The famous Shaka symbol draws its inspiration from the remarkable life of Hamana Kalili, an influential historical figure in the Hawaiian islands during the 19th century. Hamana's story is one of resilience and positivity, and it's closely linked to the symbol's origin.  Hamana Kalili worked at a sugar mill where, tragically, he lost three of his fingers in a workplace accident. Despite this setback, Hamana refused to let adversity define him and the sugar mill provided a security job for the trains transporting sugar.   Hamana’s hand became famous because he would wave away children trying to jump on the trains to taste the sweet sugar.  The children eventually used it as a sign to signal to each other that Hamana wasn’t around and that it was all good to jump on!  Also, Hamana would tell stories of a shark biting his fingers off, and would move his hand like a hammerhead shark and repeat, "shark eyes, shark eyes, shark eyes!"  This is where the origins of the word shaka came from.  Try repeating shark eyes over and over and hear how it turns quickly into "shaka!"  Over time, the Shaka symbol became a universal expression of goodwill, friendship, and the Hawaiian spirit of aloha. Hamana's story resonated with people far beyond his local community, and his gesture came to symbolize the ability to find joy and positivity even in the face of adversity.  Today, the Shaka symbol is recognized worldwide as a gesture of positivity and unity, a testament to the enduring legacy of Hamana Kalili and his ability to turn personal hardship into a symbol that brings people together in a spirit of camaraderie and goodwill.