1. n. Young hāpuʻu ferns that have not yet developed trunks.

2. n. Young stage of hāpuʻu fish.

3. Same as ʻāpuʻupuʻu; rough, bumpy, pimpled; impediment, as of speech; to speak with an impediment; obscured, as by mist.

4. n. A mound, as for playing marbles. Also haʻapuʻu, hoʻopuʻupuʻu.

5. Same as hāʻupuʻupu, sweet potato sprouts.

6. Same as hāpuʻu, taro: the plant is said to be distinguished by its leaf stems: yellow-green above, and dark brownish on lower half. The corms yield good light-colored poi, the leaves good greens. This name is qualified by the terms ʻeleʻele, keʻokeʻo, and maoli. (HP 17, 32.)

Okay, here in Hawaiʻi most people know the hāpuʻu fern.

But do you remember playing marbles small kid time (OH GEEZ WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE?). Had one hand spam, kinkini or kini and hapupū? Well, that hapupū, as we used to pronounce it, is actually hāpuʻupuʻu. An instance of lost in pronunciation. As far as marbles are concerned, hāpuʻupuʻu was that mound you made out of the dirt you were playing in. What was the hāpuʻupuʻu purpose? I cannot remember. Get a higher shot to the marbles below?

I loved playing marbles. I bet a lot of you can remember what you best kini looked like. You know, your favorite marble. What it a clear? 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 have a marble memory or another terminology to add to the words above, leave me a comment! Or if you can clarify the hāpuʻupuʻu purpose!

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 Proverbs & Poetical Sayings by Mary Kawena Pukui, 1983.