{"id":917,"date":"2022-02-15T15:13:29","date_gmt":"2022-02-15T20:13:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beachfix.com\/?p=917"},"modified":"2022-02-15T15:13:30","modified_gmt":"2022-02-15T20:13:30","slug":"shaka-sign","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beachfix.com\/surfing\/shaka-sign\/","title":{"rendered":"The History of Surfing\u2019s Iconic Shaka Sign"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The shaka sign, also known as \u201chang ten\u201d or \u201chang loose\u201d among surfers, is almost as iconic as luaus on Hawaii islands. In fact, it\u2019s moved past Hawaii to California beaches<\/a> and beyond. Wherever you find surfers, you’ll probably find the shaka. So, where did this famous hand gesture come from? Keep reading to find out!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Made by extending the thumb and pinky while keeping the middle fingers curled, the shaka has several meanings, including \u201caloha\u201d and \u201chang loose.\u201d Not only is the hand sign a friendly gesture, but there’s fascinating history to it that may surprise you. Let’s learn all about it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

History of the Shaka Sign<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The origin of the shaka may vary depending on who you talk to. The most famous story involves Hamana Kalili<\/a>, a sugar mill worker who was in an accident that resulted in some missing fingers on his right hand. All he had left was a pinky and thumb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hamana Kalili worked as a sugar train guard. Children imitated his hands by creating what we now know as the shaka gesture to tell other kids that the coast was clear for them to steal sugar cane \u2013 kind of saying ‘it’s all good!’<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There’s another story that says Hamana was a guard at Sunset Beach and he used the gesture to show ‘all clear’ and that the sugar train was free and train jumpers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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There are several different stories about how the shaka sign started in Hawaii many years ago. (Credit: Dudarev Mikhail\/Shutterstock)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fun fact: <\/strong>While the gesture came from Hawaii, ‘shaka’ isn’t a Hawaiin word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although the original shaka supposedly started off with Kalili\u2019, the Kahuku sugar mill worker, it didn’t become popular for many years. This changed in the twentieth century when tv became popular. The symbol frequently appeared when used car salesman Lippy Espinda<\/a> rose to fame by using the now-famous hand gesture coupled with saying \u201cshaka brah!\u201d at the end of every commercial. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the mid-1970s, the shaka started to become a popular sign around the world. Surf culture began to grow, and so did travel to Hawaii. The shaka sign achieved great popularity worldwide and is now used as the ultimate symbol for ‘island style vibes.’<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Shaka Sign Today<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Once shaka spread from beaches in Hawaii<\/a> and California surfers picked up on it, it became a thing in many places, including Australia and New York. People, especially teens, use it while skateboarding, windsurfing, or doing anything they think is cool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the shaka sign represents a free-spirit and happy vibe, you can really see anyone using it these days. It’s now a popular hang ten emoji used in texting and on social media sites. I’ve even seen it as a part of logos for various companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can think of the Hawaiin shaka today as a constant reminder that everything’s gonna be okay. It’s all good!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Today, people use shaka around the world as a friendly gesture. (Credit: rawpixel.com\/Shutterstock)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What Does the Shaka Sign Mean? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The unmistakable pinky and thumb shaka has had multiple meanings as the symbol has evolved and spread across various ethnic cultures. While the origin of the shaka means a Hawaiin greeting similar to \u201caloha,\u201d here are some other meanings:<\/p>\n\n\n\n