Hānai

Hānai is a term used in the Hawaiian culture that refers to the informal adoption of one person by another.[1] It can be used as an adjective, such as "hānai child", or as a verb "to hānai" someone into the family.

For other uses, see Hanai.

In the Hawaiian culture, hānai has historically been a practice of one family hānai-ing their child into another family. It has made tracing genealogical roots somewhat more complicated.[2]

When Winona Beamer spoke about the issue of hānai 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 hānai Kaliko into her family, it was with a special hānai ceremony.[3]

Other Polynesian cultures, such as the Tahitians and the Māori, have similar practices of adoptions.

See also
  • Category:Hawaiian adoptees (hānai)

References
  1. Staton, Ron (August 24, 2003). "Native blood and custom clash". Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
  2. "Hawaiian Dictionaries". wehewehe.org. Retrieved December 23, 2017.
  3. "The Life of the People". Ke Ola Magazine. November 1, 2011.
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