1. nvt. To destroy, as by fire or lava flow. Fig., quick, deft (as after lima); greedy, lecherous. See ex., one ʻā, ʻowāhi. 

Still going with the lau theme, I was reminded of a line in the male, Puʻu ʻOniʻoni, a hula dedicated to Pele and traditionally performed using ʻiliʻili. Lauahi Pele i kai o Puna – Pele’s lava flows are “doing their destructive thing” towards the sea of Puna.

You can just imagine the flows heading towards Puna, much like what happened just last year as many families evacuated their homes in the Puna district as lava did, indeed, head seaward. Flows stopped short of causing mass destruction (unless you are a transfer station)  but she sure did create havoc with her massive strength. Lauahi. To destroy, as by fire or lava. Imagine it. And generally, as the lava heads towards a home it is the fire that precedes the lava that usually engulfs the home. Lauahi. To destroy, as by fire or lava.

As I gaze out from Luka to kai this morning in Laupāhoehoe (see the lau?), I see the air thick with vog from Pele and I am wondering if we will see any lauahi action in the near future.