The Kahana Designs Journal

The Journal

The Kahana Designs Journal

Stories of Hawaiian culture — the akua, the islands, the flowers, the food, and the language. Written from our studio in Kailua-Kona.

Waves break over black lava rock on the Hawaiian coast
Hoʻoponopono: The Hawaiian Practice of Making Things Right
What hoʻoponopono really means, how the traditional Hawaiian family forgiveness process worked, and how it differs from the popular self-help chant. Read more...
Sunset over the ocean at Waikiki Beach with surfers in the water, Hawaiʻi
Hawaii Trip Countdown: The Free Way to Count Down to Paradise
Use the free Hawaii Trip Countdown to watch the days, hours, and minutes tick down to your Hawaiian vacation, and get trip-ready with Kahana Designs. Read more...
Colorful lit-up ALOHA marquee sign, a Hawaiian word, above a thatched storefront
What Language Do They Speak in Hawaiʻi?
Curious what language people speak in Hawaiʻi? Here's the real answer — English, ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, and the local Pidgin that ties it all together. Read more...
A Hawaiian Airlines jet taking off over the water near a Hawaiʻi airport runway
Do You Need a Passport to Visit Hawaiʻi?
Wondering if you need a passport for Hawaii? Here's the simple answer for U.S. citizens and international visitors, plus other Hawaii travel document tips. Read more...
Maui Haleakalā sunrise canvas wall art print showing volcanic crater and silversword silhouettes at dawn
Maui Wall Art: Canvas Prints of the Valley Isle
Discover Maui wall art canvas prints — from Haleakalā sunrises to Honolua Bay and Lahaina harbor — for bringing the Valley Isle into your home. Read more...
Packed beach suitcase with sun hat, sunglasses, towel, starfish and seashell, ready for a Hawaiʻi trip
Free Hawaii Packing List: The Only Hawaii Packing List You Need
Build a free, personalized Hawaii packing list in seconds with our island- and season-aware packing list generator — from Kahana Designs, Kailua-Kona. Read more...
Aerial view of a Hawaiian valley running from mountain ridges down to the coastline, illustrating the ahupuaʻa mountain-to-sea land division
Ahupuaʻa: How Ancient Hawaiians Divided the Land From Mountain to Sea
What an ahupuaʻa is, how the mountain-to-sea land division worked, who managed it, and why the system still shapes Hawaiian land and water stewardship today. Read more...
Aerial view of a Hawaiian beach with palm trees, sand, and turquoise ocean water
Free Hawaiian Word of the Day: Learn ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi Daily
Learn a new Hawaiian word every day with our free Hawaiian Word of the Day tool — pronunciation, meaning, and an English-to-Hawaiian lookup, from Kahana Designs. Read more...
Vintage Kauaʻi and Aloha ʻoe signs displaying Hawaiian words on a fence in Hawaiʻi
How to Pronounce Hawaiian Words
Learn how to pronounce Hawaiian words with confidence — the ʻokina, kahakō, vowel sounds, and common place names explained simply. Read more...
USS Arizona Memorial at sunset, digital oil painting canvas wall art of Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi
Oʻahu Wall Art: Canvas Prints of the Gathering Place
Discover Oʻahu wall art — richly textured canvas prints of Pearl Harbor, the North Shore, and Honolulu lookouts from our Native Hawaiian–owned Kailua-Kona studio. Read more...
Woman wearing a traditional haku lei crown and lei necklace at the Hawaiian coastline during sunset, evoking blessing and ceremony.
The Tradition of Inoa: How Hawaiian Names Are Given
A cultural deep-dive into the Hawaiian naming ceremony, inoa pō, and the modern role of Hawaiian middle names alongside Western first names. Read more...
White and yellow plumeria flower blooming on a tree in Hawaiʻi
Free Hawaiian Baby Name Generator: Beautiful Names & Meanings
Try the free Hawaiian baby name generator from Kahana Designs — filter by gender and theme to find beautiful hawaiian baby names with true meanings and pronunciations. Read more...
Aerial view of a turquoise Hawaiian coastline, lava fields, and coastal resorts on Hawaiʻi Island
Hawaiʻi Bucket List: Experiences for Every Traveler
The ultimate Hawaii bucket list — the must-do experiences across every island, from volcanoes and waterfalls to snorkeling and sunsets. Read more...
Lush tree-tunnel canvas wall art print, an example of Hawaiian botanical wall art for the home
Hawaiian Flower Wall Art: Plumeria & Hibiscus Prints
A guide to Hawaiian flower wall art, from the meaning of plumeria and hibiscus to how to style botanical canvas prints in your home. Read more...
A Hawaiian green sea turtle (honu) swimming in clear blue ocean water
ʻAumakua: The Meaning of Hawaiian Family Guardian Spirits
What an ʻaumakua is in Hawaiian culture — the family guardian ancestors who appear as sharks, owls, and sea turtles to watch over their descendants. Read more...
Yellow plumeria blossoms, the iconic flower used in Hawaiian lei, in Hawaiʻi
Free Hawaiian Name Finder: Discover Your Hawaiian Name
The free Hawaiian Name Finder from Kahana Designs turns your English first name into its traditional Hawaiian equivalent, with meaning and pronunciation. Find your Hawaiian name in seconds. Read more...
Aerial view of a Hawaiian island coastline with green mountains meeting a white-sand beach and turquoise ocean in Hawaiʻi
Best Hawaiian Island for First-Timers
Choosing the best Hawaiian island for your first time? A friendly island-by-island guide to Oʻahu, Maui, Kauaʻi, and the Big Island to help first-timers pick. Read more...
Digital oil painting canvas of the Nā Pali sea cliffs of Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi, beneath a starry Milky Way sky
Kauaʻi Wall Art: Canvas Prints of the Garden Isle
A guide to Kauaʻi wall art — canvas prints of the Garden Isle's sea cliffs, waterfalls, and turquoise beaches to bring island calm into any room. Read more...
Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head crater along the Honolulu coastline, Hawaii
Free Hawaii Pidgin Translator: Talk Story Like a Local
Use our free Hawaii Pidgin translator to turn English into island-style Pidgin, plus a local slang dictionary. A playful tool from Kahana Designs, a Native Hawaiian-owned studio. Read more...
Pink and yellow plumeria flowers in Hawaiʻi, the kind of pua that inspire Hawaiian names
Free Hawaiian Name Generator: Discover Your Aloha Name
Use our free Hawaiian name generator to discover authentic Hawaiian names by theme — ocean, sky, flowers, love — each with its meaning and pronunciation. Read more...
Casual island outfit — a woman in a white linen dress and straw sun hat on a tropical beach boardwalk, an example of what to wear in Hawaiʻi
What to Wear in Hawaiʻi
Wondering what to wear in Hawaiʻi? A local guide to packing for the islands — breathable fabrics, layers for elevation, beach-to-town outfits, and what to leave at home. Read more...
Pele Fire Goddess Hawaiian mythology t-shirt from Kahana Designs, honoring the akua of Hawaiʻi
Hawaiian Mythology T-Shirts: Wear the Akua
Hawaiian mythology shirts bring the akua — the gods and legends of the islands — into everyday wear. Meet the stories behind our mythology tees and the newest designs in... Read more...
Two green breadfruit (ulu) hanging on a tree amid deeply-lobed breadfruit leaves
ʻUlu: The Story and Meaning of the Hawaiian Breadfruit Tree
ʻUlu (breadfruit) is a canoe plant tied to the god Kū, who became the first breadfruit tree to feed his family during famine. The legend, traditional uses, and modern revival... Read more...
Aerial view of a turquoise Hawaiian coastline with a sandy beach and green mountains, Hawaiʻi
Is Hawaiʻi Expensive? A First-Timer's Budget Guide
Is Hawaiʻi expensive? A first-timer's guide to visiting Hawaii on a budget — realistic costs for flights, lodging, food, and cars, plus free things to do and money-saving tips. Read more...

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