get'um

"Get'um" is a universally understood Pidgin expression of encouragement used by locals across Hawaii to motivate someone to seize an opportunity or give their best effort. It functions similarly to "go for it" or "you got this" in standard English. The phrase is appropriate in almost any informal setting, from cheering on a surfer catching a massive winter swell to encouraging a family member applying for a new job. Linguistically, it stems from the English "get him" or "get them," but in Pidgin, the object "um" (a contraction of them/him/it) has evolved to represent an abstract goal, challenge, or opportunity rather than a literal person.

The mist still clung heavy to the kikuyu grass outside their Waimea home, the air biting cold in that specific, quiet way before the sun crested Mauna Kea. Nalani sat at the worn kitchen table, nursing a chipped mug of Lion Coffee. Across from her, Yoona was nervously picking at the edges of a manila envelope, her application for the veterinary program in Colorado. The rest of the house was dead silent; even Colleen’s usually loud rooster hadn't started crowing yet.

Nalani reached across the table, her calloused hand—shaped by decades of working the ranch—gently covering Yoona’s trembling fingers. She didn't offer a long, drawn-out speech about leaving the Big Island or how much they would miss her. Instead, she just tapped the envelope twice, offered a soft, knowing smile, and whispered, "Get'um."