🇺🇸
/əˈlæ.pə/
🇺🇸
/əˈlæ.pə/
🇬🇧
/əˈlæ.pə/
🇬🇧
/əˈlæ.pə/
Plural
alapas
Alapa is a traditional Hawaiian gesture where two people gently press the palms of their hands together, often accompanied by a slight bow and shared breath (ha), symbolizing mutual respect, recognition of shared life force (mana), and connection. It's more than a handshake—it's a spiritual acknowledgment of presence and kinship.
During the ceremony, elders exchanged an alapa to honor ancestral ties.
She greeted her teacher with a quiet alapa, holding the contact for a respectful pause.
The alapa is performed slowly and mindfully, never rushed or casual.
Visitors to the cultural center were taught the meaning and proper form of the alapa before entering the hālau.
In modern Hawaiian practice, the alapa continues to replace Western handshakes as a sign of deep relational intention.