If you are a mainland resident who has not spent a lot of time in Hawaii, you may not always recognize some of the Hawaiian words that make it into my blog posts. The term Kama’aina is one that I frequently use in posts. The word is composed of two parts. The first part Kama means child and Aina means land. Literally it translates to child of the land. The more accurate definition is long term resident of Hawaii or someone who is Hawaii Born. In the context of real estate, I will often call an older residence an old Kama’aina style residence. This generally means an older home with an old Hawaiian feel. Frequently, the old Kama’aina style homes date back to Maui’s pineapple and sugar cane plantation era.

In modern day Hawaii, Kama’aina can have a broader meaning. In some cases it just means a Hawaiian resident. You will often hear the term Kama’aina rate. This speaks to the discounted rate for goods and services for Hawaii residents. For instance, you might see a Kama’aina rate at local golf courses or for goods in a store. A driver’s license may need to be shown to get Kama’aina rates. This is one reason why many people to relocate to Hawaii waste no time in getting a Hawaii driver’s license. If you ever see any terms in the blog that you don’t understand, whether they be a real estate term or a Hawaiian word, don’t hestiate to contact us and ask what it means.

Pete Jalbert