According to a viral Instagram video shared by user @sidney_minisausage earlier this month, in Hawaiian, pet owners are referred to as “kahu”—a term that has the internet in tears.
The viral video has received 13.1 million views since it was shared to the social media platform on January 17, with @sidney_minisausage following the lives of dachshund duo Sid and Nancy.
A message overlaid on the video says: “In Hawaiian, you don’t call yourself your pet’s ‘owner.’ You are their ‘Kahu.'” The footage shows various shots of the two dachshunds interacting with people in different settings outdoors and indoors.
Newsweek has contacted @sidney_minisausage via Instagram. This video has not been independently verified.
The Hawaiian word has various meanings, including “one who has a dog, cat, pig, or other pet,” as well as “honored attendant, guardian, keeper, caretaker…” according to the University of Hawaii at Hilo’s website.
The caring relationship between pets and owners implied by the Hawaiian word seems fitting for the special bond humans share with their dogs.
A May 2013 study in PLOS One, a peer-reviewed journal, noted that the “unique relationship between adult dogs and their human owners bears a remarkable resemblance to an infant attachment bond: dogs are dependent on human care and their behavior seems specifically geared to engage their owners’ care-giving system.”
Instagram Users React
A message overlaid on the viral video reads: “Kahu has many meanings” as the footage shows one of the dogs sleeping while wrapped in a blanket.
“Among them guardian, protector, steward, beloved attendant,” the message continues, as the footage shows the dachshunds resting in different positions, from over a person’s shoulder to laying on top of a person’s chest.
Another note across the clip says: “Basically, someone entrusted with the safekeeping of something precious, something cherished,” as the footage shows a dog being cradled in the arms of a person.
“What a Kahu protects is not their ‘property.’ What they protect is a part of their soul,” a final message says as the clip ends.
A caption shared with the post reads: “I think someone’s chopping onions.”
Several users on Instagram loved the Hawaiian term highlighted in the latest viral clip.
User authordanieldickson commented: “I’m in tears.”
User button_willow wrote: “I’m not crying, you are.”
User kat_love_in_sky added: “I like this, I’m my doggie’s guardian.”
User mdaze3 wrote: “I adore this!”
User m012345678910m1 commented: “how it should be.”
User iryna.pietrova added: “The only right way to look at it. I always feel uncomfortable when I am called an owner of my dogs.”
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to [email protected] with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Tyler Fields is your internet guru, delving into the latest trends, developments, and issues shaping the online world. With a focus on internet culture, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies, Tyler keeps readers informed about the dynamic landscape of the internet and its impact on our digital lives.
