Kākiʻo

mange, impetigo, itch, itching pustules of the skin

Growing up, us small kids always had kākiʻo somewhere on our bodies, but the way it was used I always assumed it was synonymous with "owies" or scabs. "kākiʻo leg," "no pick your kākiʻo" were commonly heard around everybody's house (and not only aimed towards me!). But it occurred to me just this past weekend as I saw my granddaughter's leg, mosquito bites scratched till they bled, with plenty kākiʻo that it's a word I don't hear too often anymore. And the translation in the dictionary is by far worse than what I assumed it meant. Nevertheless, if I am correct in my assumption that its use is diminishing I say we all make every attempt to revive it! Tell your kid clean his owies good or else going be kākiʻo. Make your daughter wear long pants riding bicycle so she no get kākiʻo if she fall down (painful memory on that one!).

So, what is the word for owie? ʻEha works well. ʻEha means ache, pain, sore.

Scab? Pāpaʻa, yes, pāpaʻa, like burnt or crispy. Same. Kinda looks the same, too, huh?

E hoʻōla hou kākou i ka huaʻōlelo "kākiʻo "
Let us revitalize the word "kākiʻo" in honor of all our kupuna who used it on us!