H?nai is a term used in the Hawaiian culture that refers to the informal adoption of one person by another, regardless of the age involved. It can be used as an adjective, such as "h?nai child", or as a verb "to h?nai" someone into the family.
In the Hawaiian culture, h?nai has historically been a practice of one family h?nai-ing their child into another family. It has made tracing genealogical roots somewhat more complicated.
When Winona Beamer spoke about the issue of h?nai and its relevance to admission at Kamehameha Schools, she had first-hand knowledge of the practice in her immediate family. Kaliko Beamer-Trapp was born in England, but emigrated to the United States with his biological mother. When Beamer decided to h?nai Kaliko into her family, it was with a special h?nai ceremony.
Other Polynesian cultures, such as the Tahitians and the M?ori, have similar practices of adoptions.
Video H?nai
See also
- Category:Hawaiian adoptees (h?nai)
Maps H?nai
References
External links
- "Ulukau: The Polynesian family system in Ka-?u, Hawai?i". ulukau.org.
Source of article : Wikipedia
0 Comments