n. Holiday, important or big day.

Today we celebrate, as a state holiday, Kamehameha Day. Today is a lānui – holiday.

If you separate the word into two:

lā – day

nui – big

Written separately, it would refer to a “big day”, as in an important day. Say you’re getting married or you have an important job interview. Then it would be a lā nui. But if we are talking holiday, which are big days in an of themselves, then you would put the words together. Lānui.

Today, on this lānui, I am going to spend it working in my yard, making it more bountiful. Kamehameha I, after uniting all the islands, worked alongside his people to assure abundant crops (after years of battle and neglect of fields) to feed the masses. I think he would appreciate that. Maybe I will head over to Kohala, land of his birth, to pay my respects to this fearless leader.

Kamehameha Statue in Kohala (the original)

He lānui kēia lā – Today is a holiday.

ʻO ka lānui Kamehameha ka lā 11 o Iune – The Kamehameha holiday is on June 11.

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