The most common phrase you will hear relating to this word, is “Mahalo for your k ō kua,” which basically means “thanks for your help!” This pidgin phrase is important, because as a visitor, if a native asks for your brief assistance, you should be able to understand and offer it out of respect. K ō kua luau is an extension of the saying, and directly translates to a stronger form of assistance, meaning “to contribute.” The term references the festive traditional gatherings of dance, music, and food called “ luaus“. The Hawaiian slang phrase k ō kua simply means to help or assist. Most men refer to each other this way.You may see this on local signs here and there. Pidgin has some Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese and even other influences.īrah / bruddah: brother or pal.

Pidgin originates from the plantation workers, who came to Hawaii in the 19th century. In the bookstores you can even find and buy a Pidgin dictionary and a Bible called 'Da Jesus Book,' which is fully written in Pidgin. In fact, Pidgin has its own vocabulary and grammar. Since many tourists find Pidgin attractive, local travel companies like to hire Pidgin speakers as customer service agents because they talk with this accent on the phone and tourists like that, thus they are more likely to buy.

If you are native English speaker you will still get the meaning, but if you're not it may be difficult That's why Pidgin is also considered a local attraction, so to say. You won't hear this type of talk anywhere else in the world but in Hawaii. Pidgin is the Hawaiian English and it sounds like that - Eh, howzit? Wassamattah you? Cannah talk da kine? (Hey, how's it going? What's the matter? Can't you speak Pidgin?).

English to pidgin hawaiian translation