It is customary in Hawai’i to remove your shoes before entering a home. So before you get in the car and start your search for Maui real estate, wear slippers or a loafer (slip-on) that can easily be removed. Do not wear tennis shoes or shoes that need to be tied and untied. This will become exhausting after viewing several homes. Here in the islands, it is impolite and improper to wear shoes into someone’s home other than your own. Even if you are not accustomed to taking off your shoes before entering someone else's home, it is best to do when viewing a home so that you do not track mud and dirt into the home.
The custom of removing one shoes before entering a home is a Japanese tradition. Around 1850 plantation owners contracted laborers from China, then Japan, Korea, Portugal and later the Philippines to work either the pineapple or sugar cane fields. Each nationality brought to Hawai’i their rich traditions. Currently, labor has come from Mexico, the Marshall Islands and Thailand.
No comments:
Post a Comment