1. nvs. Deep blue-black, as a cavern, the sea, or dense forest; dim, distant; grief (see ex., haʻalipo). See kumulipo.Lipo lolohuamea, the dark depths [the unfathomable mystery of the gods]. (Probably PPN lipo.) 2. (Cap.) n. Name of a star in the southern skies, and hence sometimes the name for the southern sky.

New Hawaiian language learners know the color of blue to be polū (or uliuli) and the color black to be ʻeleʻele. Because Hawaiians love the richness of dark colors, such as the green shades of the uplant forests or the rich dark blue colors in the ocean we have other words to describe these colors. Lipo is one of these words. Because these colors are so dark, lipo is also synonymous with grief. It is interesting how our imagery of grief is that of darkness. The word kumulipo means origin, or genesis, the source of life. If we look at its parts it would be kumu, which refers to the source, and lipo – darkness. Source of darkness. This is the Hawaiian creation chant.

ʻAʻohe manu noho i ka lipo e pakele i ke kāpiʻo – No bird of the deep forest can escape his snare (said of a person who can win the love of anyone he chooses).

Ke kai lipolipo polihua a Kāne – The dark blue ocean of Kāne (the deep sea out of sight of land).

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