Iron-On Patch | Aloha ‘Āina - ALL SALES FINAL

Aloha Aina Iron-On Patch 

Diameter - 2.5 inches

An accessory that can be placed on your t-shirt, jacket, bag + more!

Pukui & Elbert: "aloha aina n.v. Love of the land or of one’s country, patriotism; the name of a Hawaiian-language newspaper published 1893-1920; aloha aina is a very old concept, to judge from the many sayings (perhaps thousands) illustrating deep love of the land..." Aloha aina has always been with us, though our expressions of it have evolved over time. From the pre-contact era when the lifestyle of our ancestors embodied this concept, to the time when this phrase became a rally cry against the overthrow and illegal occupation of the Hawaiian Kingdom (that persists today!), to the many 20th century struggles fought by our makua to protect various aina (Kahoolawe, Makua, Sand Island, the list goes on). In these struggles, kanaka risked and even lost their lives in the spirit of aloha aina; to protect not just the land, but all that which nourishes our bodies, minds and spirits. Times may change, but aloha aina is a part of us that will never go away. We remain kupaa in our love for our place, which is challenged all the time by things that are not in the interest of the land or the people. More than a century of occupation may have produced a lot of confusion, but it can never break our aloha aina. So no matter how different our political persuasions, paths of learning, or chosen oihana may be, we must never forget that aloha aina is our common bond. *We have chosen to not use diacritical marks on Ke Aloha Aina to keep in the style of the Hawaiian language newspaper by this name.