hang loose is an expression in English and a body sign (made with the hands), used in informal conversation to say that "it's good", "all quiet", "all in peace" or that "the situation is under control".
Example of what the hand sign is known as hang loose.
The expression and sign are used primarily (and originally) among surfers. But due to the great popularity the symbol gained from the 1980s onwards, it is now used by many cultures around the world as a sign of greeting.
The gesture consists of leaving only the thumb and little finger up, while the "pointer", "ring" and "middle finger" are down.
Origin of hang loose
It is not known for sure where the hang loose. One of the best known stories is part of Hawaiian culture. The sign is said to have been used by a young king called tahito - also known as Moiheka - that he took a long trip between Tahiti and Hawaii, challenging all the big waves he encountered along the way.
After a long walk, the king found a place to spend his life, in a place called
Mokaiwa, on the island of Kauai. There, he was known for facing the most menacing waves and, having lived on the island for many years, he was eventually considered the king of the region.However, one day, a shark bit the hand of tahito, tearing off three of her fingers, leaving only her thumb and pinky.
The king, who always greeted people while at sea, used his fingerless hand to greet those watching. The king's gesture became known as shaka brah, which means "okay".
The symbol became very popular among Hawaiians, who used it as a form of greeting.
When the Americans arrived in Hawaii, they named it hang loose for the common gesture among surfers in the region.
hang loose in the "New Age"
There are some religions that believe that the hang loose it is one of several symbologies embodied by contemporary societies and the "New Age" - a doctrine that defends that all religions are interconnected and have common truths.
O hang loose it is often misinterpreted as a demonic or Satan-connected symbol. This interpretation is sensationalist and has no historical, scientific or literary basis for the real meaning of the symbology of the expression and gesture of the hang loose: just a positive greeting among surfers.