Kamaʻāina

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Kamaʻāina (Hawaiian: kamaʻāina, lit. 'child or person of the land'^[1]) is a word describing Hawaii residents regardless of their racial background, as opposed to kanaka which means a person of Native Hawaiian ancestry.

A kamaʻāina may be considered to be someone who lives in Hawaii, or might be expanded to include people who once lived there but have moved away. The State of Hawaii sponsors an official "Kamaʻāina Come Home" event each year, intended to increase the state’s labor pool by inducing Hawaii college students and former residents who are now living in the continental United States to return to Hawaii. The program has been successful in bringing qualified kamaʻāina back to the Islands and in doing so, reuniting families.^[2]

Many businesses in Hawaii offer a "Kamaʻāina rate," an often sizable discount given to local residents. These rates are offered primarily at restaurants, hotels, and tourist attractions.^[3] Merchants generally offer these "Kamaʻāina discounts" to anyone with a local ID, such as a Hawaii driver's license or local military ID.^[4]