascinating facet of Hawaiian culture is their warm approach to greeting one another. Smiles are exchanged, and heartfelt hugs often accompany farewells. Embraces convey sentiments such as “I love you,” “I’m sorry,” “Good to see you,” and “Thank you.”
So, don’t be surprised if a local welcomes you with a warm embrace instead of a handshake. However, it’s important to note that hugging has temporarily been put on hold due to recent circumstances. Hawaiians will resume their warm embraces with visitors once it’s safe.
