Hānai
Hānai is a term used in the Hawaiian culture that refers to the informal adoption of one person by another, regardless of the age involved.[1] It can be used as an adjective, such as "hānai child", or as a verb "to hānai" someone into the family.
In the Hawaiian culture, hānai has historically been a practice of one family hānai-ing their child into another family. It has somewhat complicated tracing genealogical roots.[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, had similar practices of adoptions.
See also
References
- ^ Staton, Ron (August 24, 2003). "Native blood and custom clash". Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
- ^ "Hanai and Adoptions". Hawaiian Roots. Retrieved July 19, 2012.
- ^ Ke Ola Magazine. November 1, 2011 http://keolamagazine.com/the-life-of-the-people/kaliko-beamer-trapp/.
{{cite journal}}: Missing or empty|title=(help)