What Are the Five ALOHA Values?
Akahai, Lōkahi, ʻOluʻolu, Haʻahaʻa, and Ahonui offer five connected ways to think about how we treat one another. Learn the words, understand the values, and practice remembering them before moving into reflection and action.
The five values and their meanings
The value-and-expression pairings below follow the ALOHA formulation associated with Pilahi Paki and included in Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes §5-7.5.
Akahai
Kindness to be expressed with tenderness.
Think about how your words and actions can show care, especially when someone is having a difficult moment.
Lōkahi
Unity to be expressed with harmony.
Consider how people can work together while respecting their different perspectives and responsibilities.
ʻOluʻolu
Agreeableness to be expressed with pleasantness.
Practice bringing courtesy and openness to an interaction, even when agreement is not possible.
Haʻahaʻa
Humility to be expressed with modesty.
Make room to listen, learn, acknowledge limits, and recognize the contributions of others.
Ahonui
Patience to be expressed with perseverance.
Give people and situations time while continuing to act with care and steadiness.
Where do these values come from?
Share Aloha Now draws on the five-part ALOHA formulation shared by Pilahi Paki and reflected in Hawaiʻi’s Aloha Spirit law. This guide is an introduction to that formulation, not a complete definition of Aloha or a substitute for learning from Hawaiian cultural sources.
Read more about the ALOHA lineage and documented sources and the project’s cultural grounding and responsibilities.
Play now with one ALOHA die
You only need one six-sided ALOHA die. Use the same die to learn the values and to practice applying them to real situations. No second die is needed.
1. Roll and recall
Roll the single die. Look at its symbol and try to recall the corresponding ALOHA value before checking the answer.
2. Reveal and learn
Reveal the value’s name and meaning, then roll again. Repeat to build familiarity with all five values.
3. Practice in real life
When ready, consider how a value could guide a real conversation, decision, or action.
The single ALOHA die has six faces: Ak (Akahai), L (Lōkahi), O (ʻOluʻolu), H (Haʻahaʻa), Ah (Ahonui), and △ (ALOHA Pause). The two A faces distinguish Akahai from Ahonui. When you roll △, pause and consider all five values together. The triangle is not Lōkahi alone.
Continue learning with care
Aloha is lived in relationships and responsibilities. This guide offers a starting point for learning five values, not the entirety of their cultural meaning.
Explore the ALOHA Lineage · Visit Learn · Facilitator Guide
Source: Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes §5-7.5