He Momi

iho

2009-12-08T10:18:00.000-08:00

1. to go down, descend; downhill, towards the sea.
2. core, as of an apple, breadfruit, or pandanus.
3. directional, down, below; used with words describing activities of ones own body, as eating, drinking, etc. ('ai iho - to eat. No'ono'o iho, to think) "self" personally.

E hana ana 'o ia nona iho - he will work for himself. Used with words of time, usually present or future, or just past.

WOW. The first two are pretty straightforward.

Iho i lalo - go down.

Ua iho a i ke kai - (It) descended until it reached the ocean.

He iho ko ka 'ulu - the 'ulu has a core.

The third translation is a bit more tricky. In an English teacher's term, it is a particle, and its placement usually (but not always) follows the verb:

hele iho - go down, descend

makewai iho 'o Kaniela - Daniel was thirsty.

'O au iho nö me ka ha'aha'a - I am yours, humbly

ma hope iho - right afterwards

kēia lāpule iho - this coming Sunday

There are four directional words: mai, aku, iho, a'e. Iho is not as straightforward as mai (since mai is generally a direction towards the speaker). Iho is used in reference to a downwards motion, such as rain or tears, a motion unto oneself, such as inu iho, drinking, reflecting unto oneself, pa'akiki me kāna iho - stubborn with his own self, and has a time reference, such as i kēia mau lā iho nei - a few days ago (though the other directionals has a reference to time, also). Not always an easy concept to grasp, the unconscious use of directionals in speaking Hawaiian is hard to explain by a native speaker and very difficult to understand and use by a second language speaker. As with anything, practice makes almost perfect. Pay attention to Hawaiian songs, which tend to use the directionals a lot. if you don't know what the whole line is referring to, at least you'll have an idea of what direction it's happening in!

Ke iho la ka ua - The rain is falling

Iho i lalo! - get down!

'O au iho nō me ke aloha nui no ka 'ōlelo makuahine (just me, with great aloha for the mother tongue)

Wali

2009-12-07T16:57:00.000-08:00

Smooth, thin, as poi; fine, mashed, soft, powdery, supple, limber, as a dancer's body.

Ho'owali is the word used when mixing something, like poi or dough, because your main goal when doing this is to get to that smooth, fine consistency. NEVER a good thing to have lumpy poi. You MUST ho'owali until it is wali. Bad karma to have lumpy poi.

Ua wali ka poi - The poi is smooth.

'uala ho'owali 'ia - mashed sweet potatoes.

Nā mea ho'owali o loko - digestive organs (literally "the smoothing things inside)

Puaʻa Hame

2009-11-25T07:47:00.000-08:00

Ham

And what's Thanksgiving without ye ole pua'a hame? Can't live without that word! I'm sure many of you recognized the word pua'a in there because where do we get the ham from? That's right! Porky Pig! Other words for ham include 'ūhā hame ('ūhā means hindquarters) or ''ūhā pua'a or just plain hame.

He pua'a hame nui kā mākou no ka Lā Ho'omaika'i - We have a big ham for Thanksgiving.

Kai

2009-11-24T08:35:00.000-08:00

Gravy, sauce, dressing, soup, broth

Yes, gravy. Of course kai also means sea or sea water but I didn't want to "water" down the focus on FOOD! Kai, or gravy, because it always has a nice salty taste to it, is referred to as kai. And nothing goes better on pelehū or pua'a hame or palaoa that has been puhi 'ia than kai.

'Ono loa ke kai ma luna o ka 'i'o pelehū - Gravy is very delicious on top of the turkey.

Loa'a ke kai no ka lau'ai? - Is there dressing for the green salad?

Pelehū

2009-11-23T11:43:00.000-08:00

Turkey

Gearing up for the big Thanksgiving Day festivities! So I want to equip you with some vocabulary words that you can use in your food preparation. Teach the kids (or grandkids!), make vocabulary placecards. Another word for turkey is pōkeokeo. Some areas say palahū (like Waimea, Hawai'i).
We've got lots of pelehū roaming wild here in Hāmākua but fortunately for them, it's easier to pay $5.00 for a ready to cook one from Sack n Save than to have to shoot, pluck, clean, and cook for DAYS our own for free. Maybe not as fun, but a heck of a lot less work. Plus those pelehū know not to come around in November! We did (and by we I mean my son and my brother, John) shoot a couple of pelehū for Motherʻs Day last year and just used the breast meat. It made a wonderful turkey burger for our meal! The rest of the carcass was returned to the earth way up in the pasture only to be recovered by my lab, Loku. Three days worth of feathers flying around her kennel. Sheʻs like a vulture.

E 'ai ana kākou i ka pelehū - We are going to eat a turkey

Nui ka pelehū ma Hawai'i - There are a lot of turkeys on Hawai'i

Piliwaiwai

2009-11-20T10:12:00.000-08:00

Gambling, betting, gambler; to bet, gamble.

        Literally piliwaiwai means to wager wealth. Thought this might be a good word for you to learn during this football season (I know what happens at those parties during the super bowl!) and since trips to Las Vegas (alias Lost Wages) are SO AFFORDABLE (they appear to be but it's all an illusion) I know that many of you can find piliwaiwai useful. But maybe if you break the word into its parts (pili = to wager. waiwai = wealth) it might slow you down a bit.
        Don't you think it's funny that when we go to Las Vegas we don't think twice about throwing down $20 at one time for a wager but we walk miles for a cheap meal?

Nui ka piliwaiwai ma LV - There's a lot of gambling in LV

Ho'opāpā 'ia ka piliwaiwai ma Hawai'i - It is forbidden to gamble in Hawai'i.

hua

2009-11-19T08:48:00.000-08:00

1. fruit, tuber, egg, produce, yield, ovum.
2. round object, as pill or bead.
3. result, effect.
4. Tesitcles.
5. a vulgar gesture.
6. word,letter,figure.
7. Name of the thirteenth night of the lunar month.
8. Name of a star.
9. The bulging of the broadest part of a paddle blade.

Wow, that was a lot! But the main meaning I would like to focus on is the 7th one. Name of the thirteenth night of the lunar month. Last night's moon is named appropriately Hua. One night after Mōhalu. It is during the Hua moon that one should plant any fruiting plant. This helps us to remember that Hua actually means fruit! Here's another easy way to remember Hua the moon with hua the fruit. This moon is in the shape of an egg and hua also means egg! Hua moa - chicken egg. So think of an egg as you go outside to look at tonight's moon and notice the resemblance. Then remember that this is the time to plant fruiting trees, plants. Hawaiians once again showing their "oneness" with nature and their environment.

Puhi

2009-11-18T08:40:00.000-08:00

To burn, set on fire, bake
Okay, you alert readers know that there are other meanings to puhi (think eel) but since I am getting in the Thanksgiving spirit (one of my favorite holidays) and I love baked goods, I want to share with you the word for bake...puhi. In fact, a bakery is known as a hale puhi palaoa - a house that bakes bread. Now I suppose you can use this word when you want to burn or set anything on fire (and being a firefighter's wife I am not promoting anything of the sort!) but we won't go there. Just baking. Because I have a one track mind.

E puhi palaoa ana au i ka lā 'apōpō - I am going to bake bread tomorrow.

Puhi 'ia kēia mea'ono e ko'u makuahine - This dessert was baked by my mother.

Lalo

2009-11-17T07:55:00.000-08:00

1. Down, downward, low, lower, under, beneath,below, subordinate.
2. Leeward, lee, southern.

Opposite of luna is lalo. So it makes sense that if a luna is a manager, then a lalo is a subordinate. Of course these terms, used in this way, did not come around until the plantation era. There was no need for it before then. It was strictly ali'i (chiefs), maka'āinana (commoners), and kauā (outcastes). The plantation era changed many things in Hawai'i, including the language.

ko lalo - of or belonging to below or the south.

mai lalo - from below

Aia ka puke ma lalo o ke pākaukau - the book is under the table.

E waiho i këia ma lalo nei - Leave this here.

luna

2009-11-16T07:25:00.000-08:00

1. high, upper, above, over, up.
2. foreman,boss, leader, overseer, supervisor, headman, officer of any sort.
3. chief piece in the kōnane game.

If you've studied anything about the plantation era here in Hawai'i you've heard the word luna. The plantation heads were all known as luna and most of the time these were the Haole people and then when there weren't enough of them, the Portuguese people that came to Hawai'i for the purpose of working in the sugar plantations. And they were chosen mainly because of their fair skin more than anything else. Because luna means up or above, this was synonymous with the status of any high ranking position in a job, whether it be an officer of some sort, a superintendent, commissioner or plantation manager.

He lani ko luna, he honua ko lalo - Above has the heavens, below has the earth.

He luna ko'u kupuna kāne ma ka mahi kō - My grandfather was a luna at the sugar plantation.

Aia ka penikala ma luna o ka pepa - the pencil is on top of the paper.

Palalē

2009-11-13T08:35:00.000-08:00

1. To speak imperfectly, as of one with a foreign accent or speech defect; to work in a disorderly, slipshod way; confusion.
2. To drip, spatter, spill, fart.

Once in a while I will come across a word that I don't know but I find very interesting and quite humourous. Palalē is a new one for me! And I'm going to make an attempt to use it at least once everyday this week! And I think you should, too!

When I first looked at it I thought of myself, and how I must have a "foreign accent" when I speak in Hawaiian. After all, Hawaiian is a second language to me. And then as I read the other meanings, I couldn't help but laugh to myself at how ALL the meanings are not very flattering. All the more reason to try them out in my daily usage of Hawaiian!

He mau 'ōhua lemu kaumaha, he mau 'ope'ope palalē - heavy-butted passengers, farting bags (HEY, I didn't make this up. This was a phrase found in Fornander's Hawaiian Antiquities, 4:577)

Mano

2009-11-12T19:53:00.000-08:00

1. Many, numerous, four thousand; thick.
2. To throw, as a stone; to aim at and hit.
3. Short for Mano-ka-lani-pō.

This is not the word for shark. That word is manō (pronounced mah-NOH). Big difference. Mano, more frequently than not, refers to a large number. See, Hawaiians didn't have precise big numbers like we do today. I mean, in our lives today it's important to know whether we have $4,839.00 versus $4622.79. Well, at least to some people. But in traditional Hawai'i, if it was around 4,000 it was mano. Also manomano (there's one of those reduplicated words again!) There are other words that refer to great numbers, such as kini, lehu, lau.

Mano is also short for Manokalanipō, famous ruler in ancient times of Kaua'i. In fact, Kaua'i is known to many as Kaua'i o Mano (Kaua'i of Mano) or Kaua'i o Manokalanipō.

He lau ka pu'u, he mano ka ihona - many hills, numerous descents (said of trouble)

Ua nui a manomano ka 'ikena a ka Hawai'i - Great and numerous is the knowledge of the Hawaiian.

koa

2009-11-11T00:29:00.001-08:00

1. nvs. Brave, bold, fearless, valiant; bravery, courage.
2. nvs. Soldier, warrior, fighter; military, hero, martial.
3. n. The largest of native forest trees (Acacia koa)

Today's He Momi is dedicated to the men and women who have served their country and continue to serve defending our freedom and sacrificing their lives. It is no mistake that the Hawaiian word for soldier is synomymous with the word for bravery and courage. Koa. That is what it takes to be in the Armed Forces. To be willing to travel to faraway places, putting their lives on the line. It amazes me. Every. Single. Day. And it doesn't surprise me that the koa tree is a symbol of strength, is a strong hardy wood that was used extensively by Hawaiians and used for lei in hula, transformed into a garland of beauty but also signifying strength.

Mahalo nui to all the koa and especially to my dad, Shermaih Kahuakai Iaea, Jr., who retired from the U.S. Army. He was proud of his service, he was active in his local chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and he cherished his medals and letters of commendation.

Aloha nui to you all.

'Uhaloa

2009-11-10T07:24:00.000-08:00

A small, downy, American weed (Waltheria indica var. americana), with ovate leaves and small clustered yellow flowers.

You know someone once told me that a weed is just a plant whose true worth has not yet been discovered. I think 'uhaloa is one of these "weeds." Many people don't know the power that this little plant has to cure! And it's plentiful. We see it a lot but don't really know what it is when we see it.
'Uhaloa is used, among other things, as a remedy for sore throat. A tea can be made from the root or you can simply chew the root slowly. It is one of the plant forms of Kamapua'a, the pig god. Other names include 'ala'alapūloa, hala 'uhaloa, hi'aloa, and kanakaloa.

Maika'i ka 'uhaloa - 'Uhaloa is a good plant.

Aia i kula i ka 'ala'alapūloa
Gone on the plain to gather 'ala'alapūloa
(Gone on a wild goose chase. A play on the word 'ala'ala [octopus liver], meaning nothing worthwhile)

Mai hilahila! Don't be shy to leave a comment here! People leave me comments on my posts on Facebook and Twitter but are experiencing bouts of shyness here on the blog! But the beauty of the blog is the interactivity allowed with comments! Bring it on.

Hi'olani

2009-11-09T07:10:00.000-08:00

To sleep, lie at ease, lounge, relax.

This is a pleasant word for just relaxing. Contrary to popular belief Hawaiians were hard workers (and I like to think that many Hawaiians today are also hard workers). They woke up at the crack of dawn so they could get the majority of hard work done before the sun was up high. I remember my grandfather getting up super early to begin his day by raking the entire yard and pull weeds. I just love driving through homestead areas in the morning because you inevitably see this tradition continuing. Someone is outside raking up the leaves, scooping them into the cut pakini scooper. And it isnt just kupuna. I see makua (parents) outside doing it and even keiki on some early weekend mornings.

This word sometimes replaces moe (for sleep) in poetry because moe can also suggest death.

Ua kau ke keha i ka uluna, ua hi'olani i ka moena - the head rests on the pillow, stretching out on the mat [relax after work is done] This line comes from a chant called Ke Welina, dedicated to Käne.

Kukū

2009-11-06T08:26:00.000-08:00

Thorn, barb, spine, bur; barbed, thorny, prickly, burry; jabbed, pricked, hurt by a thorn.

Now this is a small kid time word. And because of the pain involved when stepping on a kukū, I think it's a word being perpetuated to the next generation. At least for the people living in Hawai'i. We get all kine kukū over here. Remember that small kukū hiding in the grass? Da bugga stuck to your long pants or your shoe string or if you get one towel, auē, they all come on top da towel and hard for get 'em out! Not only dat kine! Get the kiawe tree kukū. Talk about 'aui! das one sore one, right tru da rubba slippa an' all!
In old Hawai'i the only thing you can get pricked with, besides a speartip, would probably be the wana. Other than that, plants in old Hawai'i had no thorns. Because of the pristine environment and lack of predators many of the plants here did not need to have thorns for protection.

Akahele i ke kukū ma ka pā hale - Watch out for the kukū in the yard.

'Eha maoli ke hehi 'oe ma ke kukū - It really hurts when you step on a kukü.

Hohono

2009-11-05T08:13:00.000-08:00

Acrid odor, unpleasant body odor of perspiration; to smell thus.

To smell thus. Okay, that phrase alone cracks me up. If you smell thus (unpleasant body odor of perspiration), you know you are HOHONO. That yucky stinky smell of B.O.? Hohono. Or you know that strong mimi (urine) smell of a small child's shorts that have since dried up but you KNOW he went shishi and just won't admit it? That smell is hohono. I remember my children at Pūnana Leo o Honolulu. When someone went mimi in their pants, they would say "mimi hono"! In other words, that unpleasant odor is from some sheesh!
Gosh this word is giving me flashbacks of a plane ride. I mean seriously, Mister. Do you not consider the welfare of fellow passengers before you get on a flight straight out of Waipiʻo?
I have shared some other smelly words (pīlau) in the past. Add this one to your list. I just wanted to make sure that you have an appreciation for the fine tuning of the Hawaiians' sense of smell that so many words were derived to describe the differences among odors, both pleasant and not so pleasant.

Auē ʻo ka hohono ē o kēia wahi lumi - Omg, this damn room smells [thus] :-)

Noiʻi

2009-11-04T08:04:00.000-08:00

To seek knowledge or information; to investigate; investigation, examination, research, searching for even the smallest detail.

With all the talk of cutting the budgets for schools, I want to mention the importance of allocating money for professional development. Today's word, noiʻi, is basically the word for research, an important process to developing one's understanding in a given arena. It is important to promote research and investigation among teachers by allocating funds for them to attend conferences, workshops, classes (you know many teachers pay for these on their own). Bottom line is, it doesn't matter how nice the classrooms are, how many books are in it, how many pupils there are to adults. If the teacher does not know how to teach or is not up to date with the research all other efforts are in vain. We all know that a good education doesn't come from the availability of "stuff." It comes from delivery of a quality education by a well-informed teacher who knows the importance of compassion, love, and patience and weaves this together with teaching strategies that suit the needs of each student in the classroom. We need to give teachers opportunities to better themselves through professional development.
I know, I know. Schools are having furlough Fridays here in Hawaiʻi and I am worried about professional development? Poopoo on me. But I dont care. PD pays for itself tenfold in the classroom.

He mea nui ka noiʻi i nā kumu - Research is an important thing for teachers.

Hukihuki

2009-11-03T07:57:00.000-08:00

1. To pull or draw frequently, or by many persons; to pull by jerks or continuously, as in the tug-of-war game; to gather, as taro; friction, dissension.
2. To disagree, quarrel; disagreement; not cooperative, headstrong, obstinate.
3. Tug of war game, to play the game.

We all enjoy playing the game of hukihuki but we probably don't enjoy being involved in a hukihuki of dissension. This word is used a lot today when referring to disagreements or friction occurring between families or friends or colleagues. State workers have plenty hukihuki nowadays with all the layoffs and furloughs. Politics always get hukihuki. I'm sure many of you remember using this word or hopefully you still use it or better yet, you remember it, never used it in your adult life but now you will revive it! And so hukihuki lives on, in a good way!

Hele maila lākou a hukihuki i ka wai - They came to draw water.

Pili hukihuki - a relationship with constant quarrels

Hilina'i

2009-11-02T09:18:00.000-08:00

nvt. To believe, trust; to lean on, rely on; trust, confidence.

Not much else to say about this word other than, to be able to hilinaʻi, to trust, someone, is to me the greatest attribute of a friend and partner.

Hilinaʻi au iā ʻoe - I trust you.

Pilau

2009-10-30T08:20:00.000-07:00

Rot, stench, rottenness; to stink; putrid, spoiled, rotten, foul, decomposed.

Last weekend as I went for my weekend walk along the dairy road up Paʻauilo, there was a definite pilau smell along the road. It began abruptly and ended abruptly. It was so pilau I immediately put my hand up to cover my now. Major pilau. My eyes scanned the horizon searching for a cow with four feet up in the air. That pilau smell was definitely a decomposed animal of some sort. Pilau. It's that odor that your nose really can't take. You want to pinch your nostrils together, put your shirt up over your nose, hold your breath all together. That rotting, stinking stench. Think of decomposition of the worst sort.

Kü ka pilau - the stench rises

Maka pilau - rotten eyes, one with rotten eyes, a ghost.

Make pilau - complete defeat in a game

Do you have a pilau story? Do you remember hearing and using the word pilau when you were growing up? My grandma and my dad used it a lot. Must have had plenty stink stuff around!

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koaʻe

2009-10-29T09:41:00.000-07:00

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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Mōkākī

2009-10-28T08:14:00.000-07:00

Scattered, littered disheveled; disorder, untidiness, mess, chaos.

Mōkākī ko'u hale! My house is a MESS! Okay, now you know what generated today's word.

In English when something is messy, we might want to say it's dirty or lepo, but really, that's not the case (unless you live in Mākaha next to the highway, with lots of louvered windows that have to stay open because it's so hot, then it IS lepo!). We might want to say kāpulu which means the same as mōkākī and more. But generally speaking, if your house is in need of some tidying up, it's mōkākī. If it's downright disgusting (and mine is bordering that state) then it's kāpulu.

'A'ole mōkākī kona hale - Her house is not untidy.

'A'ole au makemake i ka lumi mōkākī - I don't like a messy room.

Pohō

2009-10-27T08:42:00.000-07:00

1. Loss, damage; out of luck; vain.
2. Bog, swamp, mire, slough; sunken, sinking, to settle, as earth.

Those of you familiar with this word surely know it wasn't commonly used to refer to #2 above. More likely it was used in the context of #1, that is, when something is "waste time." Pohō. Neva mind. Now this is a word that I always heard, especially from my dad. It hasn't lost its steam, like many other Hawaiian words that were used a lot in small kid time. Not every Hawaiian word can stand on its own in the midst of an English sentence. Pohō definitely can.

"Pohō help you guys!" "Das pohō already." "Pohō clean dis yard wit all da weeds!"

Here's an interesting 'ōlelo no'eau using pohō:

Pohō i ka mālama i ko ha'i keakea!
A waste of effort to take care of someone else's semen!
(Usually said in anger by one who cares for the children of another. Also expressed "Pohō i ka mālama i ko ha'i kūkae!" A waste of effort to take care of someone else's excreta.

Well, hopefully all is not pohō in today's word!

Ukupau

2009-10-26T09:24:00.000-07:00

Piece labor, pay by the job rather than according to time, as on sugar plantations; used in pidgin for any work that everyone should pitch in gladly to finish; contract labor.

The word was brought to my attention by a very dear friend of mine, Lisa Wood. She was gathering together common phrases and words used in ranching and this is a word that she heard being used by the cattlemen many times.

Ukupau is comprised of two words: uku=to pay, and pau=finished. Finished pay. In other words, you are paid by the job, much like the plantation workers who had to clear out a certain section of land before getting paid, or complete a certain task, whether it took them all day or two days. This enticed the workers to work as hard and as fast as they could!

Hana kākou a ukupau - We work until the task is completed.

kelepona

2009-10-23T08:15:00.000-07:00

Telephone

When my family rides in the car together, everyone has their own cell phones, except of course the moʻopuna. The age of technology is upon us. Now our cell phones, instead of just making and receiving calls, allow us to text one another, take and send photos and videos, search on the internet, play games and much more.
Kelepona is the transliteration of the English word telephone. Along the lines of "tele" communication we also have:

kelepona lawe lima - cordless phone (phone to take by hand)
kelepaʻi - fax phone (kele=tele; pa'i=print)
kelekaʻaʻike - telecommunication (ka'a'ike-transferred knowledge)
keleō - beeper/pager (ö=tinkling, tolling or chime of a bell)
kelulā - cellular

ʻOma

2009-10-22T10:40:00.000-07:00

1. Oven, baking pan; to roast, bake; roasted.
2. To open the mouth, as though to speak.
3. Female mahimahi fish.
4. Concave.
5. small adze.
6. Space between opposing armies where sacrifices were offered; preparations for war; first men killed in war.

Here's a word you can use everyday, especially those who cook in the kitchen. So go and make a post-it note, stick it on the 'oma, and, starting today, begin using 'oma instead of oven! I'm sure the people in your house will not get it confused with the other meanings of 'oma. After all I'm sure there are no wars in your household (well, not of the magnitude where sacrifices are offered).

pelehū 'oma - roast turkey

'oma wawe - microwave oven (wawe=quick)

Mākaukau ka 'oma - The oven is ready.

Wela ka 'oma - The oven is hot.

E ho'ohana i ka 'oma wawe - Use the microwave oven.

hipa

2009-10-21T08:53:00.000-07:00

sheep

Now in English, the world of sheep is quite extensive. I mean how many of you know the real difference between a lamb, sheep, and mutton? But in Hawaiian there's one word for all of these and that word is hipa. Though hipa are being raised on the different islands, the only island where you may find wild sheep and mouflon (a relative of hipa) is on Hawai'i Island. Unfortunately these cutie animals are quite destructive to native growth (particularly the mamane trees, one of my favorites). In 1980 the Sierra Club won a lawsuit which prompted the state to eliminate most wild hipa from Mauna Kea. Have you ever saw that horrible gorse that has devastated the upper slopes of Mauna Kea, near Hakalau? It's the most awful looking plant, with horrible thick long spines that has ruined the landscape and killed everything in its way. I do believe it was the hipa that was brought in by Parker Ranch (perhaps from New Zealand) that spread this seed (it was stuck in their thick wool) on those upper slopes.

Kahuhipa - Shepherd (sheep guardian)

hulu hipa - wool (sheep fur)

'ili hipa - sheepskin

'īlio kia'i hipa - sheep dog

Iesū nō ke kahuhipa - Jesus is the shepherd

ʻīlio

2009-10-20T08:48:00.000-07:00

1. Dog.
2. A generic term for foreign quadruped.
3. Cloud
4. Tie beam in a house, brace that holds rafter to crossbeam.
5. A seaweed

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26451473@N00/6717760/

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Though there are five different meanings, the most common is the first one, dog.

Polynesians brought with them to these islands a small ʻīlio that was primarily used as a food source, sometimes as a sacrifice and also as pets. These first "four legged settlers" no longer exist in their pure state as inter-breeding has thinned out their bloodline. It is hard for some to fathom that Hawaiians ate ʻīlio but, hey, I hear they are low in fat and quite good tasting. I will take their word for it, just like frog legs, I'm sure. Some accounts say that women were not allowed to eat ʻīlio but I'm not sure about that. Below are some ʻīlio terms:

ʻīlio pulu - bulldog

ʻīlio mo'o - brindled dog

ʻīlio hahai - greyhound (chasing dog)

ʻīlio hahai manu - bird dog (bird chasing dog)

He ʻīlio ka'u - I have a dog

'a'ohe a'u ʻīlio - I don't have any dogs

'ai nō ka 'īlio i kona lua'i
a dog eats his own vomit
(Said of one who says nasty things of others and then has those very things happen to himself)

Pipi

2009-10-19T12:35:00.000-07:00

1. Hawaiian pearl oyster.
2. feelers of an insect, as of an ant.
3. a leafless plant, also called moa (Psilotum).
4. a kind of tapa.
5. body depression; eyeball.
6. lower part of an adze.
7. beef, cattle, ox.

I am on an animal theme with todayʻs Hawaiian word.

Pipi most often refers to beef, cattle or ox. In fact, the word pipi is also found in older palapala, or documents, written as bipi. It comes directly from the English word beef. And since we only get beef from cattle it makes sense that pipi refers to cattle.

Do you like to eat pipi kaula? That is our local beef jerky. Literally this word means "rope beef."

pipi wahine - cow (female beef)

pipi waiū - dairy cow (milk beef)

pipi kāne - bull (male beef)

pipi laho - bull (laho refers to scrotum and when used with animal words it means "male")

pipi keiki - calf

He pipi kaulana 'o Lani Moo - Lani Moo was a famous cow.

Nui ka pipi ma Waimea - There is a lot of beef/cattle in Waimea.

ʻaweʻawe

2009-10-16T13:12:00.000-07:00

1. pack, knapsack carried on the back. runners, as on a vine; tentacles.

In English we refer to the tentacles of an octopus (or a squid) as legs. In Hawaiian they are not legs. They are 'awe'awe. Interestingly, this is the same word used for the rawhide twine on a saddle. It's the rigging that attaches the saddle to the cinch. And there is some resemblence between the tentacle and the twine, particularly when it is braided and especially when there are several braids.

This word also refers to carrying on the back,like a backpack, which is known as an 'eke hā'awe or pāiki hā'awe.

'Ewalu 'awe'awe o ka he'e - an octopus has 8 tentacles.

Maika'i ka 'awe'awe o ka noholio - The 'awe'awe of the saddle is good.

He 'awe'awe ko ka 'uala - The sweet potatoes have runners.

Ipu

2009-10-15T11:27:00.000-07:00

1. bottle gourd.
2. watermelon
3. general name for vessel or container.
4. drum consisting of a single gourd or made of two large gourds joined together.
5. Crown of a hat.

Link

Ipu are most visible in hula. When dancing the ancient style of hula (hula 'ōlapa), usually the dancing is accompanied with an ipu to help keep rhythm or beat while the ho'opa'a (the chanter) chants the mele. This style of hula is termed hula 'ala'apapa. This is hula accompanied by an ipu. In most cases the ho'opa'a uses an ipu heke or a double gourd (this is actually two ipu glued together). This is in contrast to the ipu heke 'ole or single gourd ipu which is used more for the hula 'auana or modern type hula.

Since ipu was also used as a container for water, food, or supplies, containers are also known as ipu today, even if it is not made from an ipu. Ipu is also the general term for watermelon, sometimes followed by another word to be more specific:

ipu 'ai waha - watermelon (ipu you eat with your mouth)

ipu wai - watermelon (water ipu)

ipu haole - watermelon (foreign ipu)

ipu 'ai maka - watermelon (ipu eaten raw)

ka ipu o ka 'ike
a container of knowledge
(a learned person)

Got an ipu comment or question? Press on comments and type away! I LOVE COMMENTS! It keeps me going. Day after day after day. Having a one way conversation is NOT fun. Part of the blogging beauty is the ability to "converse".

Heleleʻi

2009-10-14T10:25:00.000-07:00

Falling; scattered, as rain, tears, grain; crumbling, as the earth; dilapidated; to shed, as a dog's hair.

As I was walking yesterday morning on our country road, I could see the bright red stamens of the lehua blossoms scattered on the road. I wish everyone could bask in that beauty. On O'ahu it's hard enough to find a single tree, let alone a forest vibrant with the lehua 'ula'ula (red lehua) and lehua mamo (yellow lehua). The word used to describe the falling of these stamens is helele'i. Hawaiian language learners usually use the generic word hā'ule when describing something that is falling. But there are many words to describe how something falls. Helele'i is one of them. When flowers fall from a tree, that is helele'i. When rain falls from the heavens, that is helele'i. When tears fall from the eyes, that is helele'i. And just knowing that gives helele'i a whole different feeling to it when using it. We are so used to generic words as language learners and as speakers that we forget the intricacies of ALL languages.

"Helele'i pua i ke kai"... - Flowers falling into the ocean (from Ka Wai Lehua by Frank Hewett)

Ua helele'i iho kona waimaka i ka papalina - her tears fell to her cheeks.

Ke helele'i nei ka hulu o ka 'īlio - The dog's fur is shedding.

Punalua

2009-10-13T08:32:00.000-07:00

Spouses sharing a spouse, as two husbands of a wife, or two wives of a husband.

Today's word, like yesterday's, is not something that we typically practice today (not in Hawai'i, at least!). Yesterday's word, po'olua, referred to a child who had two fathers. Today's word, punalua, refers to the relationship between two husbands or two wives who share the same spouse.

Hawaiians, back in the pre-missionary days (and even in the early years after their arrival in 1820) practiced polygamy. A husband could have many wives and a wife could have many husbands. This was more prevalent among the ali'i (chiefly) class. Kamehameha had many wives. The two most well known are Ka'ahumanu and Keōpūolani. They were punalua to each other since they both shared the same husband. Polygamy wasn't practiced for the fun of it. It was more for social ranking (by having children with Keōpūolani, a very sacred ali'i, Kamehameha I assured the continuation of the monarchy by his children) and economics. A wife may ask her husband to take her widowed sister as a wife so that there would be a man and a family to care for her.

For whatever reason, it was uncommon for punalua to be jealous of one another. There are some stories/legends that tell of a jealous punalua and doom being the outcome of a jealous rage.

In modern day Hawaiʻi, I know of one punalua relationship (this was years ago) and I am wondering about another. I am sure it happens here in our own islands, along with all of the other "out of the norm" relationships out there. To each his (or her) own. I do not sit in judgment, lest I be judged.

'O Ka'ahumanu ka punalua o Keōpūolani - Ka'ahumanu was the punalua of Keōpūolani.
'O wai kona punalua? - Who is his punalua?

Poʻolua

2009-10-12T09:11:00.000-07:00

Child sired by other than the husband, but accepted by both husband and sire.

In other words, mom went out and had a child by someone else but husband is okay with it. Doesn't happen a lot today (although I have heard instances of it happening) but I think it was a more common happening in traditional Hawai'i. A poʻolua child was lucky in the sense that it increased the number of relatives of the child (related to mom's family, dad's family, and biological father's family) and if he was aliʻi then it assured loyalty to him as kinsmen.

Poʻolua literally means "two heads" and the best example of a poʻolua child is Kamehameha I. His mother was Keku'iapoiwa and her husband was Keōuakupuapāikalaninui. Many historians believe that Keku'iapoiwa had a liaison with Kahekilinui'ahumanu (ruler of Maui) and from this union was born Kamehameha Pai'ea (otherwise known as Kamehameha the Great). Therefore, though Kahekili was thought to be his biological father, he was raised by his parents, Keku'iapoiwa and Keōua.

Now one must not frown upon this as being unacceptable behavior for Hawaiians. After all, they had a very intricate social system, practiced polygamy, had a matrilineal society and a monarchy. They had a very detailed kapu system. They had it all under control. All the fathers and mothers took responsibility for their offspring, cared for them, taught them.

He po'olua 'o Kamehameha I - Kamehameha I is a po'olua child

Ōlaʻi

2009-10-09T09:18:00.000-07:00

1. earthquake, tremor.
2. light porous stone or pumice, as used for polishing canoes or for scraping off hair of pig or dog to be roasted.

In light of the ōlaʻi that have taken place in the Pacific Ocean recently, perhaps you can find some use of today's word in your daily practice. Ōlaʻi (with a macron over the o for stress) is an old word, as ōlaʻi are not a new phenomenon to Hawaiians. Many ōlaʻi occur in our islands, particularly because of the activity generated by the still active volcano on Hawai'i Island. I find it particularly interesting this word has a smaller word in it, la'i, that actually means calm or peaceful. Perhaps this refers to the calmness that follows an earthquake, when you experience it. I'm only speculating and using this connection as a tool to help me better remember the ōlaʻi. As we make connections to certain words, that's how we remember them, right?

Ōla'i ikaika loa i 'ike 'ole 'ia kona lua - very strong earthquake, the like of which had never been seen before.

Halulu ka honua i ka ōla'i ē - The earth resounds because of the earthquake (from a chant by Edith Kanaka'ole)

Nei ka honua, he ōlaʻi ia
When the earth trembles, it is an earthquake.
(We know what it is by what it does)

Ua loa'a ʻelua ōla'i ma Vanuatu i kēia pule. - There were two earthquakes in Vanuatu this week.

Aia ke ōlaʻi ma Indonesia. - The earthquake was in Indonesia.

Kaiāulu

2009-10-08T10:00:00.000-07:00

1. Community, neighborhood, village. ʻOia nō kekahi o nā kānaka waiwai nui a kūʻonoʻono ma iā mau kaiāulu, he was one of the wealthiest and most prosperous persons of these communities.
2. (Cap.) Name of a pleasant, gentle trade-wind breeze, famous in song, at Wai-ʻanae, Oʻahu. ʻOluʻolu i ka pā a ke Kaiāulu (song), cool with the touch of the Kaiāulu. Also Pua-kaiāulu.

Todayʻs He Momi is dedicated to my kaikamahine hānau ʻelua, my second born daughter, Kika. Her Hawaiian name is Kīkahakamanuikekaiāulu - the bird soars in the Waiʻanae wind, so named because at the time of her birth we were living in Waiʻanae. And despite the fact that we moved out of Waiʻanae when Kika was still in elementary school, she still has a deep fondness for the area (as we all do). In fact, her first job after graduating from UHM with her MSW was in Waiʻanae!

For us, Kaiāulu refers to the wind of Waiʻanae, a pleasing wind, as any wind on that coast is welcomed! The song, Aloha ʻia ʻo Waiʻanae, has the line: Pā ana ka makani ke Kaiāulu, he aheahe mālie - the kaiāulu wind blows, a gentle breeze.

Kaiāulu also refers to a community or neighborhood. Noho au i ke kāiaulu o Pōhākealani - I live in the community of Pōhākealani.

Hauʻoli lā hānau e Kīkahakamanuikekaiāulu!

Puehu

2009-10-07T09:31:00.000-07:00

1. Scattered, dispersed, routed, gone, tousled; fine, crumbling; every which way, as hair in the wind. 2. Peeling, as sunburn. 3. Remainder, remnant; to remain.

You know when you're sitting near a heap of ashes, maybe from the hibachi or a rubbish fire and then a gust of wind comes and whoooooosh, the ashes go flying all about? That's puehu. Or when you're riding in the car, hair all beautiful and all of a sudden someone opens a window and hair is flying all over the place, especially in your eyes? That's puehu.

Hopefully you haven't been peeling lately from a sunburn. That is also puehu. Use sunscreen! Gee, I remember that the only thing we put on our skin way back in my youth was anykine oil to get more pāpaʻa! Now we need to protect our skin from the harmful rays of the sun.

Ua puehu ka hulu o ka manu
the feathers of the bird have scattered
(Said of one who has left in a hurry)

Puehu ka lehu i nā maka o ka mea luhi
Ashes fly into the eyes of the toiler
(One must endure the unpleasant in order to gain the pleasant, just as the cook at a fireplace gets ashes into his eyes when he blows on the fire)

Puehu li'ili'i ka lehu o kapuahi
The ashes of the fireplace are scattered in every direction.
(Said of an angry person whose temper makes everybody scatter)

'Elua a puehu - two and a little over.

Ua puehu ka lehu i ka makani - the ashes were scattered in the breeze.

E puehu ana kona 'ili - Her skin is going to peel.

Piʻi

2009-10-06T09:31:00.000-07:00

1. to go inland (whether or not uphill, to go up, climb, ascend, mount, rise; to fall, as one shadow on another. 2. to experience personally, or appear, as heat.

Generally in our Hawaiian islands, and many other island communities, I suppose, when you go inland you are more than likely ascending. This word is piʻi. When you go mountain climbing specifically, you "piʻi kuahiwi." When the tide rises it is called "piʻi ke kai" or literally, "the sea rises." Any form of ascending, whether it be climbing a tree or going up a bunkbed, would be called piʻi.

Piʻi is also the word used to describe a feeling that you get, particularly heat, cold, and emotion, such as "piʻi ka wela" the heat rises, for when you get angry. No kona huhū, piʻi ka ʻōlelo ʻino - because of his anger, evil words come forth. Piʻi ke anu - to get chills (literally it means the coldness rises). Piʻi ka ʻula - the redness rises (blushing).

Here are several ʻōlelo noʻeau using the word piʻi:

Piʻi ka ihu o ka naiʻa i ka makani - The nose of the dolphin rises toward the wind. (Said of one who is haughty.)

Piʻi mai nei i ka pali me he ʻaʻama lā - Climbs the cliff like an ʻaʻama crab (said of one who goes beyond the limit).

Ehu Ahiahi

2009-10-05T19:04:00.000-07:00

The dust of evening

Aloha ahiahi! Good evening! Many of you may recognize ahiahi as being the Hawaiian word for evening. And you may also know the word ʻehu (usually referring to the reddish tinge in hair). ʻEhu also refers to sea spray and dust. In other words,ʻehu ahiahi literally means "the dust of evening." Otherwise known as evening twilight. What a nice way to put it, huh? Here's something else that seems so beautiful and is one of the reasons that I love the Hawaiian language so much. ʻEhu ahiahi figuratively refers to old age. I think I like the idea of comparing old age to evening dust or twilight. Not a bad thought, especially since that time of day is a favorite of mine.

Ua hiki mai ka ʻehu ahiahi - Evening twilight is here (Old age has finally arrived).

Pōhai

2009-10-02T14:06:00.000-07:00

nvi. Circle, group, as of people, trees (For. 5:287); gathering; to gather about in a circle.

How many of you are thinking of a song? Pōhai ke aloha... A gathering of love, encircled by love. How magnificent. Pōhai is this gathering of people or things into a circle. Pōhainani is the name of a retirement home on Oʻahu. It means to be surrounded by beauty. Isn't that a wonderful name for a home filled with kupuna?

Pōhai ka manu ma luna, he iʻa ko lalo - When the birds circle above, there are fish below.

Pōhai ka neki lewa i ka makani - Surrounded by the reeds that sway in the breeze. (Said of one handsome and graceful of movement)

Aʻo

2009-10-01T07:27:00.000-07:00

instruction, teaching, learning, to learn, teach, instruct, train, tutor, coach

The thing that I find most interesting and peculiar about today's "momi" that is SO different from English is that in Hawaiian the word for "to learn" is the same word for "to teach." And you don't really stop to think about it, but the best way to learn something is to actually teach it. That is aʻo.

I took Hawaiian for three years in high school and four years in college but never really could use it like I wanted to, just did well on the tests and speeches because you can study for that. But how did I finally learn to actually communicate in Hawaiian? I taught my babies! Yup, not much you need to say to an infant and a toddler (want to eat? don't do that!), and as my children got older my abilities had to get better in order to keep up the conversation! It was great! The intricacies of any fine art are best learned when it is taught to someone else. Want to learn more about Hawaiian history? Give someone else a reason to want to learn it and teach it to them. If you think you're good at something, try teaching it to someone else. that will show how good you really are.

This reminds me of one of my favorite ʻōlelo noʻeau:

Ma ka hana ka ʻike - in doing, one knows

E lawe i ka aʻo a e mālama, a e ʻoi mau ka naʻauao - He who takes his learning and applies it increases his knowledge.

Pupule

2009-09-30T12:23:00.000-07:00

crazy, insane, reckless, wild

This is a small kid kine word. And although us kids were sometimes referred to as being pupule we knew that this was the word that referred to those who were REALLY crazy (imagine your pointer fingers going in circles pointing to each ear...that kine crazy). I mean someone who has really lost it ("it" probably referring to their brains or senses).

Pupule also brings to mind a song made famous years ago:

Princess Pupule get plenty papaya,

She love to give 'em away

And all of the people they say,

"Omiya Omya, you really should trya

Little piece of the Princess Pupule's papaya..."

Remember that one? That was one good song. Didn't make much sense but not everything should, right? It was just super catchy.

Now there's a new song out for the younger generation that has pupule in it:

I've been watching you from across the way, girl

Moving that sexy body, girl

And I must say that you are driving me pupule

ʻIke anei ʻoe i kekahi kanaka pupule? - Do you know any crazy people?

Pupule kēlā wahine ma ka hale kūʻai - That woman in the store is CRAZY.

All in good fun, again. and the pupule legacy lives on in song.

Nuha

2009-09-29T07:58:00.000-07:00

Sulky, sullen, peeved, peevish, stubborn; to sulk, balk.

If you grew up in Hawaiʻi, or Hawaiian style, surely you remember the word nuha. I can just hear my dad calling me "Nuha-lani". Whenever you got all mad because someone did something to you, usually a sibling or older cousin, and no adult would "back you up" you got all nuha. Funny thing is when I read the definition for nuha in the dictionary, nowhere did it say "salty." Is that just a made up word or is that also a translation for nuha? Is that a "real" word synonymous with sulky? Oftentimes I wonder if words like "salty" for nuha or one hand "spam" instead of span when playing marbles are words just used here in the islands by the local families. People just hearing the words wrong. Not attuned to fine tuning, so to speak. I mean salty sounds like sulky, but I NEVER heard the word sulky small kid time. It was always either, "What, you nuha?" or "She stay all salty." And they weren't referring to taste. Just a point to ponder during those nuha times.

Nuha ʻo ia. - She's "salty."

Mai hoʻonuha 'oe iā ia. - Don't make him get sulky.

Hōʻole

2009-09-28T08:31:00.000-07:00

to deny, refuse, reject, veto, contradict, prohibit, protest, nullify, disclaim, renounce, repudiate; refusal, denial, negative.

Whenever something is refused or rejected we say (and by we I mean me) hōʻole ʻia, with the ʻi stretched out for emphasis (more like 'iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiaaaa) with a little tilt in the head. Usually it's something that I actually wanted to be rejected or refused, like when my kids ask their dad if they can do something that they knew I would not let them do but they thought dad would (don't you just hate it when they do that?). And then "dad" sees the look on my face and just KNOWS to refuse their request. Then I hum the little ditty to myself...."hōʻole ʻia" (please imagine that ʻia being stretched oooouuuutttt). REJECTED!

You may have recognized ʻole in there. same ʻole as you find in ʻaʻole and ʻaʻohe, meaning no or none. By putting the hō in front of it (remember hoʻo-? it's a causative) it literally means to cause no-ness. to deny! When you stick ʻia after that (ʻia makes words passive for you English language buffs) it makes it passive. Kind of like "denied". I have visions of a big rubber stamp marked: HŌ'OLE ʻIA on all my tax papers and loan requests.

hōʻole 'ia - denied
hōʻole loa - to deny or refuse absolutely
hōʻole Akua - to deny the existence of God; atheist
hōʻole wai ʻona - prohibition of intoxicants (literally - to prohibit intoxicating liquids)
Mai hōʻole i ka makua - don't refuse the parent

Hikina

2009-09-25T07:57:00.000-07:00

east; coming

To the Hawaiians, the direction of hikina is very significant. The son rises in the hikina and the sun signifies enlightenment. When the rays of the sun (kukuna o ka lā) touch our ʻāina they brings forth life. Day. When it sets in the west or komohana it signifies death. Darkness. When the first child was born of gods here in Hawaiʻi, he was very weak and didn't live long. He was buried on the hikina side of their dwelling and from this spot, where the sun first shows off its immense beauty in the early morning, grew the first kalo, or taro plant, Hāloanakalaukapalili. Their next child, also named Hāloa, was the progenitor of the Hawaiian race. The first Hawaiian. Brother to the kalo.

The easternmost point of the state of Hawaiʻi is located on the Big Island at Kumukahi. "Aia i Kumukahi ka lā e puka maila." There at Kumukahi the sun appears. This ʻāina is sacred because it is from here that Hawaiians first see the sun appear to warm us, to bring forth life, to enlighten us. We hear of children having the word hikina in their name but never hear the word komohana or west in names. Hikina also means the coming, advent. "Mai ka hikina a ka la i Kumukahi a i ka welona i Lehua" - from the arrival of the sun in Kumukahi to its setting in Lehua.

Aia ʻo Kumukahi ma ka ʻaoʻao hikina o Hawaiʻi mokupuni - Kumukahi is on the east side of Hawaiʻi Island.

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Wali

2009-09-24T09:01:00.000-07:00

Smooth, thin, as poi; fine, mashed, soft, powdery, supple, limber, as a dancer's body.

When you find that perfect poi, just the right consistency, it nice wali. When you put hoʻo- in front of wali that becomes the action of making something smooth and thin. Hoʻowali is the word used when mixing something like poi or dough, because your main goal when doing this is to get to that smooth, fine consistency. NEVER a good thing to have lumpy poi. You MUST hoʻowali until it is wali. Bad karma to have lumpy poi.

Ua wali ka poi - The poi is smooth.
ʻuala hoʻowali ʻia - mashed sweet potatoes.

Nā mea hoʻowali o loko - digestive organs (literally "the smoothing things inside")

Palalē

2009-09-23T08:37:00.000-07:00

1. To speak imperfectly, as of one with a foreign accent or speech defect; to work in a disorderly, slipshod way; confusion.
2. To drip, spatter, spill, fart.

Once in a while I will come across a word that I don't know but I find very interesting and quite humourous. Palalē is a new one for me! And I'm going to make an attempt to use it at least once everyday this week! And I think you should, too!

When I first looked at it I thought of myself, and how I must have a "foreign accent" when I speak in Hawaiian. After all, Hawaiian is a second language to me. And then as I read the other meanings, I couldn't help but laugh to myself at how ALL the meanings are not very flattering. All the more reason to try them out in my daily usage of Hawaiian!

He mau ʻōhua lemu kaumaha, he mau ʻopeʻope palalē - heavy-butted passengers, farting bags (HEY, I didn't make this up. This was a phrase found in Fornander's Hawaiian Antiquities, 4:577)

Naio

2009-09-22T08:56:00.000-07:00

1. pinworm, as in the rectum; white specks in feces; larvae, as of mosquitos; worm in dung or in taro. 2. Inferior taro left in the field after the crop is removed.
3. The bastard sandalwood (Myoporum sandwicesne), a native tree.
4. Name of a seaweed

Of all these meanings, the first one is the most well known. In fact, I would go so far as to say it is the most similar thing to a swear word in Hawaiian. If anyone refers to you as a pala naio, OUCH! that is a definite term of contempt, a definite swear word, cussing to the max! It means you are not even worth as much as a daub of excreta. We'll try to offset today's word with something much nicer tomorrow!

Naio ʻai kae - Dung-eating pinworm (an expression of contempt for one who slanders, especially his own ʻohana)

Kohu ʻole kahi wai o Kanaio - Unattractive is the water of Kanaio (A contemptuous expression meaning that something another person has said or done is worthless. A play on naio, found in the anus).

Hāpuʻupuʻu

2009-09-21T11:25:00.000-07:00

1. Young hāpu'u ferns that have not yet developed trunks.
2. Young stage of hāpu'u fish.
3. rough, bumpy, piimpled.
4. A mound, as for playing marbles.
5. sweet potato sprouts.
6. a variety of taro.

        Okay, here in Hawai'i most people know the hāpuʻu fern. Now you know that before it has a trunk it is hāpuʻupuʻu. But the main translation I want to focus on is the fourth one. A mound.
        Remember playing marbles small kid time? Had one hand spam, kinikini or kini, and hapupū? Well, that hapupū is actually hāpuʻupuʻu. I suppose if you say hāpuʻupuʻu fast enough it comes out sounding like hapupü. As far as marbles are concerned hāpuʻupuʻu was that mound you made. What was that hāpuʻupuʻu used for in marbles? Darn if I can remember. I loved playing marbles. I bet a lot of you can remember what your best kini looked like. You know, your favorite marble. Was it a clearie? A bamboocha? Cat eyes? And remember using that blue velvet crown royal bag for your marbles? I never had one so I was envious of those who did. My dad was a beer drinker. Those were the days. Hey, if you remember the function of the hāpuʻupuʻu leave a comment below!

Uluhe

2009-09-18T11:27:00.000-07:00

False staghorn ferns

My son, in his earlier pig hunting days, was relating a story to me and mentioned the uluis...needless to say, I paused in thought and then asked him what the uluis are. I soon realized that he was referring to the uluhe fern, found in abundance on hillsides along the Hāmākua Coast. The uluhe grows so thick that it gives the false impression that there is land right under it but in reality there might be a huge lua or pit and you don't even know it. Well, a long lecture ensued in which I explained to my son how it is now his duty to teach his fellow pig hunter friends that the plant is really the uluhe, it should not have an "s" at the end (no Hawaiian word should!), and the end sound is en "eh" sound, rather than "ee" as in eek.
Uluhe is a native forest fern and can grow 10 to 15 feet long and make a tangled mess. It can be difficult to walk through as it covers ditches and hides cliffs well. Amongst its good qualities, it prevents the growth of non-native plants in forest regions by shading out the sun to anything it overtakes. Hawaiians used the uluhe as a laxative tea.

Pala uluhe - ripened in uluhe fern leaves
(A term of derision applied by the shore-dwellers of Ka'ū, Hawai'i, to the uplanders, who were poor farmers. They ripened their bananas in pits lined and covered with uluhe fern leaves, instead of allowing the bananas to ripen in the field.)

Punia

2009-09-17T08:15:00.000-07:00

1. to be surrounded, controlled.
2. to be fond of, desired, to be liked.
3. to be deceived or deluded.
4. completed.
5. head cold.
6. a kind of coconut.

Actually if you look up the word puni you will see the translations of 1-4 above. Punia is actually the passive/imperative form of puni (this probably makes more sense to the advanced language learners). ʻIa is usually the passive marker (peku = to kicked; peku ʻia - to be kicked). But with punia, it's a combination of puni + ʻia. There are some other Hawaiian words similar to this.
Punia is not used very often in spoken Hawaiian but is found more often in song, poetry, and older literature. Here are some examples:

Ke ʻala o ka lauaʻe, punia ai ka nahele - the fragrance of the laua'e fern permeates the forest.

Aloha wale ku'u kaikunāne ē, ua punia au - Alas for my brother, I am overcome with grief.

Punia kuʻu lei i ke ʻala o ke aloha - My beloved is surrounded by the sweet scent of love.

Poʻo Huaʻi

2009-09-16T10:09:00.000-07:00

splitting headache

Nothing like a poʻo huaʻi to generate today's word! Totally unrelated is the poʻo huaʻi lama or the splitting headache or hangover caused by liquor (lama = rum or any type of liquor). Poʻo is the Hawaiian word for head and huaʻi literally means to dig up, pour forth, break forth; to churn water. That pretty much describes a splitting headache well. Just like those ship propellers churning away in your head. Ouch. I'm not going to forget this word as long as this poʻo huaʻi lasts.

ʻEha kuʻu poʻo i ke poʻo huaʻi - My head is in pain with a splitting headache.

ʻAnae

2009-09-15T08:24:00.000-07:00

Fulll-sized ʻamaʻama mullet fish

The mullet (both at the ʻamaʻama and the ʻanae stage) was and is the most important of the fresh or brackish water fish for Hawaiians. It is delicious both raw and cooked and is considered somewhat a delicacy.

Because fish is such an important food source in Hawaiʻi there are names not only for the different stages of a fishes life but for the mullet there are different names for the different seasonal migration period it is in. For instance, when they are migrating they are called ʻanae-holo (travelling mullet). When they remain off shore or returned from the journey, they re called ʻanae-pali (cliff mullet). But when are they known as an ʻanae as opposed to ʻamaʻama? ʻAmaʻama is about eight inches long and ʻanae is anything about 12 inches or more.

Here are a couple of place names given to honor the ʻanae:

Waiʻanae - Mullet water. (located on O'ahu) Now, because I have spent MANY years growing up in Waiʻanae I am particularly sensitive to its pronunciation. People tend to say "Waenae" (why-nye) when referring to this district on Oʻahu's leeward shore. Please be more attentive to its correct pronunciation: Wai = water. ʻAnae = mullet.
ʻAnaehoʻomalu - restricted or protected mullet. (located on Hawaiʻi island)

Keʻanae - the mullet. (located on Maui)

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Kākiʻo

2009-09-14T07:45:00.000-07:00

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!

Hahano

2009-09-11T12:01:00.000-07:00

enema

         Not a pleasant word to most of us. My memories of hahano mostly come from small kid time, from my tūtū wahine, my grandmother. Hahano was her "cure-all." Don't be telling her you weren't feeling well! It was either hahano or castor oil! Both horrific!
        The kahuna lāʻau lapaʻau, or healing "physician" who healed using medicinal herbs, would use hahano as an integral part of healing certain ailments. It would mostly be given to prepare the patient for medicines that would be given later. An example of a hahano might consist of placing two handsful of salt in a container with a little water and letting it stand overnight. In the morning the salt water was warmed before being put to use (I'm cringing just thinking about it!). Juice of the ʻilima or a mashed kukui nut might be added.
        Boy, used to be that whenever you were giving birth, first thing they did to you in the hospital? You got it! Hahano! Thank goodness that practice ended after my first baby was born. Never wanted to do that again as "cleansed" as it made me feel!
        I bet you're wondering how those Hawaiians actually gave the enema. I mean I'm sure they didn't have those rubber contraptions my tūtū used (and it always stared down at me in the shower!). They would use either a small gourd with a long neck or bamboo.
        Enough hahano talk. I'm getting queasy. And I'm sure many of you are, too, reliving those memories.

Nipo

2009-09-10T09:31:00.000-07:00

1. To yearn for; to be in love with; to love, desire, long for.
2. Drowsy, languid, sleepy.

       Ah, surely we have all experienced nipo at one time or another...maybe even a few times! This yearning or desire for a loved one must have been highly regarded by Hawaiians because there are several "yearning" type words, such as ʻiʻini, ake, and hoʻohihi.
        If you put hoʻo- in front of nipo, hoʻonipo, then it means to make love, court, woo, yearn for. This word is quite powerful and pretty straightforward. Use it well.
        Interesting to note that nipo also means drowsy or sleepy, perhaps because of all the sleep we lose when we can think of nothing else but that special someone.

ʻO ka holu nape a ka lau o ka niu, hoʻonipo ana lā i ke ehu kai - swaying, dipping of the coconut fronds, making love in the sea spray.

E hoʻi i kapili e kuʻu ipo, e neneʻe mai, e nanea mai, e ke aloha, e hoʻonipo kāua - Let's get back together, my sweetheart, move closer, relax and enjoy, my beloved, and let's make love (from Kealiʻi Reichel's E Hoʻi i ka Pili)

Hulu

2009-09-09T08:28:00.000-07:00

1. Feather, quill, plumage.
2. Esteemed, choice, precious.
3. fur, wool, fleece, human body hair.
4. Kind, nature, color.
5. Hackle; fishhook with barb on the outside.
6. Brush.
7. Muscle attaching a bivalve to rocks.
8. Seal.
9. Cloth.

        Of all these translations the first three seem to be the most well-known and widely used so we'll concentrate on those. Below are some explanations referring to the specific translations:

1. Hulu refers to the feathers or plumage of birds. Hulu manu - bird feather (often "manu" follows hulu when referring to feathers to differentiate it from the fur of any animal).
        Ka hulu 'i'iwi nani - the beautiful ʻiʻiwi bird feathers

2. Frequently the elderly are often referred to as hulu kupuna - esteemed grandparent. The translation of esteemed or prized might be related to the fact that bird feathers were highly prized in Hawaiʻi and used in symbols of royalty such as capes, lei and helmets.

3. Any human hair, with the exception of the hair on the top of our head (which is lauoho) is known as hulu or huluhulu. Similarly, any fur on animals is also hulu.

He huluhulu kau i ka puka ihu - Hair growing inside of the nostril (said in envy of a person who is regarded as a favorite by a superior--he is so closely allied to the person that he is likened to a hair in the other's nostril. Also said in criticism of one who is made too much of).

Mano

2009-09-08T07:58:00.000-07:00

1. Many, numerous, four thousand; thick.
2. To throw, as a stone; to aim at and hit.
3. Short for Mano-ka-lani-pö.

This is not the word for shark. That word is manō (pronounced mah-NOH). Big difference. Mano, more frequently than not, refers to a large number. See, Hawaiians didn't have precise big numbers like we do today. I mean, in our lives today it's important to know whether we have $4,839.00 versus $4,622.79. Well, at least to most people. But in traditional Hawaiʻi, if it was around 4,000 it was mano. Also manomano (there's one of those reduplicated words, a common occurence in Hawaiian). There are other words that refer to great numbers, such as kini, lehu, lau.

Mano is also short for Manokalanipō, famous ruler in ancient times of Kauaʻi. In fact, Kauaʻi is known to many as Kauaʻi o Mano (Kauaʻi of Mano) or Kauaʻi o Manokalanipō.

He lau ka puʻu, he mano ka ihona - many hills, numerous descents (said of trouble)

Ua nui a manomano ka ʻikena a ka Hawaiʻi - Great and numerous is the knowledge of the Hawaiian.

Kiele

2009-09-04T09:55:00.000-07:00

Gardenia

This is the generic word used in Hawaiian for any type of gardenia. I do believe this is a form of an older Polynesian word (tiale) and you can see the similarity in its sound with the name of the Tahitian gardenia that we see a lot of here in Hawai'i, tiare (roll the r on this one, please!).

Many people do not know, however, that Hawaiʻi has a native gardenia of its very own, that is not found anywhere else (it's endemic to Hawaiʻi). It is known as nānū or nāʻū. Fortunately, after being endangered in the wild for so long (which prevented its propogation for home use), it was fairly recently put on the list of endangered plants that can be propogated and grown in gardens. So that means that you can search out nurseries, buy a nāʻū plant and grow it at home! How special is that? You would help save this endangered plant AND have a sweet smelling flower. Its scent, like all kiele varieties, is exquisite! If you can get by the cost (upwards of $15) then it would surely be considered an investment in our 'āina.

Pua Kenikeni

2009-09-03T08:32:00.000-07:00

small tree, flowers (fagraea berteriana), fruit, fragrant, used for leis.

Today's word is especially for my dear friend, E. Kaiponohea Hale. His favorite lei is the lei pua kenikeni. Like the pua kenikeni, kaipo is strong, VERY sweetly scented, leaving you dizzy, and yet you should take the time to enjoy the beauty from afar or up close, next to your bosom.

It's pua kenikeni blossoming time, people. If you see a blossom on the tree, whether it's in its early stage as white or just turning yellow or in its deep orange state, pick it, enjoy it, even when it has bruises on it and is withering because its smell is just as sweet. Of course we all know pua means flower, but I bet most of you don't know that kenikeni is the word for dime or 10 cents. Yes, it's the 10 cents flower, because it is said that at one time they were sold 10 cents apiece. well worth its price, I assure you. Nowadays, you can buy those fimo dough looking flowers for your hair or a fake pua kenikeni lei for your neck. Good if you're on the mainland or want to dress up your muʻu on an out of season occasion, but when you have a chance, there is no substitution worthy of its beauty, its fragrance. Splurge. Buy a lei, pick a flower. And enjoy the pua kenikeni. And think of my hoaaloha, Kaiponohea!

Pīkake

2009-09-02T07:42:00.000-07:00

The Arabian jasmine (Jasminum sambac), introduced from India, a shrub or climber, with rounded, dark-green leaves and small, white, very fragrant flowers used for lei.
Once you've seen/worn/smelled pīkake, you never forget it. mostly it's the aromatic fragrance. But also its delicate features, so many little white petals, sewn close to each other, releasing more and more scent as its buds begin to unfold. It's no wonder that many, many Hawaiian songs have been composed for this flower. I'm sure many sweethearts were likened to the pīkake flower when they were composed, too!

The pīkake was the favorite flower of Princess Kaʻiulani (the most elegant and beautiful of aliʻi, many pictures of her grace books and walls; she was the daughter of Princess Likelike [sister of Kalākaua & Liliʻuokalani] and Archibald Cleghorn, so she possessed that beautiful hapa haole look). And because her favorite bird was the peacock, she gave the flower the same Hawaiian name as the peacock...pīkake. did you notice how it sounds just like "peacock?" Clever. A beautiful flower and a beautiful bird. I'm sure we can all agree the princess had impeccable taste.

Ke ʻala o ka pīkake, ke moani mai nei - The fragrance of the pīkake is wafting towards me.
ʻO ka lei pīkake ka lei punahele a Uluwehi - The pīkake lei is the favorite lei of Uluwehi.

Pakalana

2009-09-01T08:03:00.000-07:00

the chinese violet (Telosma cordata), which has yellowish-green flowers

Since mokihana is not plentiful, is costly, and is not available but for a few months beginning in or around March, I do have a second favorite lei and that is the pakalana. Its Hawaiian name actually comes from the flower's Chinese name: Paklan. This fast growing vine enjoys hot weather so it grows quite well in areas such as Waiʻanae and Molokaʻi. Fetching an easy $5 a strand it can be quite costly as one strand is not enough...3 is a minimum. Its delicate petals can be revitalized by a nice cold bath in water. Its scent wafts gently into the house if you plant it in strategic places in the yard. Give it a good trellis and you needn't do much more except watch for the bees, although they don't both humans when they have pakalana to keep them fed. Want a nice lei to give to someone on a special occasion? When in season, order pakalana. Though not as popular as pīkake it is just as sweet!

E lei i ka lei ʻala onaona, ʻo ka pakalana - where the sweet scented lei, the pakalana.
ʻO ka pakalana kekahi lei punahele - The pakalana lei is a favorite lei.

Mokihana

2009-08-31T07:53:00.000-07:00

a native tree (Pelea anisata), found only on Kaua'i

As I was searching through my books searching for inspiration for today's word, my eyes were drawn to the word mokihana. Now anyone who knows me oh so well, knows that the mokihana is, by far, my most favorite lei in the world. This has nothing to do with Kaua'i being my favorite island to visit (well, maybe just a tad), but more to do with its wonderful fragrance, anise-scented fruits, strung together and entwined with maile lauliʻiliʻi lest the wearer bear the dark scars of burns. Yes, the mokihana berries may actually leave burn marks on the wearer's skin, especially if exposed to the sun. I always told people that the marks were well worth the wear because the smell just puts me in a trance. I can literally smell mokihana in the Edith Kanaka'ole Stadium during Merrie Monarch time rows and rows away from me and can follow the scent until I find the wearer. Its fragrance is becoming more and more elusive to me as perhaps it is becoming harder and harder to find.

The mokihana is the lei of the island of Kaua'i which is quite appropriate since it is endemic to the island (arrived by natural means and cannot be found anywhere else on earth). Entwined with the maile lauliʻiliʻi (small leafed maile, also found most abundantly on Kaua'i), it can be purchased when in seasons for $40+. Unfortunately, harvesters of these berries do not always take care of the trees when picking, often picking the fruit that is not quite ready (too small, too green) or overpicking to feed their pocketbook.

Mokihana onaona o Maunahina, lei hoʻohihi a ka malihini - The fragrant mokihana of Maunahina, lei in which visitors delight.

I kahi ʻē nō ke kumu mokihana, paoa ʻē nō ʻoneʻi i ke ʻala - Although the mokihana tree is at a distance, its fragrance reaches here (although a person is far away, the tales of his good deeds come to us)

Niho

2009-08-28T10:43:00.000-07:00

tooth; toothed; nipper, as of an insect; octopus beak; claw, as of a crab; tusk; biting, of the teeth

Most people know niho to mean teeth or tooth. Most don't know that the claws of a crab are also his niho. Don't they serve the same purpose?

niho ʻole - toothless (I remember my dad calling me this when my baby teeth began falling out, then singing, way too many times, "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth!")

He kekē niho wale iho nō - just an exposing of teeth (just threats)

niho huʻi - toothache; having a toothache (huʻi = ache, pain; aching)

niho ʻawa - poisonous fang or tooth, as of a centipede (literally - bitter tooth)

In Hawaiʻi the molars of defeated warriors, preferably or more likely those belonging to fallen chiefs, were taken and inlaid into bowls, like spittoons (used for the aliʻi to spit into to protect their mana, so that it can be properly disposed of) as an insult to that particular aliʻi. An example of this can be seen at Bishop Museum. I mean, talk about defiling someone's mana! Along the same lines, some kāhili posts (feather standards) were made from the leg bones of humans! That's gotta hurt!

He niho ko kaʻu keiki - My child has a tooth.
Ma hea kou niho? - Where is your tooth?

Wāwae

2009-08-27T09:23:00.000-07:00

leg, foot, paw; upper leg of a crab; foot of a rainbow; to walk.

This is a commonly mispronounced word, most likely because it's cumbersome, especially the ending part. Most people want to end with a long "ee"sound, as in knee. or say something like "waewae" or "waiwai" (which actually means wealthy or rich). I've even seen it spelled that way! The first half, "wā" should be emphasized, then followed by a light "wae". Hmm, should add a sound byte to this blog.

wāwae pehu - gout (literally-swollen feet)

An interesting note: the limu we know as wāwae ʻiole (green, spongy like, looks like a mini shrub of sorts, ʻono in poke) literally means "rat feet" which sounds kind of gross but is quite descriptive of the limu and helps me to remember its name. Also interesting is there is a plant on land that bears the same name, can be found in the forests and looks almost EXACTLY like the limu. It is used frequently in lei wili!

Nui koʻu wāwae - My feet are big

Waha

2009-08-26T10:36:00.000-07:00

mouth, opening, inner surface of a bowl, open top of a canoe, muzzle
of a gun, oral, one who talks too much :-)

"You all waha". Boy, I can just hear my dad saying this. And believe me, it's a lot funnier today as I think about it than it was when I used to hear it! Now, tell me you heard it, too, small kid time. It's when you say stuff and you are either making it up or just saying a lot of nothing. "You all mouth."

Isn't it ironic that the waha refers to a part of the canoe as does the ihu (nose). Wonder about tomorrow's word...

Here are some interesting "waha" words:

waha ʻawa - a bitter (ʻawa) and sadistic person who makes impulsive vindicative statements about the one he hates.

waha heʻe - to lie; lying, deceitful, false (literally, "slippery mouth. Not to be confused with waihe'e)

waha mana - voice of authority (literally powerful mouth)

ʻOluʻolu

2009-08-25T08:58:00.000-07:00

reduplication of ʻolu (cool, refreshing; soft, supple, flexible, pliant), pleasant, nice, amiable, satisfied, contented, happy, affable, agreeable, congenial, cordial, gracious; please.

Frequently we meet people in our lives who are ʻoluʻolu by nature. Much like a couch can be ʻoluʻolu, or comfortable, certain people that we know possess that kind of comfort. These are people who are very gracious and cordial, so much so that we never want to lose them as friends and are confident that we never will by virtue of the ʻoluʻolu-ness. And like not wanting to give away that old ratty couch. we will never leave these friendships. Now I'm not comparing ʻoluʻolu friends to ratty old couches, just the feelings that they evoke! And though we all strive to be ʻoluʻolu in most that we do, I know but a small handful of people who are truly like this. How about you?

He kanaka ʻoluʻolu 'o Kahu Kaupu - Kahu Kaupu is a nice person

ʻOluʻolu is also the word used for "please", the magic word. You can use it like this:

E ʻoluʻolu, e honi iaʻu - please kiss me.
E honi iaʻu, ke 'ʻoluʻolu - kiss me, please

Notice how there is an "e" in the beginning please, but when please occurs at the end of the sentence, it changes to "ke".
Thus ends the language lesson.

Piko

2009-08-24T07:37:00.000-07:00

1. navel, navel string, umbilical cord.
2. summit or top of a hill or mountain, crest, crown of the head.
3. a common taro with many varieties.

There are many more meanings for piko, these above are just the more commonly known ones. Most common of them all is number 1 above. The navel. Pehea ko piko? How is your navel? This is used as a common question after saying aloha. Not always thought of as appropriate because figuratively piko refers to blood relatives and, lo and behold, the genitals. so pehea ko piko could be viewed as an inappropriate question by some (how's your genitals?). But, hey, it's all in the perception, right? Like so many things. But mostly, in poetic reference, it does refer to relatives and it is said that if one dreams of an injury to one's piko it is an omen of the death of a close relative. I would take it to mean that one of my close relatives got one of those piko rings. A bellybutton pierce. Ouch.I s that like taking a pin and poking it at a relative?

Ku'u ewe, ku'u piko, ku'u iwi, ku'u koko - my umbilical cord, my navel, my bones, my blood (said of a very close relative)

Mō ka piko - cut is the umbilical cord (a friendly relation between closely related persons has been severed)

Also, after women gave birth they would take the piko and hide it in certain crevices of rocks (I don't think that any rock would do since there are some areas/rocks well known for this practice) to ensure their baby's good health. If the piko was taken by a rat, then it was thought that the child would grow up to be a thief, much like a rat.

He piko pau 'iole - an umbilical cord taken by a rat (a chronic thief)

My babies' piko are all well taken care of, thank you very much. Don't want no thieves around!

mohala

2009-08-14T19:30:00.002-07:00

unfolded, as flower petals; blossoming, opening up; spread, as a turkey's tail; blooming, as a youth just past adolescence; shining forth, as a light, appearing clear, as a thought; evolved, developed.

What a beautiful word. And to mean such different, yet similar things. a blooming flower, a male turkey's tail (and I do see lots of turkeys in Paʻauilo), a child emerging into the next stage of life. All a blossoming forth into new beauty.

We mostly hear mohala referring to the blossoming of flowers, as in the Hālau Mohala 'Ilima (hālau of blossoming 'ilima), with kumu hula Mapuana de Silva.

I mohala nō ka lehua i ke keʻekeʻehi ʻia e ka ua - lehua blossoms unfold because the rains tread upon them. (It is the rain that brings forth the lehua blossoms. So do gentle words bring forth much that is desired).

Ua hoʻomohala ʻia kona naʻau kānalua - his doubting heart began to feel courage.

ʻalaʻala

2009-08-14T19:30:00.001-07:00

1. ink sac in octopus or squid.
2. scar of a scrofulous sore; to be so scarred.
3. aerial tubers of bitter yam.

Most of us know that the ʻalaʻala is the ink sac of the heʻe (well those of us who eat or make raw squid) used when making raw squid (MY FAVORITE!). But there is another translation of ʻalaʻala and that is of a sore, thought to perhaps refer to tuberculosis. My main reason for having this as today's word is to share a small lesson in culture, through the following ʻōlelo noʻeau:

Mai hāʻawi wale i ka lei o ka ʻāʻī o ʻalaʻala. - do not give a lei too freely lest a scrofulous sore appear on the neck.

Sometimes when we have a lei we give it away to whomever we wish. Well, in days gone by (and today, too, by those who have maintained this practice) one never gave a lei he/she wore, away freely. Usually a "worn lei", if given away, was given to someone closely related. And the reason for this was that once you have worn a lei, your mana and your essence transcends into the lei. It becomes a part of you. You have to be careful with your personal belongings, which holds your mana, because you wouldn't want it to fall into the hands of a sorcerer, such as a kahuna ʻanāʻanā, who could use something of yours to cause you harm.

Mai ʻalaʻala paha auaneʻi i ka ua o Waʻahila -almost received a scar on the neck, perhaps, from the Wa'ahila rain. (he just escaped trouble)

maloʻo

2009-08-14T19:04:00.000-07:00

dry, dried up, evaporated, juiceless, desicrated; stale, as bread; drought, dryness

Not to be confused with malolo, as in Malolo syrup, maloʻo refers to anything on the dry side (although malolo also refers to low, as in the tide).

iʻa maloʻo - dry fish

kai maloʻo - dry sea (in other words, low tide)

Hereʻs an ʻōlelo noʻeau using maloʻo:

Maloʻo ka lani, wela ka honua - when the sky is dry, the earth is parched.

Here's another I think you will enjoy:

Mai nānā i ka lāʻau maloʻo, ʻaʻohe mea loaʻa o laila - do not pay attention to a dry tree for there is nothing to be gained from it. (Nothing is learned from an ignoramous)

Wow! How's that for some imagery! clever, simply clever. Not too nice, but definitely vivid! Are there some lāʻau maloʻo hanging around your workplace?

ʻAlawa

2009-08-14T19:00:00.000-07:00

nvt. to glance, look quickly; glance

There are so many intricacies in the Hawaiian language that are being overlooked today, despite our efforts of revitalization. Most people who learn the language today use nānā for the generic word "look." But there are other words to describe different ways to look. One of these is ʻalawa, or ʻalaʻalawa. to glance or look quickly.

The following 'ōlelo no'eau gives a good picture of what ʻalawa means. And it also shows the poetic adeptness of the Hawaiians. Why come out and say there's a thief in the midst when you can make reference to something in nature and in that way not be blamed outright for the insult! How clever!

Pueo maka 'ala'alawa. - Owl with eyes glancing here and there (said of one
who looks about to see what he can steal).

You've probably also heard ʻalawa used in a popular song:

ʻAlawa iho 'oe ma ka 'ao'ao, hū ana ka makani hele uluulu (from Holoholo Ka'a) - You glance downward on the side, the strong winds are blowing

If you are a Hawaiian language speaker, look up other ways to "look" and
help to make these words come alive, to keep the essence pure in our
language.

Hapa

2009-08-10T16:05:00.000-07:00

1. nvs. Portion, fragment, part, fraction, installment; to be partial, less.
2. nvs. Of mixed blood, person of mixed blood.
3. n. A-minor in music.

When I was growing up, anyone who was "part-Hawaiian" was referred to as being hapa. And to me it was not a bad thing, it just was. It did not matter how much Hawaiian blood you had because hapa is non descript as far as amounts are concerned. But usually attached to hapa was the "other ethnicity": hapa haole - part Caucasian, or hapa pākē-part Chinese. I guess it was just understood that whoever was hapa something, was Hawaiian and that something else. I dont know if that is still understood to be the case. So many things have changed. And most people have so many other ethnicities that it would sound funny to add them all on: some people would have to go down the list--hapa haole, pākē, kepanī pukīkī, kelamania, kenemaka (Caucasian, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, German, Danish).

The term hapa is also used when referring to fractions. If you want to get specific with the fraction or parts, it is fairly simple, especially if you know your Hawaiian numbers:

hapahā - 1/4
hapalua - 1/2
hapakolu - 1/3

Get the gist? You can get fancier:

ʻekolu hapahā - 3/4
ʻekolu hapawalu - 3/8
ʻelua hapakolu - 2/3

Here are some other "portions":
hapa nui - majority, most quorum (big portion)
hapa ʻuʻuku - minority, less (small portion)
hapa makahiki - semi annual (makahiki = year)

Puka

2009-08-10T15:55:00.000-07:00

1. Hole, door, entrance, gate, slit, vent, opening, issue.
2. To pass through, appear, emerge, come out; to rise, as the sun.
3. To graduate.
4. To say, utter, speak.
5. To gain, win, profit; to draw interest; winnings, gain, profit.
6. Trap, snare.
7. idiom. Almost.

I bet you did not realize that there were so many meanings for the word puka. Puka, second only to pau for frequently used Hawaiian words in daily life (of course I am not counting aloha and mahalo because everyone worldwide uses these words).

If you look at the majority of the translations above you can see that they are related (now is the time for you to stop reading here and glance up and review the meanings again). You need to visualize a hole and things being able to emerge from a hole (I like to visualize a hole, like a blowhole, and water shooting out of it). Visualize the sun coming out of the hole. Visualize a graduate reaching for the stars out of the hole. Visualize what you see emerging from a hole (i.e., words leaving your mouth). Visualize the winnings which will "take you out of the hole". You just have to keep in mind the visual.

There is one way that puka is misused. Sometimes what we think of as a puka is actually a lua, a pit. Take, for example, what we would refer to as a hole in the ground. In English we call it a hole (like a pothole) but in Hawaiian it is not a perforated thing where you can see light at the other end. It is a lua, or a pit of sorts. Much like a toilet. No light at the other end.

Puka mai ka lā i ka hikina - The sun rises in the east (the first line of a mele kaʻi, the mele done when a hālau hula emerges onto the stage)

He puka ko ka lole wāwae - The pants have a hole (puka pants!).

E puka ana ʻo Kaipo i kēia makahiki aʻe - Kaipo is going to graduate next year.

Puka maila ʻoe, ua kala kahiko i Lehua - Now that you have come, [what we had] has long departed to Lehua

See if you can solve this ʻōlelo nane (Hawaiian riddle): Puka kinikini, puka kinikini, ʻaʻohe ona puka e puka aku ai - a multitude of puka, a multitude of puka, but it has no puka to pass through/emerge from.

What is it?

Maka Onaona

2009-08-10T15:07:00.000-07:00

A sweet, lovely, or tender expression of face or eyes; also said of the eyes of the kole fish.

I LOVE these two words for different reasons. First of all, I think that to refer to someone as having maka onaona is to have a great appreciation for that person. Maka refers to the eyes or face. Onaona literally means fragrant or sweet smelling. Of course, one's eyes or face cannot necessarily be fragrant but it sure can have the same effect on the soul, right? So maka onaona is another way of saying beautiful face or charming eyes.

Another reason I like these words is that the kole fish is THE best reef fish in the WORLD! Of course, that is my own humble opinion but you can double check with my friends and fmaily on Moloka'i and in Lāʻie. There is nothing better. Fried. Hot. Side order poi. The song, He ʻOno (by Bina Mossman), has a line in it about the kole fish, "ʻO ke kole ka iʻa maka onaona lā" The kole is the fish with the sweet. Yes indeed.

So nothing wrong with calling your favorite person maka onaona. Either way it is a compliment!

Nīele

2009-08-10T14:18:00.000-07:00

To keep asking questions; inquisitive, curious, plying with frivolous questions.

In relation to last week's word, mahaʻoi, we have its trusty companion, nīele. I received a few emails wanting clarification.

I know if you were raised in Hawaiʻi, youʻve heard this word. Heck, I would put money that it was directed at you! What child was not called nīele by their parents, grandparents, or siblings? Gee, my mom still calls me nīele at times! Whereas mahaʻoi refers to boldness or rudeness, nīele is just plain old inquisitive. Too many questions. And not very thoughtful (as in taking the time to really think about it first before asking) ones at that. In Hawaiian style, when learning something new, the rule of thumb is to watch, listen and keep your mouth shut. Nānā ka maka, hoʻolohe ka pepeiao, paʻa ka waha. And that is how you learn. You do not learn by talking all the time, asking frivolous questions because what that really means is that you are not paying attention! If someone calls you nīele it means that you are asking too many unnecessary questions and not paying close enough attention.

He keiki nīele ʻoe - You are an inquisitive child.

Nīele kēlā wahine - That woman is full of questions.

Pehu

2009-08-10T14:11:00.001-07:00

1. nvs. Swollen, distended; swelling; to swell; dropsy, edema. 2. n. A variety of sweet potato. 3. n. A kind of seaweed.

I remember whenever I was hāpai, unfailingly, my body, in one way or another, and sometimes from head to toe, would get all pehu, swollen. That is when I first learned the word, because really, we do not really learn something until it has some relevance or purpose to our own life, right? So, pehu I was. And the kumu at my keiki's school (Pūnana Leo at the time) told me to soak my feet in wāpine (lemongrass-another new word I learned and never forgot because of its immediate use) infused hot water. And any opportunity they had they would lomi my wāwae in an effort to get the fluids flowing properly. Love that kind of school.

Figuratively, pehu refers to one who is swollen with pride or conceit as well as one who is longing to eat or is hungry. In fact, someone who is REALLY hungry could be referred to as makapehu (swollen eyes, or eyes big with hunger).

Today I talked with two friends who are both experiencing bouts of gout. UGH! If you are local, chances are you know someone who has gout. Very painful. Thus the inspiration for today's He Momi because when I looked up the word for gout, guess what it is...

wāwae pehu - swollen foot/feet

Here are some other terms or sentences that use the word pehu:

Kai pehu - surging sea
Moaʻe pehu - a strong Moaʻe wind
Ua pehu kona lima i ka meli - Her hand was swollen because of the bee [sting].
E pehu ana kou ʻōpū - Your stomach is going to swell.

Mahaʻoi

2009-08-05T17:56:00.000-07:00

v. bold, impertinent, impudent, insolent, nervy, cheeky, rude, forward, presumptuous, saucy, brazen.

Anyone who has heard this word knows it is not a good thing. While boldness may be appreciated by some, it goes against the grain of the "Hawaiian way" (unless, of course, you are in battle). Mahaʻoi literally means "sharp temple" or in other words, you are sticking your head out, in a place it does not belong.

Being self-assertive and aggressive is mahaʻoi. Some examples of being mahaʻoi would be dominating a conversation, volunteering to do something in an attention seeking way (this one reason why you donʻt see a lot of Hawaiians volunteering to do things. Seriously. As a teacher, I know this to be true. But approach the parents directly asking them to help and they will be there in a split second), going through someoneʻs house, inspecting their rooms and possessions. These are all VERY mahaʻoi. Anytime you feel the urge to say "Mind your own business" itʻs because someone is being mahaʻoi. It is one of the reasons that assimilation of Hawaiian culture to Western culture can be so difficult, because not being mahaʻoi, at times, can leave you in the dust. Sometimes itʻs a difficult thing for us to weigh...should I be more forward, which goes against my grain, and push my way to the front of the line and make myself heard, which feels uncomfortable? Its a daily struggle for some.

Mai mahaʻoi - Do not be "so bold".
He kanaka mahaʻoi ʻo Kealoha - Kealoha is a brazen/nosey/forward person.

heʻe

2009-08-05T17:06:00.000-07:00

1. n. Octopus (Polypus sp.), commonly known as squid

2. To slide, surf, slip, flee (Kin. 14.10).

3. To melt, flow, drip, soften; to skim, as milk.

4. To hang down, as fruit; to sag; to beat bearfruit.

5. Line that supports the mast, stay.

We refer to heʻe as squid in Hawaiʻi, but the true squid is a mūheʻe. I suppose, though, as long as everyone here in Hawaiʻi knows what is meant when we say squid though we mean octopus. I guess it doesnʻt matter, right? Heʻe is octopus. Heʻe also means to slide or slip. The name Waiheʻe can translate "slippery water". Heʻe also means to melt - ua heʻe ke hau - the ice melted.

As a point of interest, the head if the heʻe is known in Hawaiian as a pū, and not "poʻo" which is the general term for head, like the one on top of our necks. The tentacles of heʻe are known as ʻaweʻawe and not wāwae, or legs, as we have on our bodies.

Interesting to note that "wahaheʻe" or "slippery mouth" refers to someone who lies. Here is one of my favorite ʻōlelo noʻeau: He waha kou o ka heʻe - Yours is the mouth of an octopus (in other words, you are a LIAR!)

Here are a couple more ʻōlelo noʻeau that refer to the heʻe of the sea:

Ka iʻa pipili i ka lima - the fish that sticks to the hand. This refers to the way the tentacles with their suction cups stick and slide over your hand.

Pua ke kō, kū mai ka heʻe - When the sugar cane flowers, the heʻe season is here.

Before the heʻe can be eaten, raw or cooked, it is always a good practice to pound it and rub it with salt to remove the wale (slime). The pounding also helps to soften up or tenderize the meat. Today, people usually put a papaya leaf or two in the bottom of the bucket before pounding because the papaya contains a tenderizer. Just add some Hawaiian salt and hold onto the pū and pound away until the ʻaweʻawe start to curl! My mouth is already starting to water! Heʻe maka, or raw squid, is my favorite of all the raw foods to eat. And it tastes best when the ʻalaʻala or the ink sac of the heʻe is used as a part of the ingredients mixed in, along with ʻinamona, or kukui nut relish. ʻOno!

Pōkiʻi

2009-08-05T16:44:00.000-07:00

n. 1. Younger brother or sister or closely related younger cousin, often spoken affectionately, Pōkiʻi ka ua, ia i ka lehua, the rain a younger brother, raining on the lehua flowers [the rain and lehua are dear to each other]. hoʻopōkiʻi To claim a pōkiʻi relationship; to behave as a pōkiʻi. (PEP pootiki) 2. Second or final brewing, as of ti root or sugar cane. 3. Name of the canoe of the owner of the net used in mālolo or iheihe fishing. Rare.

The word pōkiʻi, in and of itself, gives a glimpse into the Hawaiian culture. There is an implied sense of responsibility for older children to watch over, care for, and teach younger siblings. In fact, this holds true today in much the same way that it did many many years ago. Hawaiian children are expected to care for the younger children without being told and this is not restricted to their own siblings. This applies to all younger keiki within the extended ʻohana.

It is understood that the pōkiʻi must listen to the older siblings much like they listen to their own parents. And if the pōkiʻi does something wrong, frequently it is the older sibling that gets the scoldings. Many teenagers (and younger) stay home from school to take care of the younger ones when the parent(s) cannot do so. I remember visiting a charter school on Kauaʻi recently where the older siblings actually brought babies to class and these little ones were accepted into the school! Now that is a Hawaiian school, honoring the values of the ʻohana, including the little ones...better that than have the older siblings miss school.

Kamehameha I uttered a saying (well known today) that I take to heart in these trying and times for Hawaiians:

"I mua e nā pōkiʻi a inu i ka wai ʻawaʻawa. ʻAʻohe hope e hoʻi mai ai"

Go foward my younger siblings and drink of the bitter waters. There is no retreating.

We, as a people, are drinking of those bittler waters and frankly, Iʻm tired of it. I want some sweet water. But we cannot retreat, we cannot give up. Our battles are laid out in front of us and we must continue to drink that water, let it quench our thirst, however bitter it may be, and move forward, i mua.

Educate yourself, learn about the Akaka Bill, read the Ka Wai Ola o OHA, learn Hawaiian, take Hawaiian studies classes, get out and volunteer at a loʻi kalo or in our forests or at school in a Hawaiian community. We cannot sit idly by, giving the responsibility to others. We need to take care for our pōkiʻi by getting involved and DOING something, we need to mālama our kuleana, take care of our responsibilities.

E mālama kākou a pau i nā pōkiʻi - Let us all take care of [our] younger siblings.

Polapola

2009-08-04T17:42:00.001-07:00

nvi. Recovered from sickness; well, after sickness; to get well, convalesce; filling out, as after loss of weight; sprouting, as a bud.

Everyone seems to be getting or recovering from an illness, either a sore throat, a cold, or some strain of flu. There are those whose illnesses are a bit more serious. So I thought it might be useful to learn a new word: polapola. In English, when someone is recovering from illness, we just say that they are getting better, recovering, getting well. In Hawaiian, polapola is just the word you are looking for when you want to say that you or someone you know is recovering or getting better. And what happens frequently when we get sick is that we lose weight (one aspect of being sick that I welcome) and a lot of people just do not look the same until they start "filling out" again. When that starts happening, you can refer to that "filling out" as polapola.

Ke polapola nei ʻo ia - S/he is getting better.

Ua polapola maikaʻi kaʻu moʻopuna - My grandchild recovered well.

E polapola ana au - I am going to get better.

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kau wela

2009-08-03T18:48:00.001-07:00

n. Summer, hot season.

We have two seasons in Hawai‘i: Kau wela and kau hoʻoilo. Summer and winter. In fact, the whole notion of "season" is rather foreign to Hawaiians. Kau is another word that refers to summer, although it is also the general term for season.

How many children in our schools here in Hawaiʻi realize we have just two seasons? How many children would be able to list some of the specific characteristics of kau wela and hoʻoilo? How many would be able to say when kau wela begins and hoʻoilo begins? And yet when we were elementary school students, we all got drilled on the four seasons, summer, fall, winter, spring. We learned about leaves changing colors and falling, even though we donʻt even have that here in Hawaiʻi. We learned and read tons of stories about snow and m aking snow angels. Not to mention learning about penguins and icebergs. We learned about apples but apples donʻt grow in our back yard (unless you live in Keanakolu up Mānā Road which has great apples!). Donʻt get me wrong. I think itʻs important to get a broad view of our world. But more importantly, first teach us about our own ʻāina and help us to be cognizant of what is right here in our own backyard. Teach about mountain apple and how mango came to Hawaiʻi. And then from that we can scaffold all of this other knowledge about other lands. Then we can perhaps understand why the climate is the way it is here and not in Alaska. And the importance of apples and oranges in North America.

We canʻt put an exact date and time on when kau wela is and when hoʻoilo occurs. But we definitely know when the humpback whales arrive we are entering hoʻoilo, right? And they never come on the same date. They know when the waters will begin to get too cold for them up North. And when the plumerias begin to bloom, it must be approaching kau wela.

We look forward to both kau wela and hoʻoilo here for many reasons. For me, I cannot wait for mango and lychee season, announcing that kau wela has arrived. And what about big surf and whale watching? Those are things I look forward to in hoʻoilo. And during that same season you can guarantee that the sand will disappear in certain areas, and the kōlea, or golden plover, will arrive from Alaska to get all fat before returning to their homes up North.

For now, I will enjoy what is left of kau wela, despite the extreme heat and humidity. It is always a good excuse to drop everything and head for the beach.

Makemake au i ke kau wela - I like summer.
Hānau ʻia kuʻu mau moʻopuna i ke kau wela - My grandchildren were born in the summer.

Hopena

2009-08-03T10:31:00.000-07:00

n. Result, conclusion, sequel, ending, destiny, fate, consequence, effect, last

Sometimes (actually, a lot of times) the Hawaiian language is so much simpler and to the point than English. Let's use today's He Momi for example. Look at all the meanings. They all mean relatively the same thing: that which comes in the end. That's exactly what hopena means: ending. We can take the "root" word of hopena which is hope (which is not pronounced like hope as in faith, hope and love. This one is pronounced like Hope Joe for you old timers in Hawai'i). Hope literally means after, behind, last, late. The -na is something like a suffix, kind of like end-ing.

What made me come up with today's He Momi, hopena? Just thinking about the end of my most memorable summer, a summer in which I did nothing work wise. Well, maybe just a little, but for the first time ever, I vacationed, I went for long walks every morning, I enjoyed my time alone, with family, and friends.

I hopena pule maika'i - Have a good weekend.
E 'ike ana 'oe i ka hopena o ia hana - You will see the result of those actions.
He hopena luahine/'elemakule - the result of being an old lady/man

'Enuhe

2009-07-23T14:29:00.000-07:00

Caterpillar

One of my favorite children's books is The Very Hungry Caterpillar, or as it was translated in my Hawaiian immersion classroom, ʻO Ka ʻEnuhe Pōloli Loa, by Eric Carle.

There is a native ʻenuhe, a carnivorous caterpillar, as a matter of fact (Eupithecia spp). This is quite unusual as nearly all caterpillars are leaf eaters but our local, native ʻenuhe is a predator.

There is a wahi pana, or place name, in Hawaiʻi with the word ʻenuhe in it: Puʻuʻenuhe (caterpillar hill) is located in Kaʻū on Hawaiʻi Island. Legend says that a legendary ʻenuhe, named Kumuhea, married a girl living in the area and would only visit her at night and in human form. Eventually, he was cut up into small pieces and each piece became little ʻenuhe.

ʻEnuhe eventually morph into pulelehua but that is a momi for another day.

He hamuiʻa ka ʻenuhe ʻōiwi - the native caterpillar is carnivorous.

ʻAʻole au makemake i ka ʻenuhe ma kaʻu sāleta - I do not like caterpillars in my salad.

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And leave your own ʻenuhe sentences by clicking on the comment link.

Papa Hoe

2009-07-22T23:34:00.000-07:00

Paddle board

I love how languages grow and change and evolve. Hawaiian is no exception. When new words pop up in the English language, a Hawaiian word has to be developed. Hawaiians have been doing this since the arrival of Captain Cook! And when the Hawaiian language immersion schools first started, WHOA, tons of words had to be developed.

So today I have developed a word for paddle board. I have no idea if someone already came up with one. But why the heck not :-) It makes sense, I've done it before, and people will have no trouble figuring out what I (or you for that matter) are referring to when it is heard.

So try it out. Papa hoe - paddle board.

He papa hoe kēia - This is a paddle board.

ʻO kēia ka hoe papa hoe - This is a paddle board paddle.

Pono e kū ma luna o ka papa hoe - You have to stand on the paddle board.

If you know of a different word being used for this new sport, let us all know!

pūʻao

2009-07-22T09:13:00.000-07:00

womb

I have several friends who have a pēpē (baby) in their pūʻao. Sometimes we refer to our pēpē as being in our ʻōpū (stomach) but pūʻao is the "official" word for womb.

I just want to take this opportunity to wish all of them a safe and healthy labor and hānau!

E hoʻoulu lāhui! Increase the nation!

hua ʻai

2009-07-20T09:12:00.000-07:00

fruit or seed

Oh I love hua ʻai. The first thing I like to do in the morning (after my cup of coffee) is to make a hua ʻai smoothie. And two of my favorite hua ʻai are in season right now: manakō (mango) and laikī (lychee) (neither of which I have ready access to so if you do, LET ME KNOW!).

The word hua actually refers to a bunch of things, like fruit, seed, ovum, grain, tuber. The ʻai following hua means edible. So hua ʻai literally means edible fruit or seed. I guess that is to distinguish hua ʻai from other tubers and fruits and seed that are not edible.

ʻOno au i ka hua ʻai - I am ʻono for fruit.
ʻO ka manakō kaʻu hua ʻai punahele - Mango is my favorite fruit.
He aha kāu hua ʻai punahele? - What is your favorite fruit?

Write your response below under "comments".

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MAHALO!

Poʻo

2009-07-17T23:24:00.000-07:00

n. Head, summit, head or director of an organization, executive, principal; end, as of a rope, leaf, pole, cane, kōnane board; head of a penis or boil; headline, heading, title; father.

That is a lot! Mainly, poʻo refers to head as that which sits on your neck or head, as well as in that who "heads" your office/organization/business.

In the hālau hula (hula school), poʻo is used to refer to the poʻo puaʻa (literally the pig head), the number one person who assists the kumu, a position of high esteem. The poʻo is also the top of the ipu heke (the double gourd) and as such is considered sacred, much like the poʻo of a person. That is why it drives me CRAZY when I see kumu hula (say, at Merrie Monarch) hitting their ipu heke on the poʻo. Auē. Now I understand as much as the next person that ʻaʻole pau ka ʻike i ka hālau hoʻokahi, not all knowledge is found in one school, so some hālau do not have this same belief but still, it pains me to see it done. Same way it pains me when some hālau flash the piko of the ipu (the bottom part) out to the audience, very blatantly.

ʻO wai ke poʻo o kēia keʻena? - Who is the head of this office?

ʻEha kuʻu poʻo - My head is sore.
ʻO Kāhealani ke poʻo kumu o ke kula - Kāhealani is the principal (teacher head) of the school.

Mākaukau

2009-07-17T08:47:00.000-07:00

nvs. Able, competent, capable, handy, efficient, proficient, versed, adept, skilled, expert, qualified; prepared, ready; competence, proficiency, efficiency, aptitude, preparation; to know how, to know well.

This is a familiar word to many. Most often heard in days gone by during hula practices or performances, as I recall. The kumu would yell out, "Mākaukau". And the dancers would reply, "ʻAe". Sometimes one would hear, "Hoʻomākaukau". Remember the hoʻo-? Get ready! Literally "to cause readiness".

If someone is mākaukau in a sport or profession they are really good at it. What are you mākaukau at doing? I know there is something! Let me know in the comment section below. Here is mine:

Mākaukau au i ka huakaʻi hele - I am proficient at traveling.

ʻAʻole au mākaukau i ka ʻūlū paiki - I am not adept at packing suitcases.

Wela

2009-07-15T23:49:00.000-07:00

nvt. Hot, burned; heat, temperature.

It has been a wela summer! HOTNESS! Whew! So learn this word, if it is new to you. You can look straight into the next Hawaiian's eyes and say "WELA" and hopefully they will get the gist of your word.

Wela also refers to another kind of heat and that is the heat of passion and lust. You know what I am talking about, right? Yeah. That's a wela of a different sort. That's a wela that is wela even in the dead of winter.

Wela ka hao - The iron is hot (as in strike while the iron is hot...DO IT NOW!)
Wela kēia lā - Today is hot

Pākīkē

2009-07-15T08:22:00.000-07:00

nvt. To answer saucily or rudely; rude, sarcastic, insolent, saucy, impudent; rudeness.

When I was a young adult, I used to listen to a kupuna who would always say this word, pākīkē, and I would assume he was saying paʻakīkī (difficult), a word I grew up hearing frequently (not directed at me, of course). My own grandma could be heard spewing out "poʻo paʻakīkī" for "hard head" all the time.

Turns out this kupuna was teaching me a whole new and useful word. Pākīkē translates as rude or sarcastic. I could have used THAT word on a few people (hmm, was that me being pākīkē?). I could also draw the conclusion that I was never rude nor was anyone around me rude so my grandma never had to use pākīkē with us. Or maybe she did use it and my untrained ear just thought she was saying paʻakīkī. Again.

Keu nō hoʻi ʻoe he keiki pākīkē - But oh my goodness arent you a rude child.
Mai hana pākīkē - Do not be rude.
...a huhū, a pākīkē, ʻaʻole malu ka hale, ʻaʻole ʻoluʻolu ka noho pū ʻana - and angry, and rude, the house was not at peace, the dwelling together not pleasant. (from the newspaper Ka Nonanona, March 18, 1845)

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Hou

2009-07-14T09:15:00.000-07:00

1. vs. New, fresh, recent. Ka-puna-hou (place name), the new spring. (PPN foʻou.)

2. vs. Again, more, re- (as in hoʻoponopono hou, re-edit). Hana hou, do again, repeat; encore.

3. vt. To push, thrust, poke, stab, shove, prick, plunge, ram, jab, drill, bore, pierce, inject. See also houhou. Hou kui, injection needle. Ka hou ʻana o ka ihe (FS 55), the hurling of the spear. (PPN fohu.)

4. nvi. Perspiration, sweat; to perspire, sweat. (PCP (f,s)ou.)

5. n. Varieties of wrasse (Thalassoma) shallow-water fish, as T. purpureum. The following names have been recorded for the young stages of the hou: ʻāwela, kanaloa, ʻōlali, ʻōlani, pāhouhou, pākaiele, pākaueloa, palaeʻa, pāʻouʻou.

6. Same as pakaweli, a variety of sugar cane.

As you can see, one small word in Hawaiian can have several meanings. Such is the case with hou. You probably know this word from the phrase "Hana hou" - do it again! Or perhaps in a place name such as Punahou - new spring. Hou is also used a lot to refer to perspiration (SWEAT).

Pulu au i ka hou - I am drenched in perspiration.

He lā hou kēia - This is a new day.

E kākau hou ana au i ka leka - I am going to write the letter again.

E hīmeni hou i ke mele - Sing the song again.

Luhi

2009-07-13T17:09:00.000-07:00

1. nvs. Weary, tired, fatigued; wearisome, burdensome, tiresome, laborious, tedious; burden, wearisome or tedious task; labor, work, pains, toil. Koʻu luhi, my fatigue.

Busy weekends tend to require another weekend to recuperate, especially when hopping from one island and back. Today's Hawaiian word, luhi, refers to that tired and fatigued feeling. Perhaps you've heard this word in another word: māluhiluhi - tired (we tend to learn this one when taking a Hawaiian language class -- Pehea ʻoe? How are you? Māluhiluhi au. I am tired).

An interesting form of luhi is hoʻoluhi (there it is again, a hoʻo- word). Hoʻoluhi means "to bother" as in, Hiki iaʻu ke hoʻoluhi iā ʻoe? Can I bother you? With hoʻo- in front of luhi, it literally means to make tired or fatigued which is, generally, what you are doing when you are bothering someone :-)

Luhi au i kēia lā - I am tired today.

Mai hoʻoluhi mai ʻoe iaʻu - Donʻt make me tired.

Ho'omaha

2009-07-12T09:05:00.000-07:00

Aloha kākou! It is another hoʻo- word! Remember hoʻo- from yesterday's word? Hoʻo- is the causative, causing the verb to have action. See if you can follow along.

Maha - nvs. Rest, repose, vacation; freedom from pain; at ease, comfort.

Hoʻomaha - To cause rest. In other words, to go on a vacation!

Of course, maha has tons of other meanings:

1. n. Temple, side of the head. (Lunk. 4.21.) (PNP mafa.)

2. n. Gill plate of a fish.

3. n. Wings of a flying fish.

4. n. Preputium, foreskin.

5. n. Lower portion of a canoe manu.

7. n. Severed portion Cf. maha lāʻau, mahamaha, maha ʻōʻō.

8. Same as mahamoe 1.

9. Same as māhana, twin. Maha puʻu, twin hills.

10. Rare. var. of mahamaha 3, to show affection.

11. n. Fishes. See maha mea, maha ʻōʻō, maha wela.

But we are just sticking to the main one for today, which is "to rest". And today is Sunday, the day of rest and I am going to Oʻahu for a mini rest/vacation.

Mai poina e hoʻomaha - Do not forget to take a rest.

Ke hoʻomaha nei ʻo ia ma kahakai - He is vacationing at the beach.

He lā hoʻomaha kēia - This is a day of rest.

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Ho'oma'ama'a

2009-07-11T09:30:00.000-07:00

vs. to practice, become accustomed; to train, drill.

I am sure many of you grew up familiar with the word maʻa - accustomed to, adept, familiar. If you are maʻa to something you are at ease with it because you "know it". This is part of the word hoʻomaʻamaʻa - to practice. In other words, practice in an effort to get familiar with it.

The hoʻo- is a causative. Yikes. What does that mean? Well, I think in its simplest terms, a causative "causes" the verb following it to happen. Here is an easy example: hauʻoli - happy. Hoʻohauʻoli - to cause happiness (to make happy).

Maʻamaʻa is a reduplication (in the dictionary it will say redup.) of the word maʻa. Hawaiian is into reduplication (check the recesses of your memory for all the Hawaiian redup. words you know. Here are a few: Likelike, haʻahaʻa, wikiwiki. So when you stick hoʻo- in front of it, as in hoʻomaʻamaʻa it means to cause maʻa-ness. Get it? To cause familiarity. And the only way you are going to cause familiarity with something is to practice it, right? You have to hoʻomaʻamaʻa in order to get maʻa(maʻa) to it. Whew.

E hoʻomaʻamaʻa i ka haʻawina - Practice the lesson.

Ua hoʻomaʻamaʻa anei ʻoe i ka hula? - Did you practice the hula?

ʻAʻole au e hele ana i ka hoʻomaʻamaʻa i kēia lā - I am not going to go to practice today.

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Māʻona

2009-07-09T23:28:00.000-07:00

vs. Satisfied after eating, full, satisfying; to have eaten, to eat one's fill. Fig., intoxicated. For a rare use of māʻona as a noun, see kuenenuʻu. Ua māʻona ʻoe? Have you eaten? Have you had enough? Are you full? Māʻona maikaʻi, to have had enough to eat, but not to have overeaten. Māʻona piha, māʻona loa, completely full. He lau māʻona (For. 4:43), a leaf that gives plenty to eat. Inu mai nei a māʻona, a laila hoʻohakakā, drinking until drunk, then starting fights. Māʻona ka ʻuhane i ka ʻōlelo a ke Akua, the spirit is sustained by the word of God. ʻhoʻo.mā.ʻona To eat all one wants, to feed all that is wanted. (PPN maakona.)

Growing up we didnʻt really use this word, māʻona, when we were full. It was always "piha ka ʻōpū" - the stomach is full. I donʻt know why we didnʻt use it but I like it much better. It is usually pronounce māʻana. A native thing. So you should say it that way, too, because seriously, I donʻt hear anyone use the "o" sound in māʻona.

I like the fact that māʻona refers to being satisfied rather than being FULL. Being full, to me, means overeating. Just a bit too much. Māʻona is like just right. And having lived with a habit of overeating (maybe the piha ka ʻōpū thing was a foretelling of the future?) I am now focusing on living a māʻona lifestyle.

'Eha

2009-07-09T08:57:00.000-07:00

nvs. Hurt, in pain, painful, aching, sore, pained; pain, injury, ailment, suffering, soreness, aching; to hurt, pain, cause suffering or pang.

Yesterday's word, māloʻeloʻe, related to the achiness of your body from working out and using muscles you have not used in a while. Todayʻs word, ʻeha, just deals with overall general soreness and hurt, both of the physical and emotional type, as in, ʻEha koʻu kino - My body is sore. Ua ʻeha kona naʻau - His feelings were hurt. Or hereʻs another good one: ʻeha koni - throbbing ache. I know in your mind you are thinking of the kind of ache like when something falls on your toe, that kind of throbbing, but this one refers more often than not to that ache from love. You know what I am talking about. He ʻeha konikoni i ka puʻuwai - The heart throbs with agony.

ʻEha i ka ʻeha lima ʻole - Aching with an ache not inflicted by hands (in other words, inflicted by love. UGH!)

Mai hōʻeha i kou tita - Donʻt hurt your sister.

Ua ʻeha anei kou lima? - Is your arm sore?

ʻAʻole ʻeha koʻu kua i kēia lā - My back is not sore today.

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Māloʻeloʻe

2009-07-07T09:45:00.000-07:00

vs. 1. Tired, exhausted; stiff or aching, as from unaccustomed exercise. Also loʻeloʻe. hoʻo.mā.loʻe.loʻe Caus/sim. (Ier. 9.5.)

It is summer and as a result I am a mad woman about exercise. Only during the summer when I do not have to teach. It is either exercise or eat. And the results are quite different. But boy am I experiencing bouts of māloʻeloʻe, that achiness that comes with using bones and body parts that are not normally used. You know the feeling...you have to either plow through it the next few days or simply veg out on the couch. And for once I am choosing to plow. Ouch. Getting up hurts. Sitting down hurts. Plowing through hurts. But if a choice has to be made might as well plow right?

Aole ona makau i ka maloeloe a me ka wela - He was not fearful of the exhaustion or the heat. (from Ke Kumu Hawaiʻi 1839)

aole oia i maloeloe e like me ka lio, a ee hou oia maluna o ka lio - He wasnʻt achy/exhausted like the horse and proceeded to get on top of the horse again. (from Ka Hōkū o ka Pākīpika 1861)

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Pāpaʻa

2009-07-06T16:44:00.000-07:00

1. nvs. Cooked crisp, as pig; overdone, burned, parched; scab, of a sore; crust. Cf. palaoa pāpaʻa, pāpaʻa palaoaand saying, kūmau 2. ʻIli pāpaʻa lā, sunburned or tanned skin. ʻAʻohe nao ʻai i ka pāpaʻa, what a calamity to eat the burned food [a calamity]. hoʻo.pā.paʻa To make crisp, brittle; to burn, scorch. Hoʻopāpaʻa palaoa, to toast bread. Palaoa hoʻopāpaʻa, toast. Also paʻapaʻa. (PEP paka.)

It is summer. And I am feeling a bit pāpaʻa, as in ʻili pāpaʻa lā (see #2 above). After a week in Tahiti and two days in Waikīkī, plus some time in Waipiʻo, I am feeling pāpaʻa. Notice that pāpaʻa has a kahakō over the ā. Without it, papaʻa means tight and secure. A far cry from being overdone from heat.

I donʻt know about you, but pāpaʻa was one of those staple words when I was growing up, along with pau, ʻauʻau, lepo, pupule, pīlau, hauna (omg, there seems to be a trend going on here). Love my toast all pāpaʻa. Or the pāpaʻa part of the puaʻa kālua (roast pig) when it comes out of the imu, skin all stuck to the wire, peeling it off when itʻs still hot and crispy. Maybe it was because hanging out and then living in Mākaha there were plenty opportunities to get all pāpaʻa in the blazing sun. That is what I love about this summer: the fond memories it conjures up of summers in Mākaha, going to the surfing beach falling asleep under the coconut tree shade only to wake up an hour later and the shade is totally gone and your body is all pāpaʻa, then jumping into the water and walking home along the beach. Or going to paddling practice during the week and races on the weekends. Beach all day. Everyday. Plenty chance to get pāpaʻa.

Iʻm going to enjoy my pāpaʻa-ness this summer because once work starts again in August, my days of lounging will be far and few between.

Pāpaʻa koʻu ʻili i ka lā. - My skin is tanned from the sun.

He palaoa pāpaʻa kēia. - This is burnt toast.