2. nvt. Basting; to baste, sew. hoʻo.holo.holo Caus/sim.; to make large running stitches. Lopi hoʻoholoholo, basting thread.

3. nvi. A net into which fish run (holoholo) after being frightened; to fish with this net.

4. nvi. An old Hawaiian game of kicking a ball to which feathers were attached; to play this game.

Tomorrow I will travel to the west coast and spend some time with my favorite girls (my daughters and daughter-in-law) in Oregon and Washington. Just a few days. But whenever I tell anyone I am going to the mainland they inevitably ask, “What for?” And my reply is, “Holoholo.” We are just going to cruise. Nothing formal (unless you want to count the Tim McGraw concert we are going to attend…uihā). A strictly pleasure trip. I am a firm believer in the benefits of travel. We are, as the translation says, going to ride anywhere or aimlessly. Holoholo. I am sure our straying will take us along the paths of shopping malls and Trader Joe’s but seriously this is all about holoholo.Go for a walk, ride or sail.

My holoholo partners and I in Denmark

I am reminded of two songs I learned to dance in my younger days:

Kāua i ka holoholo kaʻa – You and I going for a car ride.

and

Kāua i ka holoholo i ka pō mahina laʻilaʻi – You and I going for a walk on a beautiful moonlit night.

If you are familiar with fishing practices you also know that if someone asks you where you are going you will never come right out and say “fishing”. The correct response is always “holoholo.” Don’t want to let the fish know you are out to get them. He mau pepeiao ko ka iʻa. Fish have ears! You let it out that you are going fishing then bumby HOKA! You going get…NOTHING! If someone tells you holoholo and you keep bugging them then obviously you didn’t learn the lesson small kid time. So now you are informed. No need get scoldings. You can thank me later.

ʻAʻohe pueo keʻu, ʻaʻohe ʻalae kani, ʻaʻohe ʻūlili holoholo kahaki – No owl hoots, no mudhen cries, no ʻūlili runs on the beach (there is perfect peace).

Keiki holoholo kuāua o Makāwao – The lad of Makāwao who goes about in the rain (said of a native of that place who is not afraid of being wet).

He ʻūlili holoholo kahakai, pā i ke kai nui, hina – A sandpiper running about on the beach, when struck by a big wave, falls (a disparaging remark applied to a weakling who cannot fight).

Now get out and go holoholo somewhere, whether it is just for a stroll, a trip, or an activity that may get something delicious from the ocean onto your plate at home!