A Brief History Of Sexual Identity In Hawaii

[DriftingCrow]

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mbvd/a-brief-history-of-sexual-identity-in-hawaii
Author: Michelle Borduer Van Dyke Source: Buzzfeed

Before [Western contact], Hawaiians created a social structure that maximized harmonious living by embracing all ohana (family) and sanctioning many types of relationships, including aikāne (same-sex love), māhū (transgender people), hānai (adoption), and punalua (multiple lovers).

In traditional Hawaiian culture there was no concept of marriage—relationship statuses were noted by moe aku, moe mai or "sleeping here and there."

At one time in Hawaii, aikāne, māhū, hānai, punalua and po'olua were all accepted members of the ohana.