Aloha Oe

I tried to write a closing post for Hawaii: Holoholo Wale five or six times but got stuck in a weepy, pathetic sort of sentimentalism, the kind of thing no one should have to read. With that epic fail on my hands, I turned to Hawaiian culture for inspiration.

Ah, Aloha Oe. The classic parting song written by Lili’uokalani, Hawaii’s last queen. It seemed a good way to go because after all, the song isn’t the big goodbye—it’s a temporary separation. But then, I started to imagine how the meaning behind Aloha Oe may have changed for the Queen during her lifetime—she was held prisoner in her own home and forced to abdicate her throne. It was the end of the Hawaiian monarchy, her country was no more. Oops. That’s not really the tone I was looking for. 

“Best keep it short and to the point,” I told myself. And so.

It’s been an honor. Aloha Oe. Until we meet again, you can find me at my personal blog, Nerd’s Eye View.

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