Haughty, proud, conceited, rude, disdainful of others, insolent, vain; to act superior. ʻAi hoʻokano, proud eating; to eat food that one has not helped prepare.

When one acts like they are so much better than those around, that type of rudeness is hoʻokano. In my youth, if someone acted like something was not “good enough”, maybe it was food or a task or an activity, wow, would we hear it! “NO BE ALL HOʻOKANO!” Or I heard, at times, “Oh dat one, so hoʻokano!”

The opposite of hoʻokano would probably be haʻahaʻa – humble, humility. A much finer trait for living day to day.

Hoʻokano kona ʻano – his way is so haughty. He kanaka hoʻokano nō ʻo ia – She is, indeed, a rude person.

Try your best not to be hoʻokano today.

Copyright: 2015 – Liana Iaea Honda. All rights reserved. All versions of He Momi e Lei ai”, in its entirety, past and present, is the property of L. K. I. Honda. Reproduction and use of any kind other than the sharing of this website is prohibited. Alteration to the original content in any form is prohibited in every and any instance, and use in any other variant is prohibited without written consent of the author. Adress inquiries to: hemomi [at] gmail.com. Definitions and wise sayings are from: Hawaiian Dictionary by Pukui and Elbert, 1986. ʻŌlelo Noʻeau – Hawaiian Proberbs & Poetical Sayings by Mary Kawena Pukui, 1983.