Monthly Archives: April 2015

Interj. Syllables repeated in chants, usually at ends of verses, similar to ēhē; a taunting singsong teasing phrase, used especially by children, meaning “Oh! Oh! Aha! Shame on you! You are going to catch it!” As a verb, to tease. … Continue reading →

1. nvs. Industrious, busy, hard-working; workman, laborer, worker, industry. 2. n. Implement, tool, utensil, furnishings (Nah. 7.1). Mea paʻahana, tool, workman. Paʻahana is considered a “Hawaiian value”. A way to live your life. Surely if you look back through our history, … Continue reading →

n. Intestines, bowels, guts; mind, heart, affections; of the heart or mind; mood, temper, feelings. Fig., child. Cf. naʻau aliʻi, naʻau ʻino, naʻaupō. Helu naʻau (name of an arithmetic book), mental counting. Pōkole ka naʻau, short-tempered, cross. Hoʻopaʻanaʻau, to memorize. Naʻau pōkole, short-tempered; lit., short intestine. (PPN ngaakau.) Yum! Intestines, … Continue reading →

vs. Smooth, thin, as poi; fine, mashed, soft, powdery, supple, limber, as a dancer’s body. Cf. nāwāliwali, niu 1,ʻōnāwali, ʻōnāwaliwali. hoʻo.wali To make soft, smooth, as soil, to mix, as poi or dough; to digest. ʻAila hoʻowali pena, paint thinner. … Continue reading →

1. vi. To flash, as lightning; to blaze suddenly, flare up; to rumble uneasily, as a queasy stomach. ʻŌlapa ka hoe a ka lawaiʻa, he ʻino, the fisherman’s paddle flashes, a storm [of haste]. 2. n. Several native species and … Continue reading →

1. n. Time, turn, season, date, chronology, period of time. Cf. haʻi manawa. No ka manawa, for the time being, for a short time or while, temporary. Ia manawa, ia manawa nō, at this time, then, contemporary. Nā manawa āpau … Continue reading →

vi. To wander, drift, ramble, go from place to place; to stray morally or mentally. Cf. hula ʻauana. ʻAuana ka noʻonoʻo, delirium. hō.ʻauana To cause to wander, disperse, as a conqueror disperses an enemy. Sometimes spelled ʻauwana, we hear this … Continue reading →

nvt. Chant that was not danced to, especially with prolonged phrases chanted in one breath, often with a trill (ʻiʻi) at the end of each phrase; to chant thus. Ke oli, the chant. Mea oli, chanter. (PNP oli.) Welcome to Merrie Monarch week … Continue reading →

nvt. To oppose, resist, protest; opposite, versus, adverse, contrary, antagonistic, unwilling; objection. Lit., stand different. He manaʻo kūʻē, an opposite meaning. Kūʻē kānāwai, unlawful, contrary to law, illegal, against the law. Kūʻē aupuni, opposed or disloyal to the government, rebel. … Continue reading →

Taboo, prohibition; special privilege or exemption from ordinary taboo; sacredness; prohibited, forbidden; sacred, holy, consecrated; no trespassing, keep out. Today, our warriors stand atop our mauna kapu, Mauna a Wākea, in an effort to prevent the desecration of this sacred … Continue reading →