50 ways to tell if someone is from Hawaii…
1. They have a separate circuit breaker for their rice cooker.
2. Only NOW they know that cilantro is the same as Chinese parsley.
3. They measure the water for the rice by the knuckle of their index finger.
4. They know which market sells poi on which days.
5. They know that Char Hung Sut is closed on Tuesday.
6. They can handle shoyu (soy sauce) with green mango, li hing mui gummy bears, raw egg on hot rice, and pearl tea (carnation milk in hot water with sugar) with creme crackers.
7. Their refrigerator has a half-empty jar of mango chutney from the ’95 Punahou Carnival.
8. The condiments at the table are shoyu, ketchup, chili peppah watah, and kimchee. Also, takuwan, Hawaiian salt, slice onion, and pickle onion.
9. They ‘go Maui’ and their luggage home includes potato chips, manju, cream puffs, and guri guri for omiyage.
10. They think the four food groups are rice, Spam, fried food, and fruit punch.
11. A balanced meal has three starches: rice, macaroni salad, and bread.
12. They know 101 ways to fix their rubber slippers — 50 using tape, 50 using glue, and one using a stick to poke the strap back in.
13. They sometimes use their open car door for a dressing room
14. They wear two different color slippers together and they don’t mind.
15. “Nice clothes” means a T-shirt without puka (hole).
16. They are barefoot in most of their elementary school pictures. They have a slipper tan.
17. Their only suit is a bathing suit.
18. They drive barefeet.
19. They have at least five Hawaiian bracelets and one says “Ku’uipo” (sweetheart)
20. They never ever, under any circumstances, wear socks with slippers, or an aloha shirt that matches their wife’s muumuu.
21. They still call the Blaisdell Center the HIC, and it’s Sandy’s not Sandy Beach
22. They say “I goin’ go for lawnmower da grass” when they mean “I’m going to mow the lawn.”
23. They can understand every word Bu La`ia says and they know what his name means.
24. They have a sister, cousin, aunty, or mom named “Honey Girl” or… Someone in the family named Boy, Tita, Bruddah, Sonny, honey girl, Bachan, Taitai, Popo, or Vovo.
25. They still chant “Hanaokolele” when a friend or co-worker goofs up.
26. They say “Shtraight,” “Shtreet,” and “Shtress.”
27. They say “Da Kine” and the other person says “Da Kine” and they both know what is “Da Kine.” (It’s a local of way of saying, ‘whatchamacallit.”
28. The “Shaka” (the hand signal with three middle fingers down and thumb and baby finger up) and the “Stink Eye” are worth a thousand words.
29. They’re shopping at Epcot Center at Disneyworld and they may say something to their sister and a complete stranger says, “You’re from Hawai’i, aren’t you?”
30. They feel guilty leaving a get-together without helping clean up. And they would never come to your house empty handed.
31. The idea of taking something from a Heiau (religious site) is unthinkable.
32. They call everyone older than themselves “Aunty” or “Uncle” and they kiss and hug everyone in greeting and farewell.
33. They let other cars ahead of them on the freeway and they give shaka to everyone who lets them in. (And get mad if someone they let in doesn’t say “thanks” or give them shaka.)
34. Their philosophy is “Bumbai. ”
35. The only time they honk their horn is once a year during the safety check, unless they see you on the side of the road and are waving “SHAKA!” at the same time.
36. If a child needs a home, they give him one. She/He becomes “Hanai” (like foster kids only no paperwork and if it no work, you can send them to the next aunty)
37. They can live and let live with a smile in their heart.
38. They have a male friend named Wade, Max, Nathan, Chadwick, or Melvin.
39. At least one member of their family is named Kimo
40. At least one member of their family is gay (mahu) and das’ ok.
41. They own two types of slippers: da “good slippahs” and da “buss-up/stay home slippahs.”
42. They do not understand the concept of North, South, East, and West, but instead give directions as Mauka (mountain), Makai (ocean), Diamond Head, Ewa, and use landmarks instead of street names. (like – “You go diamond head t’ree blocks till you reach da old stadium park, go pas’ Matsukawa shave ice and it’s in da back.”)
43. They do not understand the concept of political correctness. Everyone is related, so any comments they make about race or culture are probably about their relatives. And, it is perfectly OK, accepted, not offensive, and fun to imitate all the different accents in the islands. So – if you get offended, cool your jets, no get da hairs on da neck all stand up!
44. They know where all the best lei stands are and have their favorite at the airport lei shops.
45. When they ‘go mainland’ or travel anywhere they always bring mac nuts, chocolate, li hing mui and seeds for everybody.
46. When they come back, they bring food from wherever they were and share it with everybody when they get home.
47. The first thing they look for in the Sunday paper is the Long’s ad. (and they can finish this sentence, “Make Longs…” [a part of your day…])
48. They take off their slippahs before going into the house.
49. You ask “what year you grad and where you grad” and everyone knows you are talking about high school. When you find out what school and year, they say, “eh, you know so-and-so?” And you probably do!
50. When finished, they say “pau!”
Source: This has been passed around in Hawaii for more than 2 decades. The orginal author has not been found, but many, many friends have assisted in “beefing it up.”