Thursday, October 29, 2009

koaʻe


1.  The tropic or boatswain bird, particularly the white-tailed tropic bird which inhabits cliffs of the high islands.  
2.  a variety of banana.  
3.  A variety of taro.  
4.  A snapper, probably onaga.  
5. A variety of sweet potato.

You will find other birds which may have a counterpart, either in the ocean or on land.  Koaʻe is just one fine example.  I saw many koaʻe flying in Borabora when I went there a few years ago.  They are a beautiful, sleek bird. There are koaʻe kea (white koa'e) and koaʻe ʻula (red-tailed).   I am particularly fond of the koaʻe because the Hāmākua coast of Hawai'i island is known poetically as ka pali lele koaʻe, or the cliff where tropic birds fly.

He koaʻe, manu o ka pali kahakō - It is the koaʻe, bird of the sheer cliffs (An expression of admiration for an outstanding person.  The koa'e build their nests on cliffs.)

'Ōlelo ke kupa o ka 'āina ua mālie; ua au koaʻe - The natives of the land declare that the weather is calm when the tropic bird travels afar.

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