Auntie

Hawaiians use a lot of terms that you would never find on the mainland. You would never hear Mahalo instead of 'thank you' or Aloha for goodbye, hello, or love. Part of the linguistic culture maintains that if you are speaking to a native of your generation they are your cousin, or cuz. On the other hand, if you are speaking to someone of an older generation they are your auntie or uncle. Native speakers also use the terms auntie and uncle to convey respect kinda like how you would use usted conjugation in Spanish. For example, all the bus drivers are referred to as auntie or uncle irrespective of age.

I was really flattered the other day when a fellow lady bus rider I was on the bus with asked me "How 'bout you auntie, you getting off here?" I think she used the formality because I was dressed for a job interview, but I came home that night thinking "Someone called me auntie!" I was so touched that I told my roommate, who is as white as the day is long, to which she replied "I've been here since January and no one has ever called me auntie." I took the opportunity to NOT point out the obvious, that to native Hawaiians she was a haole (someone of the White or Caucasian race). I was a little sad for her because I was so warmed by the verbal inclusion. The very next day a little kid called me auntie when he asked me for a dollar to ride the bus, but I think he was just buttering me up. Unfortunately, it hasn't happened to me since. My goal in life is to be referred to as cuz. I'll keep you posted.